Dean cannot believe how well that went. He's not even ashamed of the way he's kind of staring Cas in awe as the man leads back them to his car a few blocks away.
He doesn't know what he thought would happen, but it wasn't this easy transition. Beside him, Sam's walk is loose-limbed and easy. Sam's always been a laid-back kid, but his quick acceptance of the situation before him thrills Dean. It signifies trust, it means that Sam has faith in Dean to make these decisions for them. Oh, sure, the reminder that Sam's the smart one, the important one, it stung a little, but it's not like Dean's never been reminded before. And as long as he's taking care of his little brother like he's supposed to, Dean's all right with coming up in second place.
It was… Weird, to say the least, when Cas implied that the reason he wants Dean and Sam around was because of… Well, because of Dean. That… Doesn't make any sense. In his head, he understands that Cas would have had no way to know about Sam, or how smart Sam is, or how much better Sam is, since the only one of them they saw was Dean himself. It's just… It's just that, even after Cas saw Sam, he still made it sound like Dean was the reason he's doing any of this. He even put his hand on the back of Dean's neck again, like he wanted to comfort Dean.
And, okay, it's not like Dean's never received reassurance or comfort before. Bobby's been great, and ever since Dean and Sam were little, he was the one they'd seek out when they needed an adult. As he got older, Dean's gotten comfort from partners, one-night stands and flings. Not long-term comfort, and definitely not meaningful, but it's not like Dean has been without any sort of kind touch.
It's just that… It's that when Cas touches him, just that big, warm palm on Dean's neck, thumb running absentmindedly through the hair at his nape, it feels like it's because Cas thinks that Dean's worth something, like maybe he could care about Dean. It's silly, and not something that Dean's holding out for. He knows his place in the world, and it's to get Sammy off to bigger and better things. Maybe once Sam is settled in whatever big-time career he wants, Dean can worry about himself. Until then, it's a no-go, and God knows Cas isn't gonna wait around that long.
Dean's okay with that. It's just a little fantasy he has, that Cas might care about him, or take care of him, or maybe make it so Dean doesn't feel so tired and weighed down and a little bit scared all the time. He knows it's not realistic, so he doesn't put stock into it. It's just nice to think about.
He's thinking so hard about these things that he almost runs straight into Cas when the man stops on the sidewalk. Internally shaking the cobwebs from his mind, he looks up to see that Cas' body language has changed, subtly but absolutely. He's shifted so that he's shielding the Winchesters, keeping them behind him. Dean's first instinct, which he follows, is to grab Sam and shove him behind himself. His second instinct, which he also follows, is to assess the threat, and the only way to do that is to peek over Cas' shoulder.
A curvaceous woman stands in front of them, one hand on her hip, the other twirling a lock of her fiery red hair around a finger. She's smirking, but there's no friendliness in the gesture. Her eyes are cold and almost lifeless, and they'd be completely blank without the sort of unstable anger they seem to be radiating at Castiel.
Cas, for his part, has stilled, but shows no outward signs of hostility. "Abaddon," he says smoothly.
"Castiel," she purrs. "It's been so long, darling."
"Oh, I don't know, it certainly doesn't feel like it's been long enough." It's the first sign at all that Cas isn't happy to see this woman.
She pouts. "Aw, is someone still sore over Boston?"
Cas doesn't react at all. "What do you want?"
"What makes you think I want anything?"
"Because you're a sociopath who does nothing if she does not have a reason."
She sighs. "Oh, Castiel, always the flair for the dramatic."
"Yes. I've always been told that I'm too flamboyant," Cas deadpans.
A brilliant smile blossoms on her face. It would warm her up if it looked like she meant it at all. "Oh, Cassie, dear, it's so good to see you again. I'm so very glad I ran into you. I've moved into town, and I'm delighted that you're the first to know!"
"Abaddon," Cas says severely, ignoring her sarcasm. "Do not do anything stupid while you are here."
Her happy, simpering demeanor drops in an instant, and Dean realizes that this woman is a barracuda, a wolf among sheep, a goddamn shark. She's crazy.
She takes a step forward, and Dean tenses when she gets up in Cas' face. He wants to step in, to intervene, but before he can do any such thing, he feels Cas' fingers brush against his own. It's a simple touch, and just for a moment, but it gets the message across perfectly. Dean stays where he is, fuming.
Abaddon's pretty face is marred with a sneer. "I will do whatever I goddamn please, Castiel. Your precious Cain isn't here to protect you anymore."
"He was just as important to you as he was to me. And I seem to recall being able to take care of myself quite effectively."
The sneer becomes more pronounced. "Oh, I don't think any of us were as close with him as you were, Cassie."
Cas takes a deep breath, but it seems like he's just gathering his patience instead of being alarmed. "What do you want, you vile woman?"
She smiles again, and again, it doesn't soften her face at all. "Oh, I want so many things. But the first thing I'm going to do is to take this town from you. And then," her eyes shift to meet Dean's, and he takes a moment to be so, so glad that Sam's hidden behind him, "I'm going to take all of your little 'charity cases' away from you."
Cas doesn't even bat an eye. "I'm sure that's what you think will happen, Abbie." The condescension in his voice, and his words, shouldn't be such a turn on. Dean has a problem. "What is actually going to happen is this." He leans forward, so he's almost whispering in her ear, but Dean can hear every word. "You may come here, and you may work here. This city is plenty big enough for both of us. However, and I'd like you to pay attention here, Abbie, if you lay a finger on one of my charges, you will never stop regretting it. Our work isn't the only thing I learned from Cain. Have I made myself crystal clear?"
Satisfaction, fear, and rage flash in Abbadon's eyes in turn as Cas talks. When he's done, she leans back and beams a smile at him. "It was just so lovely to speak with you again, Castiel. We simply must catch up the very moment we have a chance."
Castiel just stares her down. "I would rather lay siege to hell than speak with you again, Abaddon. You have your warning. I would heed it, were I you."
She sneers again before turning to sashay away. Dean can feel that his eyes are wide and that he's pale as he stares after her.
"Cas," he croaks, barely stopping himself from saying something less formal in time. "What the fuck was that?"
"Language, Dean," Cas sighs, but it's pretty obvious that his heart's not in it. He doesn't start forward again, but he glances over to where Dean has moved to stand next to him. Sam stands on the other side, and they watch her walk away together.
"The man who taught me the craft, our craft," he says, eyes sliding to Dean for a beat before returning to the retreating figure. "He had several students. Cain was normally a… Very good judge of character, but he made a mistake when he took Abaddon on. Her story was tragic, and she needed someone to help her, but make no mistake, boys. Sometimes, when someone's life has been hard, it… Warps them, makes it difficult for them to think like others do. It may not be their fault, but remember that just because someone's past has been difficult doesn't mean that they deserve sympathy in our present."
Dean whistles low. "Damn, Cas. What'd she do?"
A beat of hesitation. "A story for another time, perhaps." Cas straightens a little bit, which makes Dean realize that he was crouched, just a little bit, in defense of he and Sam. "Make sure to avoid her, boys. If you see her or she approaches you, leave immediately and come to find me. Understand?"
Dean ignores the little thrill of heat that goes up his spine at the steel in Cas' voice. "Yes, sir."
When they get to the apartment building that Cas and his crew live in, it's taking all of Dean's willpower to not fidget in the passenger seat of the pimp-mobile that Cas calls a car. He tried to give the seat to Sam, both because he would prefer Sam be the first priority here and to hide his own nervousness, but Cas would have none of it ("Get in the front, Sammy." "Actually, Sam, I would appreciate it if you sat in the back. Dean, get in the passenger seat."). Which would be fine, except that it made the whole ride awkward as hell for Dean. The restraint it required to keep himself from reaching over and touching Cas was monumental. The result is that he's a little jumpy when they pull into the parking garage.
"Do you have a car?" Cas asks, his deep, rolling voice carrying easily in the quiet garage.
Dean shakes his head. "Nope." At Cas' raised eyebrow, Dean feels himself blush a little. "Sir," he adds hastily.
Sam frowns as he pulls the bags out of the trunk. "What about the Impala?"
"That's Dad's, Sammy."
"Don't call me that," his little brother replies immediately, then he frowns again. "And it's more yours than his."
Dean sighs. Another fight they've had so often that their lines are practically scripted, rehearsed, set in stone. A fight he doesn't particularly want to have in front of Cas. "No, it's not, and we're not doing this again right now, hear me?" When Sam opens his mouth to argue, Dean frowns and points a finger at him. "I'm serious, Sam, not right now."
The stubborn scowl on his brother's face makes Dean worry that he's not going to drop it for a moment, but Sam finally just grabs his bags with a huff and turns to Cas, clearly ready to go. Dean's relieved, but he's also kind of embarrassed that it happened in front of Cas. To cover, he grabs his bag and turns to meet the older man's gaze head on, trying to control his blush.
"Lead on, sir."
As he leads them through the garage, Castiel can't help but file quickly through everything he's learned about the Winchesters in the last few minutes.
For one, their father is a sore spot, but Mr. Singer is not. Interesting.
Second, his first assumption was correct. Sam is the golden child, at least in Dean's eyes. Sam seems to be a bit more reluctant about that particular train of thought, but Dean clearly lives by making sure Sam comes first. Infuriating, but also interesting. Because, again, Castiel has no intention of putting Sam first. Oh, yes, he's sure that the younger man is bright, and his instincts tell him that he could grow to be quite the thief someday, but Sam is not who Castiel is interested at all. Quick as Sam might be, both intellectually and with his fingers, Castiel's focus is solely on Dean.
Something about Dean tells Castiel that he could not only be good, but he could be spectacular. He could rival the greats, should he get the proper training and care. His name could be whispered amidst names like Asa Fox, Daniel Elkins, and Cain himself, when the few people who know those particular names whisper them at all. There will come a time when Dean can flash those beautiful green eyes, curve his lips into that shy smile, and the world will eat out of the palm of his hand.
This is why Castiel can't let himself fall prey to those charms. Because not only will Dean be good, probably better than Castiel, even, but Dean deserves it. His good heart and pure soul shine from him like a beacon. It's so painfully obvious that Dean is a good, selfless person. That kind of light, Castiel knows, can attract darkness, both from those who covet it and from those who seek to corrupt it. Castiel doesn't know which category he falls into (oh, oh, you lie, oh Castiel, do not lie to yourself, you covet the boy so badly you can hardly breathe around it, he's beautiful and you're terrible, leave him be, do not think about how he will look on your bed or taste on your tongue), but he is determined to protect Dean from those who would do him harm.
Only, of course, because of what a good thief Dean will be someday.
(Oh, Castiel, do not lie to yourself.)
He shakes his thoughts away as they get to the elevator, irritated with his lack of focus. He pushes the button for the top floor when the doors close. He examines the boys in the reflection, and is not surprised at all to find both of them staring right back at him.
"I own all of the apartments on the top floor," he says in response to their gazes. "You will be granted one to share. There are three other boys in the crew. They each have their own apartments." Cas nods to the younger Winchester. "You'll be granted your own when you come of age, should you choose to stay with us. Until then, I must insist that you live with Dean."
Dean's eyes are wide. "Like… A whole apartment?"
"Indeed. You'll have the one across the hall from my own, as our side of the building has two-bedroom layouts as opposed to the one-bedrooms the rest of the crew require." And so it will be easier for me to lure you to my own bed and- No! No! Get a hold of yourself!
Luckily, Sam's excited hazel eyes are enough to distract Castiel from his own treacherous thoughts. "Two bedrooms?!" He smacks Dean on the arm. "Dude!"
"Shut up, Sam," Dean says hastily, but he softens and smiles at Sam's raised eyebrows. "Yeah, yeah, it'll be all right, just don't piss yourself, princess."
Sam grins at his big brother, and Castiel feels a strange warmth in his chest as he watches them interact. He tells himself it's just budding fondness, and that no part of it is envy. Because that would be ridiculous. Because that would mean that he's envious of Sam and his interactions with Dean, and Castiel doesn't want any more interactions with Dean.
Lying to yourself.
Right.
Castiel clears his throat as the elevator reaches their floor. "The apartment at the very end of our hall is one that we all use. I'll get you the keys to your apartment now, and keys to the communal space by tomorrow, as they must be made." He walks into the hall, confident the boys will follow. Hurried footsteps behind him reward his surety.
He goes to the big shared apartment first, unlocking it and sweeping inside ahead of Sam and Dean. The first thing he sees is Benny standing in the big, open kitchen, in front of a pot full of something that smells incredible. The boy turns around and grins, his ice blue eyes crinkling at the corners, his already ridiculously full beard bunching up.
"Heya, boss."
Castiel nods. "Benny." He steps in to let Dean and Sam come in behind him. "This is Dean and Sam Winchester."
Unless one knows Benny very well, one wouldn't see the way his shoulders tighten infinitesimally, but Castiel does know Benny very well, and it's obvious to him.
"They joinin' the crew?"
"Dean will be. It remains to be seen if Sam will do the same. Until then, he will be attending school."
Benny gives the Winchesters a long, searching look. It's insolent, but Castiel lets it slide. The crew is less like a band of thieves and more like a family, at least for the boys, despite the fact that it wasn't necessarily what Castiel intended to do. They are important to him, of course, but the connections they've all formed to one another are entirely their own. They are very close knit.
Which is why Benny is sizing them up this way. It's unusual for Castiel to bring someone back without speaking to his crew first, much less two people.
Sam, as smart as he is, doesn't seem to have noticed the other boy's appraisal. He's looking around the apartment, eyes wide with wonder, drinking in every detail.
Each apartment, even this shared one, is fully furnished with sturdy but high quality furniture. His boys will be less likely to wander, or do something stupid, if they have something nice to come home to, Castiel has found.
He also suspects that young Sam is looking for clues as to what Castiel's profession is. He won't find any, but Castiel is glad to see him trying to protect his brother like this, probably the only way he can. Even more probably, the only way Dean will let him. So Sam hasn't yet noticed Benny's scrutiny.
Dean, on the other hand, is meeting it head on. He's looking back coolly, like he has nothing to prove at all. There's quiet strength and defiance in the way Dean stands there, his one duffel (compared to Sam's two, don't think Castiel didn't notice) over his shoulder. Here, with Sam to protect, be it from physical danger or simple derision, Dean is in his element. There's no trace of the vulnerability that Castiel knows is beneath on his young (lovely) face.
It's a few moments before the tension on Benny's features relaxes into a much more genuine smile. "Well, the more the merrier. Come on in, dinner's ready."
Castiel finds himself relaxing, too. He is… Strangely invested in the crew's acceptance of the Winchesters, and if Benny approves it will smooth much of the way for them. Castiel finds himself wanting this to be as simple a transition as possible for them.
He's starting to get truly angry with his own inability to be impartial when it comes to these boys (just one boy, really just the one). It's ridiculous, and if he doesn't get it under control, it's going to become problematic. He ruthlessly reins himself in, turning his attention back to the room.
As he does so, he realizes that the silence has gone on just a beat too long. He straightens. "Will the others be home for dinner?" He ignores the quizzical look on Dean's face, the calculating one on Sam's, and the damnably knowing twinkle in Benny's eye.
Mercifully, the Cajun says nothing. "Yessir. Garth's probably already home, and Kev's due back from the library any second."
Dean is sure that what he's experiencing is culture shock. Because not only is he sitting down at a huge table with a very well home cooked meal in his very full belly, the people sitting at the table with him seem… Happy?
Family dinners at the Winchester household are nothing like this.
Despite the initial visual shakedown, Benny's good people. There's kindness in his eyes and in his booming laugh. He seems to be the oldest of the crew, besides Cas, and he's one hell of a cook. Plus, anyone who feeds Sammy full to bursting like Benny just did is definitely on Dean's good side. He's sitting across from Dean, arms crossed and laughing at something that Garth's said.
Garth is… Well, Garth's something else. He's a real happy dude, but it doesn't seem out of place. Garth's optimism is a nice complement to Benny's big, steadying presence and Kevin's soft-spoken brilliance.
Kevin really is a genius. As soon as introductions were made, he asked Sam what he'd like to study for, and the two of them were off to nerdville. Dean is fiercely glad that there's someone here who puts Sam at ease.
Then there's Cas.
Dean is discovering more and more that he has no fucking idea what to make of Castiel. Oh, he's not regretting his decision at all. He's just had a few moments to really think, and he has no idea what Cas' endgame is. What does he actually want with Dean? Sure, as long as he takes care of Sam, it doesn't really matter what happens to Dean, he'd just like to know what's in store.
He also isn't sure if there's any significance to where he's sitting, which is directly to Cas' right. He wouldn't think anything of it, honestly, but there was a moment when they were sitting down. Benny pointed out the places he wanted Dean and Sam to sit. Dean caught Cas giving Benny an unreadable look, to which Benny just grinned cheekily. Cas sat down stiffly, and though Kevin looked surprised when he came in, he didn't seem upset at being moved down the table.
Even as the thoughts are circling in his mind, he sees Sam yawn for the third time in ten minutes out of the corner of his eye. When he turns, his little brother is rubbing one of his eyes hard. It makes him look a lot younger than his almost thirteen years.
Dean turns back to Cas to ask about their room, but the older man is already pushing his chair out to stand. "I'm going to show Sam and Dean to their apartment so they can get settled in."
Garth's face contorts almost comically. "Oh, man! Y'all should have said something! Y'all must be exhausted!"
Dean smiles at the genuine nature that makes up Garth. "Yeah, I'm a little beat. Sam?"
Sam nods. "I'm pretty tired."
Castiel is standing and nodding to Benny. "Thank you for cooking."
Benny nods back, his eyes still twinkling with a shared secret. "No problem, boss."
Cas scowls, but motions for Dean and Sam to follow him. "If you'll gather your things and meet me at the front door, I'll get the keys to your apartment."
They grab their bags obediently and wait at the front door for Cas. When he joins them, he has two keys in hand, dangling off of simple rings. He hands one to each of them. "These are to your apartment. If you lose them, it's all right, I'll just need to know absolutely as soon as possible."
They nod and follow him out. Dean's still feeling a little dazed by the whole thing as Cas leads them down the hall. This morning, he woke up thinking about how they were out of eggs and out of money. Now he's following someone who's possibly the most attractive human being he's ever seen to the home that same guy is bankrolling for them so that Dean can work for him and Sam can go to school. He's also just eaten the first, even abundant, meal that he can remember having in quite a while, maybe years. They're somewhere that's presumably safe, warm, and away from their father.
What the everloving fuck?
Cas stops in front of a door and unlocks it with a third set of keys from his pocket. "I'm the only other person who will have a key, which is for safety reasons, nothing else." He meets each of their gazes individually before he opens the door. "I will, for no reason, enter your domain without your express permission. This space is yours, both of you, and can be utilized however you see fit. Is that clear?"
Dean nods, and Cas opens the door.
The apartment is similar to the one they ate dinner in, but it's a little bigger. There's a big living room area, a decent-sized kitchen, the front hall that they're all currently gathered in, and three doors off of the main rooms.
Cas points to each door in turn. "There's a bedroom there, the bathroom in the middle, and another bedroom there. There are some dry groceries in the cabinets, but we'll go to the market tomorrow to get whatever else you need. There are towels for the bathroom and sheets for the beds in the linen closet." He smiles at each of them. "I will leave you to get settled. Please don't hesitate to come get me if you need anything."
Despite his words, he stands next to Dean and watches as Sam excitedly looks around the apartment, his earlier weariness apparently forgotten. He turns back and grins, his hazel eyes shining. "Dude! This is awesome!"
Dean's heart thuds in his chest as it lifts. It isn't often he gets to see Sam this uncaringly happy. The kid is zooming around, opening doors, practically bouncing, and something in Dean aches at the sight.
"Cas," he says softly, still watching his brother. "Can I, uh, see you outside for a second?"
Cas' eyebrows go up in surprise. "Of course, Dean."
This is it. He's going to ask you how you can be such a pervert, of course he's seen the way you've been looking at him, you're damn near a stalker, he's going to ask what the hell you-
The door clicking shut behind them interrupts his thoughts, and he gathers himself to look over at the young man standing next to him.
Dean's chewing on his lip (dear God in heaven, lend me strength), looking down at the ground so Castiel can't see his eyes. His hands are held behind his back, a bit awkwardly around the duffle bag still slung over his shoulder. He looks, for all intents and purposes, like he's about to apologize.
There's a tense silence, then Dean lets out a sharp exhale and rubs the back of his neck. His eyes flick up to Castiel's. "Sorry, I'm not good at this kinda thing."
Castiel tilts his head. "What kind of thing is that, exactly?"
Dean takes another deep breath and finally meets Castiel's eyes head on. "Thank you," he says, and the only sign of vulnerability is the way his voice wobbles, just a little bit, at the end of the last word.
"Dean, I-"
"No, no, I'm serious, Cas." Dean casts a fond look at the door. "I can't… I wouldn't be able to do this without you, ma- uh, sir. It's, uh… I guess I just… It means a lot to me, to look out for Sammy." Dean's sweating a little bit (you are not going to lick any part of him), but his eyes are steady as they hold Castiel's. "I really don't know how to repay you."
Castiel's mind is working a mile a minute, and none of it is virtuous. He has a myriad of things he can think of that Dean can do to pay him back. Any number of positions, of depraved acts, of filthy activities he wants to do with him.
Fortunately (unfortunately), the shadows in Dean's eyes put a damper on his libido. Dean is experiencing pain over this, over his inability to get a decent apartment and furnish it completely, which is ridiculous. No matter what kinds of things Castiel wants to do with him (all kinds of things), Dean is only sixteen. This shouldn't be his responsibility.
Quite without his permission, he finds himself laying a hand on the back of Dean's neck again. It's tense when he first touches, but he feels the boy relax beneath his touch and has to fight the wave of porn-worthy images before he can speak again.
"Dean," he puts a bit of force behind his words and squeezes, just a bit. "You don't have to worry about Sam anymore. I know you will, regardless of what I say, but please understand that I meant it when I told you that I would be taking care of the two of you from now on. The only thing either of you should concern yourselves with going forward is Sam's studies and your training."
They gaze at each other for a long few moments, and Castiel has no trouble imagining keeping himself locked onto those green eyes for much, much longer before Dean speaks.
"My training," he says slowly, "to become a thief."
Castiel smirks. "No, Dean. Your training to become an excellent thief."
- Sorry, had to build up the angst, I know this chapter was kinda slow. But Benny! And Garth! And Kevin! Things will speed up soon. Stay with me, lovelies.
- Feedback, it gets me hot.
