The whole week when he walked past Marley, she gave him a nasty smirk, but Cas ignored her.
He felt confident that Dean was his, and no amount of conniving from Lisa would change that.
Let her and her little friends smirk all they wanted. He didn't care.
"So. No earrings today, Castiël?" Marley snarked when Cas left for the weekend.
He raised one unimpressed eyebrow.
"No. My clients might not like them. I do not want to harm Nomed's reputation. I like working here."
Marley curled her upperlip.
"Remember that, Castiël. Remember that."
Cas scoffed and turned to leave.
Of all the low ways to act... he was thouroughly disgusted by Lisa at this point.
Dean had made Cajun jambalaya, and it reminded Cas of that friend of Dean's, with the Cajun accent.
He wondered what had happened between them, because as far as he knew by now, Dean was fiercly loyal.
They were doing the dishes, when Cas tried to broach the subject.
"Dean... you know that you can invite friends here, right? Like Ash, or Viktor... or others from before..."
Dean gave him that warm smile, that always made Cas want to sigh like a smitten schoolgirl.
"I know, angel. I know. And maybe I will. After I walked away from that... relation, I reconnected with quite a few old friends. Lisa had efficiently cut off most of them, because they were too close."
Those green eyes turned sad briefly, then brightened.
"But not right now. I wanna be with you right now. Just getting to know you properly, you know."
Cas hummed, sensing now was not the time to bring up his Cajun friend.
Samandriël greeted Cas with a smile and a nod.
"Hello, Castiël! You seem pensieve. Everything ok?" he asked, wiping the counter.
"Hello, Samandriël. I am fine. Just some things that happened this week, that have me thinking. Give me half an hour."
Samandriël chuckled. "I'm afraid I can't... She's been harrassing me for an hour, so I'm letting her loose." he said, waving across the room.
Cautiously, Cas turned around to see whom he was signaling.
"Castiël! It's been too long, buster! Why haven't you called?" came a shriek, followed by a nasty punch to his biceps.
"OW! Charlie!" Cas called, rubbing his arm briefly before wrapping the redhead in a tight hug.
"I'm sorry, Charlie. You know Balthazar left, right? So, I have to work, a lot."
Charlie eyed him up and down.
"And?" she pushed, clearly sensing he had more to tell.
"And I have a new boyfriend..."
Charlie squeed and pulled him into a crushing hug.
"Awwww Caaaassssiiiieeee! Im so proud of you! Tell me... is he hot?"
Picturing Dean, as he was in all his bowlegged, freckled beauty, Cas sighed.
"Very... and sweet, caring, loyal."
He smirked, knowing Charlie had a soft spot for tall people.
"And he is taller than me."
Charlie nearly swooned.
"Oh my stars, Castiël! You lucky Devil, you!"
She punched him again.
"OW! Seriously, Charlie. Stop that!"
Charlie grinned widely.
"Nope. So. A boyfriend... is it... serious? I mean... last few were more into the idea of banging you, than into making it last."
Sending her a glare, Cas pursed his lips.
"Autch, Bradbury. True, but still. No... This one is very into making it last. He already told me he loves me."
Charlie gaped, eyes twinkling.
"I reitterate: you lucky Devil."
Cas nodded, feeling his own grin widen.
Cas ducked behind the bar to start his shift.
Charlie smiled, resting a comforting hand on his.
"Ok. I gotta go. Moondor awaits. You. Call me. Or I'm setting my trusted Knight and handmaiden on your ass. And they are huge!" she suddenly changed the subject, referring to her LARP group.
Cas chuckled.
"Ok, Queen. I will. Promise. Now go, be regal."
She winked and turned.
"Charlie..." Cas called after her.
She turned again.
"Thank you for being my friend." Cas said sincerely.
Charlie smiled warmly.
"Anytime. Peace out!" she called back, making a Vulcan salute, and vanished through the door.