Had an idea. Let's see where it goes. I needed my ChuckxCasey fix (I was so enthralled with Chuck Vs The Full Moon that I wrote eleven unauthorized chapters for myself. In two weeks.) so when this idea came, I had to pounce on it. I know it isn't a huge fandom, but I hope someone finds and enjoys this.

Takes place after Episode 1.10.

(-)

Chuck couldn't believe that Sarah would run away with Bryce. I mean, sure, they had been in love before he died, and he was handsome and smooth…nevermind. If he kept thinking about it he was just going to thoroughly depress himself.

He currently had plenty to distract him; he and his NSA handler were running from an agent who knew that one of the two people he was chasing was the Intersect. Casey had explicitly told him that if he looked back, the agent would shoot Chuck in the face to prevent identification. So just another day at the office.

After a few quick turns, Casey pulled the nerd into a shallow alcove. He pressed Chuck into the wall as they panted, tucking his face into Casey's chest. "We're going to wait a minute and see if we lost him." Chuck could feel the words as they were spoken.

It was impossible to get over how solid and muscled the bigger man was. Especially when all of that frame was weighing into him. The fact that both their chests were heaving, Chuck's more noticeably, meant there was a competition for space that he couldn't win. It was a little harder to catch his breath. Listening to Casey's heart beating a little faster than normal, not thundering like Chuck's, wasn't helpful in calming him. It was always harder to breathe when Casey was in Chuck's space.

Okay, it didn't help that he smelled incredibly masculine, musky with some sharp scented deodorant. Chuck, in contrast, had an assortment of toiletries called Midnight Pomegranate that he favored. Fruit was acceptable for men, damn it, and it smelled good!

And, sure, those eyes were so damn blue that being pinned under that gaze was like being crushed in an ocean current. And they always seemed to hit him harder than anyone else, likely because he annoyed the agent so much.

"Hey, John, is that you?" came a familiar voice. Oh fuck, not now.

Casey pulled away a little and those blue eyes met his, clearly calculating. When the gaze dropped a little lower, Chuck barely had time to feel apprehensive before warm lips were pressed to his. It was electrifying, even if he knew it wasn't real. The power behind it, the way Casey dominated the kiss was getting Chuck a little too excited.

"Chuck?" came the voice from right behind the bigger man. "I didn't know you two were dating…awesome! Glad you're moving on, bro."

They parted, and the nerd peeked over Casey's shoulder to meet they eyes of his no doubt future brother-in-law, who looked nothing but pleased at finding his girlfriend's younger brother making out with their scary neighbor. Because Devon was just that awesome that he would immediately support Chuck's life choice of suddenly being in a gay relationship. No mental speed bump, just Awesome. While Captain Awesome had been thoroughly annoying when Chuck moved back in with his sister, he was quickly won over because you just couldn't hate a guy who was legitimately awesome.

"Uh, yeah. Could you…wait and let me tell Ellie?"

"Of course, bro. Take your time. But you know we both have your back." Devon said, "I'm picking up groceries for El, see you at home. And you'll have to come over soon, John."

He left, and Chuck hesitantly met those piercing blue eyes. Whatever nameless force was in that gaze was frightening. And just like that, Chuck had a new cover boyfriend.

(-)

After clearing the area to be sure the agent wasn't lingering, Casey walked with Chuck back to the BuyMore. He kept giving the nerd looks, and finally Chuck couldn't take it. "Why kiss me if you're gonna look that angry about everything?!"

"Did you have a better reason for us to be in the position we were in?"

Chuck paused. "Well, no. But what did you expect me to say? 'No, not dating, just randomly making out with my friend with no strings attached.' Devon knows me better than that. Nobody kisses me like that unless it's serious."

The agent smirked. "Seemed easy enough to me."

Without thinking, Chuck slapped Casey. It stung his hand, but it was worth it. But the narrowed eyes had the nerd immediately backing up. But not backing down. "You aren't going to call me easy. If we're doing this, you will never disrespect me like that."

Now the eyes were narrowed not from anger, but from a critical gaze. Chuck doubted even the NSA's intelligence gathering could tell him the source of Chuck's sudden outrage. Three people knew, and one of them was Morgan. Unless Blake had randomly started mentioning an incident from highschool to everyone, Casey had no way of knowing why his words had provoked that level of negative response.

But the big man wasn't stupid. He was puzzling out the basics as they kept walking. Then one hand rubbed his cheek while the other slid into Chuck's hair and roughed it up a bit. That was…new. And kind of nice. "Calm down, Chuck, I didn't mean anything by it. And you can just dump me when the new CIA girl gets here."

"No!" Chuck hadn't meant for it to be that loud or emphatic.

Casey looked curious now, and Chuck flushed. "I'm not that fickle, and my family and friends know that too."

"I believe there was a sandwich girl…"

"That's different. Sarah had just told me that nothing was real, and I liked Lou. And because the US Government never wants me to have sex again, that fell through, so I was going to go back to Sarah for the cover…" And because he was still stupid enough to think she cared. "But she left."

"So what? Still the same back and forth. Why not dump me, it'd be easier." The casual tone as Casey suggested it made Chuck's chest tighter in a way that indicated this was going to end up being very hard.

He sighed. "Because I've never been in a relationship with another man before. No one but Morgan even knows I'm bi. And he definitely knows better than to think I'd get involved with another guy unless I was very serious." He hated to do it, but the nerd looked over to meet Casey's eyes. "If I just came out for you, you're really special to me."

The agent quickly looked away. "Fine. But you have to be able to handle me touching you for the cover. You don't seem to like that."

On the contrary, Chuck liked it too much. "You're usually threatening me with violence or manhandling me to protect me. Not fun or pleasant situations."

A big hand slid over his shoulders and pulled him close as they walked. It made Chuck feel indescribably warm, and not just because Casey was a human space-heater. He automatically leaned into it.

"Okay, maybe we can make this work," the agent said. Chuck hadn't realized it was a test. That was a little depressing, but at least he passed.

The BuyMore was in sight, but Casey didn't drop his arm. Until they heard a crash as Morgan ran into a pole on his bike. Then Chuck shrugged it off to go check on his friend. "Morgan! Are you okay?"

"Fine, fine. Did Casey just have his arm around you?" God, his new relationship was shocking enough to cause bike accidents, and that was with the one person who already knew Chuck liked men as well as women.

"Uh, yeah. We're dating now."

"Dating?! How did that happen? Jesus, Chuck, I didn't think your first boyfriend would be able to break you in half by looking at you! Have you kissed? Oh, I'm so glad that you've gotten over that-"

"Morgan!" This time was more frantic. He loved his best friend, but sometimes he was too much. Plus Chuck could smell that Casey had caught up with him, not to mention feel the heat as the bigger man stood close behind him.

"You okay, twerp?"

That stunned both geeks into silence. Morgan looked between Chuck and Casey and nodded. Then he said in a stage-whisper to Chuck, "I think his heart grew three sizes today."

The agent scowled as Chuck fought down a smile. "It's not Christmas, Morgan. Did you just get off?"

"Yeah, was gonna go play Call of Duty. I wanted you to come by after your shift, but I guess you're busy." Morgan got up and righted his bike.

"Sorry, buddy."

"Not a problem, as long as your new man meat doesn't steal you away from me." His friend was already hopping on and riding away.

"Morgan!" Chuck shouted as Casey growled.

They went inside to find the store almost empty of customers. And someone must have seen the same thing Morgan did, because all the employees were talking in low voices around him, but no one was saying anything to him. He could see the green shirts giving Casey the same treatment. Finally, the agent rolled his eyes and walked up to the Nerd Herd desk. He pulled Chuck over the counter enough to kiss him. And, holy hell, it was not a simple peck. When Casey pulled away, smirking at him, he knew his face was very red, and he was glad he was behind the desk, because that was a little too stimulating.

"Think that will answer their questions?"

Chuck swallowed nervously. "I think it's going to open a new can of very perverted worms, since Jeff and Lester look like they might wet themselves."

The big man glanced at the nerds, whose eyes were wide and who almost seemed to be salivating in excitement, presumably over all the conversations and teasing and meddling opportunities that had just been handed to them.

The smile that grew on the agent's face as he looked back at Chuck seemed almost genuine, if still self-satisfied. Chuck smiled back. "If I didn't know better, I would say you were enjoying this."

That wiped Casey's face back into a neutral mask, then a scowl. "Good thing you know better. I'm not Walker, Chuck." And he went back to work.

With the tight squeeze in his chest, Chuck knew he was already in over his head. Yeah, he'd liked Casey for a while. He hadn't lied when he said the agent was very special to him. It was hard to resist an extremely fit and attractive man who saved your life…a lot. And he had begun to suspect that behind all the growling and aggression that acted as a wall around Casey there was something more vulnerable, something that he protected fiercely.

The fact that Casey's face had gone blank before he scowled supported that theory, at least in Chuck's mind. But he also knew this was just what happened with Sarah: attributing meaning and feelings where there weren't any. God, he was inviting a whole new more dangerous world of hurt onto himself.

After his shift, he was walking out the door when an arm slipped around his waist. If he hadn't been able to smell the big man, he probably would have been alarmed. As it was, he melted into the agent. And then he heard that voice. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Home," Chuck said without missing a beat.

"What are you going to tell your sister? The word is out here. Morgan knows."

Damn, that was right. Well, it's not like he was worried Ellie would disown him. "I'll figure it out."

"Come to my place after."

God, he felt so hot. He knew it wasn't a date, that he'd likely end up playing games on his phone while Casey cleaned his guns or something, but he still wanted to spend time with the agent. "Okay."

The arm slipped away, and he left. When he got home, Devon winked at him, and he fought down a smile. "Hey, El, I've got something to tell you."

"What is it?" She paused the movie she was watching with her boyfriend to give him her full attention.

"I, uh, have a new boyfriend."

His sister just beamed at him. "That's wonderful, Chuck. Do I know him?"

"Yeah, it's Casey from work, and our neighbor…you aren't surprised?"

Ellie laughed. "No, especially not if it's him. They way you look at him, Chuck, like he's the most interesting person you've ever met…well, I'm glad you found someone. I was worried you'd start spiraling when Sarah left."

Crap, their house was bugged to hell and back, and there was no way Casey wasn't going to hear that. "Yeah, well I was going to change and go watch a movie at his house."

"Alright."

He went to his room and forced himself not to think about what he was wearing. Jeans, Converse, and whatever T-shirt he grabbed. He refused to look in the mirror before he left. This was not a date.

Crossing the courtyard, he wasn't expecting the door to open before he knocked, revealing a disgruntled Casey. "Uh, hi?"

The agent pulled him in and closed the door behind him. And inside, Chuck saw a woman talking to the general on the TV. She was tan with pixie cut brown hair and hazel eyes. She didn't look like a hardened government agent. When he and Casey joined her, he saw the general sigh and shake her head. And the woman laughed. The laugh seemed to light up her face naturally, and he got the impression she did a lot of laughing. "I love your shirt."

Uh oh. Chuck looked down. It said: You make my software turn into hardware. He knew he was bright red as he saw Casey smirk, and only those who made a habit of studying him closely could tell he was fighting down laughter.

The general did not engage. "Mr. Bartowski, this is Agent Elizabeth Jordan. She will be your new CIA handler. Major Casey was about to brief us on why she can no longer serve as your cover girlfriend when you arrived."

God, Chuck didn't want to have this conversation with the general. But Casey jumped in. "We were evading someone trying to ID Chuck, and we hid in an alcove…" Chuck got the distinct impression Casey didn't want to mention the kiss.

"It was my fault, General. My sister's boyfriend saw us standing very close together and got the wrong idea. I panicked and just went along with it."

"I see." The general looked thoughtful. "Well, breaking up with Major Casey shouldn't be too-"

Chuck was already shaking his head emphatically and it cut her off, although she frowned at him. "I…well, I wasn't 'out' before this, General. And my family and friends would know that I wouldn't come out for just anyone. It would have to be a very serious relationship for that. So breaking up with Casey right after we get together and I out myself publicly would bring a lot of speculation and attention on my relationship with him. Since our actual relationship is that he's my NSA handler put here to protect and manage me, I think the less attention the better, right?"

Now he had her scrutiny, being studied by that stern gaze. "Very well. Major Casey will take on the cover of your boyfriend. Luckily, we already set Agent Jordan's cover as his cousin, giving an excuse to introduce and spend time with her. Agent Jordan has not yet been fully briefed on your full value as an asset, Mr. Bartowski, so for now you will treat her as you would any agent other than Major Casey and Agent Walker."

Basically, don't tell her you're the Intersect, Chuck. "Got it."

The general addressed Jordan. "Mr. Bartowski is a critical and priceless asset. You will do whatever is needed to keep him safe."

"Yes, ma'am," Jordan said with no hesitation.

The screen went blank. The agent offered him a hand without pause. "You can call me Lizzie. I guess we won't need to be as close as expected, but as Agent Casey's cousin, I'll still be around, and we can be friends."

Chuck was suspicious of her simply on the merit of being Sarah's replacement. "Cover friends, you mean?"

Lizzie flicked a glance at Casey. "I don't see why we can't actually get along. I was told that was a problem with your previous CIA handler, boundaries that is. That's why they chose me to replace her. I'm gay, so no worries about me falling in love with you." She giggled a little.

"Jordan, you talk too much. We can settle details later; Chuck and I are supposed to be on a date."

The agent shrugged. "It's not like anyone was watching me come in. Whenever I leave, it could just have been for a few minutes."

Casey shook his head and pointed at the monitor that Chuck hadn't realized he'd been watching. "His sister watched him come over and is still at the window. Even if she doesn't know when you got here, she'll know how long you stayed after he arrived. Since I wouldn't want my cousin hanging out on my first date with my new boyfriend, you're leaving."

There was a wry quirk to her lips. "Fine. But you have to see me to the door."

They did, and Casey even looked like he liked her as the door opened and she stepped out. Chuck wasn't prepared for her to turn and hug him before vigorously shaking his hand. In an excited but not unnaturally loud voice, she said, "I'm so glad to meet you, Chuck! Johnny never had a lot of friends, and snagging a guy like you? He's so lucky!"

The big agent scowled at that. "Bye." And he closed the door in her face.

"So, you don't like the new girl?"

That got him a growl. "At least Walker was serious, not so…sunny."

"I'm sure they could have sent worse." When Casey said nothing, he said, "So, you gonna clean your guns and I'll play around on my phone?"

"I was going to cook dinner."

Chuck wanted to do a double take, but he was already completely focused on the agent. "Dinner?"

"It's dinnertime and you're stuck over here. I'm sure you're hungry since you just had an apple and half of a Snickers for lunch and a bowl of Fruit Loops for breakfast."

"You know, I'm interested in how good of a boyfriend my stalker will make. It actually seems like one would serve the other well, if still be creepy."

"Are you hungry or not?" Casey asked impatiently.

"Starving. Dinner sounds amazing, Casey, thanks."

The agent had been turning away, and he did a double take. What, like Chuck having manners was so surprising? "You're so damn flimsy as it is. And you don't eat enough food, let alone real food. If you were my boyfriend, I'd fatten you up."

That was a surprising series of statements. "Fatten me up to eat me? Because as Morgan pointed out, you're prime 'man meat', so I would think you'd be tastier than me."

"If this is you trying to start some twisted version of the sandwich debates, I'm not biting."

The nerd laughed; he'd almost forgotten that. "Did you like the second round?"

"No one would suspect that Chuck Bartowski is a terribly cruel man, but I know." Casey was moving around the kitchen, taking out utensils and ingredients.

"At least the second round was only an hour."

"And then you got him started on the merits of changing into an animal; which ones and why. For four hours! You're lucky I didn't climb through that window and murder you both."

Now Chuck was laughing hard. "I forgot that too! Well, I was mad at you for spying on me. Now that I know they're there I can deal with it. I just don't like being lied to."

He was a little uneasy when Casey said nothing in response to that. But after a while, the man did say, "So, was the shirt a gift from Morgan?"

Chuck flushed again. "Yeah. I was in a hurry to get over here so I just grabbed something. I didn't wear it on purpose."

Casey let out a bark of laughter. "Afraid I'll think you're trying to seduce me with nerdy come-ons? I know better."

That irritated Chuck a little. "Know better how?"

The agent's back was to him, but he sounded distinctly amused as he said, "You may not be Casanova, but you're not incompetent. You'd only use that line on another nerd. You'd come up with something different to seduce a guy like me."

O-kay, that was weird. "You think about how I'd think about seducing you?"

"It's just because I know almost everything about you. If you know your target well enough, you can think like your target."

"Fine. How would I go about seducing you, Mr. Stalker-Know-It-All?"

"I don't think you would," came the immediate reply.

He didn't know everything after all then. "Why?"

"You said it yourself, Chuck: you wouldn't pursue a guy unless you were serious. Seduction is all about sex. You would romance your target."

Oh, fuck, he did know Chuck. It wasn't even something the nerd had thought about, but Casey was absolutely right. "Fair enough. You're actually edging more towards 'nice' than 'creepy' on the Hanging-Out-With-Your-Stalker Scale. I think I heard a quote once… 'If you know nothing else, know this: it is a powerful thing to be seen.'"

Casey scoffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that letting someone else see you, know you, gives them power."

"All the more reason to hide."

A telling statement like that just made Chuck want to find Casey. "But if you think about it, a life in the shadows has no power. Who are you if no one can see you?"

"A ghost."

There was something in the way the man said that that made Chuck pay closer attention. Casey thought himself a ghost, and maybe not in the traditional sense of being a spook. Was Casey dead somehow?

"Well, we were talking about you stalking me. You have power over me, Casey, besides all the physical power. And that's okay."

The big man took off oven mitts and turned to look at the nerd. "'Okay'? How are you 'okay' with me having power over you?"

There was disbelief and irritation bubbling up in the normally controlled man. "What are you going to do with the power?"

"Protect you," Casey said, clearly automatically.

"See? You're the guy who I trust to have that power."

"Trust?! Yeah, I say I'll protect you, but you can't know I mean it! Anyone can say anything!" Outrage poured off the agent in waves as he stalked a little closer to Chuck's position on the couch.

Chuck assessed the situation. "But I do trust you. The fact that you don't want me to probably means you're hiding something very bad from me, but you feel guilty and don't want to. Because for all you try to hide, I know you have a heart. You wouldn't push people away so thoroughly unless there was something they could find if they got close enough."

In the entire time he had known the man, Chuck had never seen John Casey look as startled and alarmed as he did now. It only lasted a moment before anger replaced it. "You think you know me? You have no idea about who I am and the things I've done. Not a damn clue."

Those blue eyes were intense, furious, yes, but also wary. Chuck was fascinated. "Maybe I don't know all the details and history, but I see you, John Casey. And that's not a bad thing." And he turned away from the man and pulled up a game on his phone.

The agent was preparing dinner with more force than was needed, grumbling to himself the whole time. Chuck knew he needed to be aware of the fact that Casey had something bad to hide from him in particular, and keep in mind that he was somehow a ghost. The agent wasn't only one who had been watching and learning. Chuck had files in his head on the big man, even if they weren't in the Intersect.

(-)

Well, that was fun. Chuck pissing off Casey with the truth. And Lizzy is a necessary OC, since someone would have to replace Sarah. And I thought they would choose someone very not-like Sarah (and gay) to prevent that same situation from arising. But she obviously won't interfere with the pairing, and that's the most important thing.