Chapter Twenty-Nine

Dean breezed around the apartment, almost glowing for the next few weeks. He loved his new job, and even found himself willing to do overtime.

{I'm pleased for you} Cas said one evening.

Dean had come home late, and brought a lot of food with him. {I'm making a feast} he told Cas, grinning.

Cas watched him happily, his feet curled underneath him on the couch. He did miss Dean's daytime visits to the bakery, but it was worth it to see Dean so relaxed and happy.

Dean then made so much food that they had to invite Sam and Jess over to help them eat all of it.

They both slept deeply that night, neither disturbed by nightmares, or Sam and Jess in the spare room.

Cas quietly slipped out of bed the next morning, careful not to wake Dean up. His hours were a lot more regular now, but Cas was still up earlier than him most days. He grabbed a snack for breakfast and carefully closed the front door behind him, making sure Gracie was on the right side of it as he did so. He hummed quietly to himself as he walked to the bakery, twirling his keys in his hands. The sky was blue, and thin white clouds scudded across it. It was still cold, but Cas caught the faint smell of spring on the breeze.

He put his key in the door, but froze as he glanced up at the window.

Giant red letters had been graffitied across his window, reading 'HOMO'.

Cas stared at it for a moment, struggling to process what he was looking at, his veins turning to ice. 'Oh, God,' he whispered, then threw himself inside the bakery. He grabbed a bucket and a sponge, and stumbled back outside with it. How many people had already seen this? He wet the sponge and scrubbed at the paint, but nothing happened.

'It's not coming off,' he muttered, scrubbing even more frantically. 'It's not coming off.' He kept scrubbing it anyway, his scrambled brain unable to think of something else to do.

'Are you all right, dear?'

Cas jumped, dropping the sponge. 'Mrs Holden,' he said, seeing who it was. He looked up at the graffiti, knowing he wouldn't be able to cover it up.

'Oh dear,' she said, seeing the graffiti. 'That won't come off easy.'

Cas shook his head miserably.

Mrs Holden rubbed his shoulder. 'My grandson is what they call transgendered,' she told him. 'He has a lot of experience with this kind of thing. I bet he could get this right off.'

'Really?' Cas said, wringing his hands.

'Oh, sure. You get back in there and make some of your delicious food, and I'll call my grandson.'

'Thank you,' Cas said.

He went inside the bakery, tucking the keys behind the register, and shakily pulling out his phone.

Come by the bakery if you have a minute, he texted Dean.

He tried to go about his regular routine, but kept losing track of where he was.

About an hour passed, and there was a knock on the door. Cas went out and saw a man standing at the door.

'You must be Cas,' he said, reaching out to shake Cas's hand. 'I'm Chase.'

'Nice to meet you,' Cas said politely.

'I noticed your graffiti problem. Come on, I'll show you how to get rid of it.' He shrugged off his backpack and pulled out a bottle of paint thinner, a spray bottle, and a razor.

'I'll leave all this stuff with you, just in case it happens again.'

'Is that likely?' Cas said.

Chase just grimaced, filling the spray bottle with paint thinner.

The door opened again, and Dean went straight to Cas, cupping Cas's face in his hands.

'I'm all right,' Cas murmured.

Dean shook his head and enveloped Cas in a hug.

Cas sighed, his chest loosening at Dean's presence. 'This is Chase,' he told Dean, once he pulled away. 'He's helping me get the paint off.'

Dean nodded.

Chase showed Cas how to get the paint to come off, and helped him clean the whole window.

Mrs Holden returned just as they finished, with a box of her own homemade cookies.

'Thanks, Grandma,' Chase said, taking one.

'It's no trouble at all,' Mrs Holden smiled. 'You're all such good boys.'

'Thank you, Mrs Holden,' Cas said. 'I'll make you some muffins if you want to come back later.'

'That sounds wonderful,' she said. 'Let's go, Chase.' She took Chase by the arm and left with him, waving to Cas through the window on her way past.

Cas sighed heavily once she was gone.

{Do you want me to stay?} Dean asked in concern.

'No, just…' He leaned into Dean's chest, seeking comfort. He allowed himself to linger for a moment, then pulled away. 'You should go to work. I'll be fine.'

Dean kissed him, before reluctantly leaving the bakery.

Cas pulled himself together and hurried to get some baking done, enlisting Alfie as soon as he arrived. He didn't mention what had happened to Alfie, but Alfie could tell that something was off.

When he got home that night, he lay on the couch straight away, dozing off until Dean came home with pizza.

It was quiet for a few days, but then Cas was once again confronted with graffiti on his window. This time reading 'QUEER'. He quickly removed it, but didn't tell anyone that it had happened, not wanting to give the perpetrator the satisfaction of his distress. Again, Alfie noticed his quiet demeanor that day, but chose not to question it.

He tried not to show it, but Cas walked around a little more warily, fearing that it would happen again. He already felt as though people were staring at him when he walked through town. He had no idea who had or hadn't seen it, or whether or not they believed it.

The third time it happened though, a couple of days after the second, Cas merely sat on the floor inside the bakery, staring up at the word 'FAG' on the window. He twiddled his phone in his hands, then texted Dean, I need you. He didn't bother baking anything, or opening the bakery, and remained on the floor waiting for Dean. He forgot to tell Alfie not to come, and watched him walk up to the bakery, stop at the window, and his mouth drop open in horror. Alfie saw Cas through the window and banged on the door.

'Let me in!' he shouted.

Cas sighed and climbed to his feet. He unlocked the door and cracked it open. 'Go home, Alfie,' he mumbled.

'Who the hell did this?' he said furiously.

Cas shrugged. 'I don't know.'

'We should wash it off - no, I'll wash it off - let me in.' He made to go through the door, but Cas continued to block him.

'Please, Alfie…'

'Fine, but I'm texting Dean.'

'I already did.'

Alfie folded his arms. 'Then I'm staying until he gets here.'

'Alfie-'

'I'm coming in.' Alfie finally pushed past and went straight into the kitchen. 'Where do you keep all your cleaning stuff?' he called.

'Cabinet in the back,' Cas called back.

'Why not under the sink like a normal person?' Alfie grumbled.

Cas didn't answer, instead just leaning on the counter with his head in his hands, only looking up when Dean came in.

Dean too looked furious, signing too rapidly for Cas to understand.

'Dean - Dean, slow down.'

Dean took a deep breath, bunching and unbunching his hands a few times, but then he just shook his head. He stepped over to Cas and pulled him close.

'Why won't they stop?' Cas whispered.

Dean kissed Cas on the top of the head, then let go of him. {I'm sorry. If I ever find out who's doing this}

{I'm tired}

Dean nodded. {Me and Alfie will clean it up}

Cas made himself a coffee and watched Dean and Alfie scrubbing at the window. The coffee warmed him up a little, but it didn't help him feel any less miserable.

'You should report this,' Alfie said once they were finished.

'No,' Cas said. 'They'll get bored eventually.'

'What, so you're going to keep letting them writing horrible stuff all over your building?' Alfie said incredulously. 'No, that's not acceptable. Not happening. I'm going down to the station-'

'No, Alfie, please,' Cas said, grabbing his arm. 'It's fine, really. I don't want to make a fuss, it's just spray paint.'

'But-'

'I said no.'

Alfie huffed and stormed out of the door.

'I'm going home,' Cas said, rubbing his face. 'You should get to work.'

Dean looked hesitant.

'Dean, it's okay. You love your job. You should go. I'll just have a quiet day at home, all right?'

Dean smiled, and caressed Cas's cheek. {I love you}

{I love you too}

Cas spent the rest of the day curled up on the couch with a book and Gracie in his lap. When Dean came home, he was carrying several bags. {I'm making all your favourite things}

Cas smiled for the first time all day. {You can't keep doing this, we'll get fat}

Dean grinned. {Maybe I'll save some for another time}

He made a big bowl of mac and cheese, and sat down on the couch with it.

'Dean,' Cas laughed as Dean tried to feed it to him.

Dean washed up once they were finished eating, then cuddled Cas on the couch for a while, until Cas's eyelids began to droop.

'Come on,' he murmured. 'Bedtime.'

Dean lifted him up, eyes sparkling when he made Cas laugh again.

'Dean, really, what's gotten into you?'

Dean just shook his head and dropped Cas on the bed in their room.

'Get my pjs?' Cas said.

{Why do you need them?} Dean grinned slyly.

'You know I get cold.'

{I'll keep you warm}

Cas laughed and reached out to him. 'I bet you will.'

Eventually, he fell asleep, with Dean wrapped around him.

Cas awoke in the middle of the night, Dean's arm still draped over his. He shivered, now wishing he had put on his pajamas, and rolled over, trying to figure out what had woken him. Dean snuffled in his sleep, and Cas rubbed his eyes.

Then, he heard a bang on the door, and sat up. 'What?' he mumbled groggily.

Whoever it was banged on the door again, so Cas climbed out of bed and threw on his pajamas. He shuffled to the front door, and picked up Gracie so she wouldn't run out when he answered the door. He unlocked the door, and squinted at the two people standing outside.

'Castiel Novak?' one of them said. It was two police officers.

'Yes?' Cas said.

'Owner of Cas and Charlie's?'

'Why?'

The officer closest grimaced. 'I think you'd better come with us,' he said.

Cas held Gracie tightly. 'Dean,' he called.

Dean came out of the bedroom in a robe.

'Put Gracie in the bedroom,' he said, handing her to him. 'Get dressed.'

Dean looked from Cas to the officers and back again, but did as Cas said.

Cas just threw his coat on over his pajamas and followed the officers outside. He grabbed Dean's hand and squeezed. Cas knew where they were going, but he hoped that he was wrong.

It was the longest walk of his life, though he'd walked it every day for years.

They turned the corner and Cas stopped, feeling as though he'd been kicked in the chest, all the air leaving his lungs.

There was police tape across the front of his bakery. The window had been shattered and the door smashed off its hinges. Cas heard Dean inhale sharply behind him, but that was all he heard. He let go of Dean's hand and walked into the bakery, deaf to the officers' protests.

It was worse inside. All of the glass counters had been smashed to pieces, the register was broken and lying sadly on the floor, and the coffee machine had been cracked open, leaking all over the counter and the floor. Worst of all was the kitchen.

Cas walked into the kitchen, glass cracking under his feet. Utensils littered the floor, some snapped in half, others bent until they were unusable. The door of the fridge had been thrown open, and all the food in the cabinets, fridge and freezer had been thrown across the room. Sauces and jams painted the walls, their jars smashed on the floor. A thick layer of flour covered every surface. The doors for every single one of the ovens had either been smashed or wrenched off.

Cas surveyed it all, his limbs leadened and numb, and turned back to the entrance.

Dean was standing with the officers, writing frantically on one of their notebooks. He looked up at Cas, an agonised expression on his face, and pressed the notebook back into the officer's hand. He came over to Cas, holding out his hands. Cas did not take them.

Cas stared into space, dazed. 'My- my insurance won't cover this,' he croaked. 'I can't afford to fix this.'

Dean's mouth opened slightly, but closed again, and Cas walked back out of the front door.

One of the officers passed Dean their card. 'Have him call us tomorrow,' he said. Dean nodded and followed Cas out.

'Let's go for a drive,' Cas said flatly.

Dean nodded, pulling his keys from his pocket. He drove them out of town, far from the bright streetlights and noise. Cas sat silently next to him, picking the skin on his lips and bouncing his foot. Eventually, they came to some fields. Everything was still and silent, but for the car.

'Stop,' Cas said.

Dean did as he said, bringing the car to a halt beside a gate into the field.

Cas got out and walked into the field. There was a small stand of skinny trees nearby, and Cas walked over to them.
Dean followed close behind.

Cas reached the trees, and put a hand on the trunk of the nearest one. The rough bark bumped beneath his fingers, and this contact brought him crashing down to earth. A hole opened up inside him, and he fell to his knees under the weight of it.

Dean knelt beside him. 'Cas,' he murmured.

Cas shook his head, his chin trembling, then abruptly turned and buried his head in Dean's shoulder, clinging to the front Dean's shirt so hard that his knuckles turned white and shook.

Dean pulled him in, and tears welled in his own eyes at the devastated wail that came from Cas. He forced himself to keep it together, rocking Cas gently while he sobbed.


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That's right, I'm back again with a brand new chapter, and hope to return again soon. See you all next time!

(p.s. please don't kill me)