A/N: Special thanks to all my reviewers. You make me smile and write (which I know is what you really want me to do). Also, I've written an outline for this story. I now know what's happening in each chapter and how long it will be. If you want to know, this fic will be 11 chapters in all.

Chapter 5: Watching
Day three

"…And then she shushed us up to bed real fast," Seamus finished retaliating what happened the other day to Marlene.

She creased her forehead in thought. What her mom was trying to hide she couldn't fathom.

"Maybe we're going bankrupt, and the letter was from the bank," Dean said.

"Perhaps someone died."

Dean shook his head. "Marlene, she would have told us that."

"Maybe birds are going to attack," a voice said from the kitchen doorway.

Seamus ran over and placed a kiss on Tim's cheek.

"Birds?" Marlene asked skeptically while Dean determinedly stared at the beige carpet.

"Yeah. You three want to watch a movie? 'The Birds.'"

"Sure!" Seamus said. He pulled Tim along to the living room.

"You two?" Tim asked.

Marlene and Dean nodded and walked into the living room. Dean stared at the back of Seamus and Tim resolutely. Marlene caught his look and bit her lip in concern. If he was giving up it wouldn't work.

"It's in black and white?" Seamus wined disappointedly.

"Yes, but it's directed by Alfred Hitchcock," Tim said.

"Who?"

"Oh, I did a report on him last year!" Marlene exclaimed. "He did 'Psycho.'"

"Shhh," Dean whispered when it started.

They all quieted and sat around. Dean sat on the plush armchair with Marlene on the floor by his feet. Seamus and Tim sat on the couch with their shoulders touching and fingers entwined.

Angel came running in with a bag of popcorn and plopped down on the other side of Tim.

He reached his hand into the buttery bag only to have it roughly pulled away by a huffy Angel.

"Get your own!"

"You never even finish yours. Someone else has too."

"Then wait till I'm done."

Tim left then came back with two bags of popcorn. He handed one to Dean and Marlene then sat back down.

Throughout the beginning, Dean steadily watched the movie without taking any of it in. His ears were tuned to the whispering and rustling coming from behind him on the couch.

Marlene ate the whole bag of popcorn before Dean went for his first handful, and his eyes started to hurt from the strain of continuously looking out of the corner of his eyes.

"We're going to pick my mom up from the airport," Mrs. Thomas announced, strolling into the living room with Sam in her arms.

"I'm coming with," Angel said, not wanting to watch one more minute of a black and white movie.

"Anyone else?"

Marlene shushed them; she was really involved in the movie. Tim and Seamus disentangled themselves but there was no need as Mrs. Thomas was looking the other way. Sam had leapt from his mom's arms and ran to the toy box, and she was trying to stop him.

Mr. Thomas came in wearing clothes that wouldn't have looked out of place at a ball. Seamus snorted and Tim turned to explain.

"Grams doesn't like dad. Thinks he's a bad father so he always tries to impress her. Never works," he spared an amused glance at his dad. "He always just ends up looking stupid."

"So, who's all coming?" Mr. Thomas asked, rearranging his socks in the shinny black dress shoes.

"Not me," Dean said and Marlene elbowed him in the leg for talking too loudly.

Tim and Seamus shook their heads.

"I am." Angel sat the half full popcorn bag on Dean's lap and walked out the door.

"Oh-kay," Mr. Thomas said, then followed Angel.

Mrs. Thomas picked up Sam and rushed to the door. "Be back soon!"

"Apple!" Sam wailed.

Marlene sighed in content now that they left and all was quiet.

Dean tuned in on the movie but had no idea what was going on. Why were they all afraid of the crows? Sure, there were a ton, but there're just birds.

Dean, deciding to zone out of the movie, gave the popcorn to Marlene and reached his left hand up to scratch the back of his neck. While picking at his neck, he turned his head a few inches and peered at Seamus and Tim. The latter caught his look and raised one eyebrow in question. Dean smiled and his gaze switched back to the television.

Ten minutes later, Dean twisted his upper body to the left, pretending to crack his back when in reality he was spying on them again.

Seamus looked at him and smiled brightly, taking his hand out of Tim's and wiggling his fingers in a wave.

Dean smiled tightly and twisted to the right so it looked authentic.

Unbeknownst to Dean or Seamus, Marlene and Tim looked each other in the eye. Tim nodded a fraction making Marlene grin. Turning her attention away from the movie for a few seconds, she flipped to Dean.

"What's wrong?" she asked, peering up through her lashes in concern.

Dean jumped as if burnt. "Er, nothing."

"Uh-huh." Marlene sighed disbelievingly but quickly latched her attention to the TV in hopes that nothing interesting happened in her brief period with Dean.

Slouching down and bringing his feet on the edge of the chair, Dean thought about his relationship with Seamus. He realized that if he were an outside person he might think that he had a thing for Seamus. But that couldn't be true, could it? Dean wrapped his arms around his legs and rested his head on his knees. Did he like Seamus more than a best friend should? No, it couldn't be. He had gone out with Susan, a girl, and really liked her. He liked girls not boys.

Dean peered at Seamus again. His sandy blond hair looked so soft that he felt an overwhelming desire to jump up and run his fingers through it, kissing the other boys jaw line along the way. Dean's eyes widened and he cracked his head front. Maybe he did have a thing for Seamus even though he likes girl. Would that make him bi? Dean sighed. But what could he do? Seamus was going out with Tim.

The movie ended at the exact time the front door opened.

"Impeccable timing," Tim said as he walked up to the door.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas entered with Sam in the latter's arms. Angel followed behind them and an old lady who could only be Grandma. Grandma had her long gray hair in a bun and a stiff white dress covering her skinny body.

"Tim!" Grandma said and kissed the boy on the check and him in return.

"Nice to see you again."

"It's been so long," She patted his head even though he was taller than her and let out a small shriek of, "Dean!"

Dean smiled and walked over to his Grandma to exchange kisses. Marlene ran over and hugged her while she was still kissing Dean.

Seamus smiled from his perch on the couch and felt his first pang of homesickness.

"Dean," Mrs. Thomas said after Grandma had released Dean for Marlene. "Introduce."

Dean stared at her then nodded in comprehension. He waved Seamus over and felt a blush creep onto his face. It was better when he didn't thank he harbored a crush on his friend. He didn't blush whenever Seamus stood next to him than.

"Grandma, this is Seamus, my best friend from school. Seamus this is my Grandma. Urm, Fran Blicker."

Seamus smiled brightly and Fran smiled warmly back.

"Nice to finally meet a friend of Dean's. I was starting to think he had no friends," she teased.

"Hey!" Dean said.

Fran laughed and turned to Mr. Thomas with a hard glint in her eyes. "I left my bags in the truck. Darn."

Mrs. Thomas's eyes widened, "Oh, it's okay. Dear, will you go get them?" She shoved him to the door without his consent.

"Sure." They could hear him grumbling the whole way

"Kids, I ordered pizza so it should be here any minute. Go wash your hands." She set Sam down who ran to the bathroom with Tim and Marlene following after him, smiles on their faces.

"So, you think it's wo-" Marlene whispered, on her way out the living room, in a voice loud enough for Dean and Seamus to hear before Tim shushed her.

Mrs. Thomas and Fran walked into the kitchen talking, leaving Dean and Seamus standing there.

"Well, we can go to the bathroom upstairs." Dean wrung his hands and looked at Seamus. "You know, since they're in the one downstairs and it'll be crowded."

"Sure." Seamus skipped over to the stairs and looked back at Dean, who was still standing there staring at him. "Come on!" He went back and grabbed Dean's shirt sleeve, skipping him up the stairs.

The two boys skipped into the bathroom, smiling. Seamus stopped and turned the facet on, searching the white sink for soap.

"Where's the soap?" He looked at Dean after he didn't answer to see the taller boy staring down where he was clutching his sleeve still. Seamus bit his lip and let go. "Erm, what's up?"

Dean pulled his gaze from his sleeve to look into Seamus's eyes. He felt himself falling into the hazel pools. An overwhelming desire to wear nothing but hazel fell over him.

Seamus gulped. He was staring at Dean again and he was staring back. He felt his heart fly, then fall when he thought that Dean might be staring at him merely because he was staring at him and not because he felt the pull between them.

"Soap," Seamus stated strongly and turned to stare into the mirror.

"Huh…" Dean shook his head and rummaged under the sink for a minute, cooling his head, then came up with a bottle of liquid soap.

They stood in silence, taking turns running their hands under the cold water. Seamus couldn't take the silence and longer. He jutted his hip out and pushed Dean.

Dean stumbled and looked to Seamus in confusion. Seamus raised his eyebrows and smiled. Dean shoved him back.

Soon they both were shoving each other, the facet running and spilling its contents out.

Seamus wedged his foot behind Dean's. He pulled it to himself, successfully tripping Dean. Dean landed against the wall with a thump and Seamus grinned, pressing up against him in victory so he couldn't knock him over.

"Ha!" He smiled and rested his head on Dean's shoulder, both of them breathing heavily.

Dean laid his head on Seamus'. The Irish boy's hair was as soft as it had looked. Without any order from his mind, his hand ran through the blond locks. The feel of it running through his fingers felt so good that he didn't stop when Seamus raised his head and looked at him.

Seamus' eyes fluttered shut and he leaned in. Their lips brushed and Dean gasped. He pressed his lips on the boy in front of him, his hand stopping in its movement through hair.

Dean moaned when Seamus's tongue hesitantly touched his, he tasted like candy.

"Where are those two?" Mrs. Thomas asked after she shut the door to the pizza man. She carried the boxes into the kitchen where everyone was sitting but Dean and Seamus.

"You think…" Marlene whispered waving her hand in circles before her.

Tim glared and her but smiled anyway. He shook his head.

"They could be," she leaned over and whispered.

"We're not that lucky," he whispered back, placing his finger to his lips when Mr. Thomas looked over.

"I'll go get them," Fran offered, pushing her chair back and getting up.

"Oh, no, no Mom. Bernard will."

Mr. Thomas' eyes widened and he opened his mouth in protest.

Fran glared at him, but her eyes turned soft when she looked at her only daughter.

"No, I will. I realize how hard it is for your husband to get up and get them."

Fran stopped outside the closed bathroom door and listened but only heard the sound of the water running. She was just about the open the door when one of them gasped.

The door knob twisted silently in her hand and she gazed through, her mouth widening at the sight of her grandchild locking lips with his friend. Male friend. She knew Tim went for the same sex but not Dean. As much as she loved Tim she hated his choice of partners. Homosexuality, in her eyes, was wrong. She wasn't about to watch Dean make the same disastrous choice as his older brother.

She quickly made some heavy footsteps and saw the door open before she could hide herself. The sandy haired boy walked down without sparing a glance in the direction she was standing.

Sighing, she pushed the door open to find Dean leaning against the wall, his fingers touching his lips, eyes glazed over.

"Finished yet?" She smiled when Dean jumped and snapped out of his daze.

"Erm," he croaked. "Yeah." He turned the facet off and the two of them walked into the kitchen.

Dinner was an awkward affair, at least for Dean and Seamus. They sat tensely beside each other, not speaking a word. Dean kept looking at his grandma, wondering if she had seen the exchange and blushed whenever he locked eyes with Seamus.

Seamus spent the dinner looking at Dean and looking away before anyone saw him. He was slightly mad that Dean wasn't even looking at him. Dean had moaned for Merlin's sake but he wouldn't spare a glance at him. It was almost like he was blaming him. Seamus then felt guilt when Tim talked to Fran. He had a boyfriend. He shouldn't be kissing his best friend in the bathroom.

Marlene and Tim kept scrutinizing the two friends, trying to figure out what had happened but came up short on ideas. Well, Marlene had thought of many but none that she thought could have really happened.

The adults kept up an endless stream of conversation. Sam kept shoving bits of his pizza up his nose till he couldn't breath and Mrs. Thomas had to use tweezers to fish them all out.

The five kids were shushed out of the kitchen and into the living room.

"I'm taking Sam up!" Marlene yelled over his crying. "Tim!"

"What?"

"I'm going up!" She motioned for him to follow. He followed her, sparing a glance at the two boys, who were looking anywhere but at each other.

They stood there for a while and the voices in the kitchen quieted down. With nothing else to do they strained their ears to hear the adults.

"You didn't tell him!" the angry voice of Fran Blicker screeched. Seamus jumped and looked at Dean, who shrugged.

"Shh…" Mrs. Thomas desperately tried to quiet them. Dean and Seamus moved closer to the door to hear the hushed tones.

"Well, now it makes sense," Mr. Thomas said. Their conversation continued too quietly for the two of them to catch anything else.

Marlene hopped down the last few steps to see them at the door. "What are you doing?"

Dean turned to her while Seamus used those few seconds to gaze at Dean. The look did not pass by Marlene, who had been looking to find these things lately.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Dean said and told her what they heard.