The week had passed slowly as Castiel waited for Saturday night. When it finally came, it felt surreal, like a dream.

He couldn't believe that he was going out on a date with Dean. It seemed almost too good to be true.

It was true, though- at six thirty, Saturday night, there was a knock on the door of his apartment.

Castiel hurried to the door and threw it open.

Dean stood there, grinning nervously. "Hey," he said.

"Hello, Dean." Castiel felt almost overdressed, looking at Dean. His grey sweater seemed formal compared to Dean's flannel and Star Wars t-shirt. "You've been very secretive about your plan for tonight. Except for our movie plans."

"Everything else is still a secret 'till we get there," Dean said. "Ready?"

"Of course."

They headed outside, where Dean ushered Castiel to his car, the gleaming 1967 Chevy Impala he had talked to much about.

"She's even prettier in person, huh?" Dean declared proudly.

"It's a nice car," Castiel agreed.

"She. Not it. Don't insult her," Dean scolded. He opened the passenger door. "Hop in."

Castiel awkwardly clambered into the car.

Dean shut the door for him, then got into the driver's seat and started the Impala.

"By the way," Castiel said curiously, "how did you know where I live?"

"I, er…" Dean looked suddenly sheepish. "I might have, uh, followed you. Once."

Castiel stared at him incredulously. "You followed me."

"It was just the one time!" Dean said.

"I can't believe Gabriel was right," Castiel muttered. "I'm never going to hear the end of this."

"What?"

"Gabriel thought that you followed me. Usually, he's not right about this type of thing, so we made a bet." Castiel sighed. "Now I owe him ten dollars."

"Sorry," Dean said.

"Sorry for following me or for costing me ten dollars?"

"Costing you ten dollars."

"Not for following me?"

"Well, it meant that I got to ask you out, didn't it?" Dean said cheekily.

"It did," Castiel said with a small smile.

"So, we're good?"

"That depends on how much I enjoy the movie tonight."

"You'll like it," Dean promised.

They drove for a few minutes in comfortable silence. Dean kept his eyes on the road, Castiel kept his eyes on Dean.

This was the first time he had seen Dean drive. There was a carefree, focused glint in his eyes as they cruised down the road. He wasn't quite smiling, but the corners of his mouth were just barely turned up, and Castiel could tell he was happy.

He would be more than happy to drive all day with Dean if it meant he could see that look on his face.

Castiel wasn't sure how long they stayed like that- Dean driving and Castiel watching him- before Dean broke the silence.

"You okay with burgers?" he asked. "Because there's this really good place at the edge of town, the Roadhouse. I was thinking we could go there for something. I mean, unless you'd rather go somewhere else, or-"

"The Roadhouse sounds great," Castiel assured him.

"Alright, good," Dean said, pulling over the Impala. "We're here." He hopped out of the car and hurried around to open the passenger door.

"Thank you," Castiel said.

Dean only grinned in response.

"Welcome to the Roadhouse! How many- oh, hey, Dean." The blonde woman smiled widely when she recognized Dean and dropped her professional manner.

"Hey, Jo. Table for two?"

"Sure thing." Jo turned her eyes onto Castiel. "So is this the 'Cas' Sam has been going on about?"

"You were talking with Sam?" There was a new, panicked edge to Dean's voice.

"Yeah. He was worried about you for a while, until you told him it was because you had a crush," Jo said offhandedly. She looked between Dean and Cas. "He doesn't know, does he."

"I… might have, uh, forgotten to… mention it."

"I'm not going to say anything, Dean," Jo said. "I'm not in the habit of outing people. So, table or booth?"

Castiel and Dean found themselves sitting almost comfortably in a booth near the bar. There was too much tension in the air for them to be completely comfortable, though.

"Sam, he, uh, he doesn't know. About me liking guys, I mean," Dean blurted out. "He'll find out at some point, but, er-"

"You're not ready for him to know," Castiel guessed.

Dean shook his head. "No. Not like he's homophobic, but…." He trailed off.

"It was like that with me as well," Castiel said. "It took me years to... pluck up enough courage to tell anyone."

Three years and five months, to be exact. From when Castiel had figured out he was gay, to the day Gabriel found out. Gabriel had been nothing but supportive. A few weeks later, he came out to his cousin Balthazar, who was just as supportive, if not as over enthusiastic as Gabriel. It had taken more than five years to say anything to the rest of his family because of fear, which was, as he found out, well founded.

Sam, however, from what Dean had told him, was nothing like the Novaks who had cut him off. Castiel was sure that if Dean chose to tell Sam, Sam would be nothing but accepting. He understood the warriness and fear that came with the closet, though.

"I didn't tell him you were a chick," Dean told him. "But I didn't say you were a guy either. He just assumed- you know." He paused. "He thinks your name is Cassie," Dean said, unable to keep the amused expression off his face.

Castiel laughed.

Dean stared at him. "You're not-" He broke off.

"Not what?"

"Nevermind," Dean said quickly. "So, how about we talk about something less serious, huh?"

"That sounds like a great idea," Castiel agreed. "What qualifies as less serious?"

"Drinks," Dean decided. "Nothing can be serious when it includes alcohol."

"Drinks it is, then."

With drinks in hand, they had talked about all manner of things. Dean told Cas about the Halloween he had convinced Sam he could fly, which had led to an impromptu hospital visit, and the chaos that had ensued the time Charlie had convinced him to LARP with her. Cas told him about how as a kid Gabriel had once adopted a kitten and kept it a secret from their parents for half a year, and about a disastrous play he'd been in during elementary school, which had somehow ended with the school's gym being completely filled with purple fog from the malfunctioning fog machine. They debated what the best kind of pie was, and whether apple pie should be served warm or at room temperature. Disagreed over the best movie genre. (Dean was positive that Cas would change his mind by the time the credits were rolling, though he didn't say that.) Collectively decided that older cars were better. They only fell quiet when the food came.

"This is delicious," Cas said once he'd eaten half of his burger. "We should come here again sometime. Maybe before you see Titanic."

"Who said I was watching Titanic?" asked Dean.

"I believe we had made a deal," said Cas. "One that involved me watching Star Wars, and you watching Titanic."

"You don't just want to watch Star Wars because it's a good movie? You'd rather just watch it to make me watch a sappy love story?"

"I wouldn't say Titanic is sappy," Cas said matter-of-factly. "And anyway, I don't see what's so much better about the clone troopers on your t-shirt."

Dean stared at Cas, scandalized. "Those are stormtroopers!"

"Aren't they the same thing?"

"No, but this movie is long overdue if you can't tell the difference between clones and stormtroopers," Dean grumbled good naturedly.

Somehow, even after the burgers, they had room for popcorn at the theater. Probably because they shared it, which Dean was all too happy to do. Normally, he hoarded food, but with Cas, he didn't mind. He tried blaming it on being full after dinner, but really it was because his and Cas' hands brushed when they reached into the container at the same time.

Dean only half watched the movie. He kept glancing at Cas, who was transfixed.

Cas watching a movie was extremely adorable (not that he didn't always look adorable, but with the light from the screen reflecting off his eyes and his mouth slightly open like that, it was taking all Dean's self control to keep from kissing Castiel senseless). Dean would lean over and kiss him- god, did he want to do that- but Cas seemed to be enjoying the movie, and Dean didn't want to interrupt that, and anyway, he wasn't necessarily unhappy watching Cas watch a movie.

By the time the theme was blaring over the credits, the popcorn was long gone, and they were making their way back to the Impala, Cas had decided, "It wasn't awful."

"'Not awful?' It's a great movie!"

"Like I said, not awful. In fact," Cas said, feigning thoughtfulness, "I might not be opposed to watching the next one." He looked at Dean.

"Knew you'd like it!" Dean crowed triumphantly. "Now we'll have to do another movie night. I mean, if you'd like to."

Cas gave him a small smile. "I think we will, since you have to watch Titanic."

Dean froze. "Shit. Titanic?" Between watching the movie and watching Cas watch the movie, he had forgotten about that.

"It's an excellent movie," Cas assured him.

"I'm going to need more than that to convince me," Dean said as they reached Baby.

"Popcorn?"

"Bit more than that."

"Flowers?"

"I don't know-"

"A kiss?"

Dean couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face. "Now we're talking. Now, do I get a sample? Or do I have to wait for that ship to sink?"

Cas' eyes lit up. "I suppose a sample wouldn't hurt." He smiled, and took a step towards Dean.

Dean leaned forward, and-

The kiss was short and tender, but passionate nonetheless. Their lips fit together perfectly, and when they broke apart, Dean wished it had gone on until they were both gasping for breath. That, or he wished he had gotten another.

He got his second wish when they got back to Cas' apartment.

"Thank you," Cas said sincerely. "Tonight was… I enjoyed it."

"Me too," Dean said. He stumbled slightly over his next words. "I'd, uh, I'd like to take you out again, if, er, you wanted to."

Castiel smiled almost shyly. "I don't have anything after work next week Sunday."

"Great. I'll text? Or call?"

Cas answered him with another kiss.

It was longer than the last, Dean was happy to note.

"Good night, Dean."

"Night, Cas."

The door of Cas' apartment shut, leaving Dean standing in the hallway, grinning widely.