The next few weeks went by in a blur, and they had made the playoffs. It had gotten colder, the unpredictable Ohio weather making each week a new challenge. Each week, Castiel was there to cheer him on. Much to his surprise, he found that he had taken an interest in the game, not only as a means of being close to Dean.
They had played in the rain, the heat, and the snow. The week before, Dean had left the field so caked with mud that there wasn't a blue spot left on his uniform. The team was on fire, and now it was time for the State Championship. The boys on the team were incredibly proud of the season they had had, only losing one game.
Blue Springs hadn't made it to the playoffs in seven years and had not been to State in twenty.
The team had been excused from classes that day, leading to a great disagreement between the principal and Michael Novak, who had made a scene in the hallway that morning. The day before, Dean had stopped by at the end of the school day to excitedly chatter about the game. Castiel had hugged him tightly, telling him how proud he was, and promising to be there for the game.
While they talked often, and occasionally shared a hug when alone, it went no further. Dean's birthday was just under two months away, and graduation was still several months off. No chances would be taken.
The stadium was packed, and Castiel was thankful that Gabriel had insisted they arrive early. He was jittery and excited, feeling a great sense of school pride as he looked around at the massive wave of blue and silver.
A shrill whistle directed his attention back to the field as the kickoff put the ball in their possession. He watched as the play unfolded, resulting in a first down. As Dean took the field, he felt the excitement kick up in his gut, eager to watch him play. Dean Winchester was a sight to behold. His motions were precise, calculated, and he made everything look so much easier than it was. Yet another first down. As the next play went into action, Castiel could not take his eyes off of Dean, watching as he broke free from a tackle attempt to throw a perfect touchdown pass into Benny's waiting hands.
The crowd roared in varying levels of approval, and Dean was met by the high fives of his teammates on the sideline. As he took off his helmet, he scanned the crowd, looking for that familiar form. Castiel waved, and he saw Dean's face break into a smile as he waved back.
Gabriel rolled his eyes, "You two are so obvious."
Castiel's attention snapped to his brother, and he swallowed hard, "W-What? What do you mean?"
"Relax," he sighed, stuffing his hand into his M&Ms, "Obvious to me. Not everyone else."
Castiel relaxed slightly, removing his ball cap to wipe the sweat from his brow, "You can't just say such things and expect me to relax, Gabe."
Gabriel gave him a knowing smirk before standing, "I need to take a leak, and I'm going to need more candy. Want anything?"
Castiel shook his head, eyes turning back to the field, just in time to watch the other team score a touchdown. He grumbled, noting that the first quarter was nearly over already. This was going to be one hell of a game.
By halftime, the game was tied up at 14-14, and the Blue Springs Hunters were bursting with nervous energy. Dean gave a pep talk in the locker room, followed by a ballroom dance demonstration with Benny, that earned them an eye roll and a scowl from Coach Singer.
Castiel watched the band on the field, tapping his toes along to the beat and enjoying the hard work that he knew they had put into their performance. He had been in band for one year when he was in school but had not been able to keep up with it and his studies. He played the alto saxophone, which he occasionally still practiced in his apartment. Sometimes, he wished that he had been able to stay with it.
As the teams returned to the field, Castiel noticed a familiar face waving at him a few rows down. He smiled, waving back at none other than Sam Winchester. Sam nudged the man beside him to get his attention, then gestured up the stands to Castiel. As he turned, Castiel saw familiar features, realizing that this must be their father. The man tipped the bill of his ball cap to Castiel with a nod, and Cas gave him a polite nod back. This was the man that was often out of town for work and the man that Dean never seemed to talk about aside from a mention in his assignments.
Gabe yelling beside him brought him back from his thoughts, "GO! Get out of there!"
Castiel looked back at the field, seeing Dean sprinting toward the end zone with the ball tucked against him, dodging tackles. He was finally taken down at the one-yard line, and Castiel cheered along with everyone else. On the next play, Dean easily threw a pass the short distance to his teammate, securing yet another touchdown. Then another. And another. With 30 seconds on the clock, Dean called one final time-out, huddling around his team. Castiel glanced at the scoreboard, frowning at the numbers reading 35-28. They were losing. As they broke, he got into position, waiting for the snap of the ball.
Dean reared back, dodging a sack attempt and launching the ball down the field. Benny lunged forward, his outstretched hands reaching just above those of the opposing player, snatching the ball out of the air and letting his momentum take him to the ground in the end zone. The stadium erupted in a roar as Dean and his teammates piled onto Benny, celebrating their championship victory. Castiel grinned, cheering for his students and laughing at Gabriel's enthusiastic screaming.
As the stands poured onto the field, Castiel hung back, watching the players disappear into a crowd full of fans, laughter and music from the band filling the air.
"Mr. Novak?"
Castiel turned to see young Sam Winchester standing beside him, a nervous smile on his face, "Hello, Sam! It's good to see you again."
"You, too," he admitted, perking up. "So, I uh, wanted to introduce you to my dad." Castiel noticed the man approaching, squeezing past some others to get to his son.
"You're lucky you're easy to spot with that hair of yours," he chuckled, putting his hand on Sam's shoulder. "You must be Dean's teacher, right? John Winchester."
Castiel shook the man's hand with a smile, "It's good to meet you, Mr. Winchester. I am Castiel Novak."
"Castiel, eh? That's some name," he remarked, removing his hat to run his fingers through his hair. "Sam told me all about how you saved Dean's ass. Thank you for that, by the way."
Sam blushed furiously, looking down at his feet, and Castiel chuckled softly, "Dean is a good student, he just needed some assistance. I'm sure Sam here won't need it. Reading anything new?"
He brightened immediately, beaming up at Castiel, "Yeah! I just finished re-reading the Harry Potter books, and now I'm starting the Lord of the Rings. Dean got me the first one last weekend!"
John smiled at his son, glancing back to Castiel, "It seems you have made an impression on both of my boys. They clearly look up to you, and I am thankful for that. I haven't been much of a role model, but my boys are good boys."
Castiel nodded seriously, "They certainly are. I'm sure they both have very bright futures."
John shook his hand one last time, then grabbed his keys, "Well, Sammy, we should get going if you want to pick up some pizza on the ride back." Sam quickly waved goodbye and darted off through the crowd, forcing his father to follow him.
Gabriel returned from the concession stand with more candy. With a look from his brother, he clutched it defensively, "It's for the road! We have a long drive."
Castiel laughed, shaking his head at his brother, "You have a ridiculous sweet tooth, Gabe."
Gabriel bristled, stuffing the goods into his coat pockets, "You're just jealous that I like candy more than I like you."
With one final glance at the field, Castiel smiled, seeing Dean take a picture with his teammates. He had worked so hard, and now his efforts had been rewarded. The smile that spread across the boy's face was not going anywhere anytime soon, and Castiel loved that smile. His brother cleared his throat, jingling his car keys, and Cas jumped, tearing his eyes away from the field.
Gabriel had caught him staring, and he knew that his red cheeks weren't from the cold. With a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, he turned and headed for the car. Castiel groaned, he was in for so much teasing on the drive home.