Dean watched himself walk up the stairs.
The other Dean was naked from the waist up. Dark sweatpants rode low on his hips and highlighted the sculpted abs and torso. It took longer to notice Cas following behind him, not his Cas... what the fuck. This Cas was also lacking a top and wearing sweatpants.
Dean was staring and he knew it, his jaw hit the table as he watched them. What freaked him out the most was how they moved.
They were flirting, smiling. Dean knew that particular smile had felt it a few times on his own face. The happy smile, it was bright and open. It was also, unnerving as all hell, like looking in a funhouse mirror. The other Cas ran his hand over his Dean's chest like he owned it. Leaning in, he kissed his lover. Then wrapping himself around the man's waist he pulling him in close as they walked towards the table.
It was like a physical blow. Confusion fired through him and started a fine tremble in his hands. He'd seen monsters do things before. Things wearing his face but this was a version of him, not a monster playing him. Maybe thinking that would keep him sane? It's not me; it's a version of me there's not much difference. Nope didn't help. He sat and stared while the other him spoke to Sam.
"So you didn't think to come get us, huh?" Other Dean asked Sam, Ignoring the doppelgangers around the table. Nothing to see here.
Dean stared, this was going to get confusing… What did you call yourself? Or another version of your friends? It like he was in one of those clone movies. How about keeping it simple? Dean number 2? Dean#2, D2? He sniggered internally. Yeah D2. Why not? As for the other Cas? He considered the Angel for a moment and then decided to go with the obvious, Cas-two. D2 & Cas-two. Yep, his brain could function again.
"Figured you'd send Cas to eavesdrop when you heard voices." Sam added.
"Not the point."
"Yes it is, otherwise you'd be in full gear and not sweats." Sam smiled, knowing he'd won.
D2 glared at his brother.
"I only checked on you, Sam. I wasn't spying." Cas-two added, sheepish.
"I get it Cas, he made you. Don't worry about it."
At Sam's reassurance, he looked relieved.
Dean admired his double, sending Cas was a good idea. Not many things could even find the bunker let alone get in, and Sam was capable of looking after himself. Adding the precaution of invisi-Cas was a good Call.
The thought shook him back to himself, he played with the Demon knife as the guys discussed them.
"They're not dangerous. They feel like us...but not." The angel added.
"You're saying we're not dangerous?" Dean interjected.
"Well, it's relative," Cas-two replied with a smile.
"Do you need to smile at him?" D2 huffed.
Cas-two laughed and Dean grunted. He was in the twilight zone.
D2 glared at him, making eye contact then leaned into Cas with a kiss.
Dean recoiled, it never got any less freaky seeing yourself do things that you just, didn't.
"Cas, are you seeing this?" Dean ventured, looking for confirmation that he wasn't going insane.
Pretty sure this is what it feels like.
Sam laughed at him, relaxing back in his seat after putting the gun away.
"Yes, Dean. I believe the other you and I are, dating?" Cas added without a hint of sarcasm as he glanced at his double.
"Married, we're Married," Cas-two noted with pride. They sat and moved their seats closer together, it seemed automatic. Taking his Husband's hand, a soft expression filled his face, it was loving and content.
Dean felt his heart speed up, this was a new one even on him. He needed to chill the fuck out.
"This is freaky, very Twilight Zone." D2 added as he observed his mirror image, "Cas Babe, go grab us some shirts would ya?"
"The blue or the red?"
"I don't mind, you choose." He squeezed Cas's hand as he vanished.
Dean wondered why they hadn't come with shirts on, seemed like a thing he'd think of, you know, before leaving his room.
"Sammy, you wanna throw me a bone here?" D2 asked.
"Yeah, sure. I think you know some of it, you know, from your spy?" he raised his eyebrows; the accusation playful.
D2 rolled his eyes in response, "Cas only stayed long enough to make sure you were okay. Stop being such a whiny bitch. I was worried. So sue me."
That last part didn't feel like Dean, it unnerved him. Feelings...had he ever told Sammy he was worried about him? He couldn't think if he ever had. Why was this bothering him?
Cas-two reappeared wearing a blue v-neck t-shirt and handed D2 a deep red version. He took it and thanked him with another of those stunning smiles.
"Also hunter boy, don't think the sneaky 'send me back to the room for shirts' plan went unnoticed. I'm an angel, I strategised for an army of God, I see your tactics before you do and I don't need protecting."
D2 scowled but it was forced, "You're my angel and I will protect you whether you like it or not. You should know that by now."
Dean must have looked confused because Cas-two elaborated.
"It was an opening for Sam to call foul and shoot you without me being in the way."
Shock registered and so did admiration for his doppelganger, smooth. Well, not so smooth if Cas had him figured out.
"You realise he's bulletproof right?" Dean laughed at his counterpart.
"So you'd let your Cas be in danger if you could help it?" D2 sneered in response.
Dean gaped, ready to say yes, or something sarcastic but knew it'd be a lie. It made him shuffle in his seat and study the knife in his hand. It just became really interesting.
"Ha, see," D2 said with a smug smile, crossing his arms. He'd won and he knew it. Dean looked up and glared, avoiding looking at his Cas.
His double shrugged the shirt over his head as Sam continued.
"Dean and Cas lost someone, they want us to help find him."
"This someone have a name?" D2 asked. Sam filled them both in on the details.
Meanwhile, Dean sat and tried to process what he was seeing. It was like a car crash and he didn't want to look, really but he just… couldn't stop staring. The thoughts that raged through his mind were disjointed and random. Where did they sleep? Did Cas sleep in Dean's room? How did this even happen anyway? Was there pie at the wedding? Was Sam okay with it? He seemed to be...
He whispered to his Cas, "This is so wrong."
"I think it's sweet Dean," Cas whispered back.
Dean eyed Cas like he was crazy and could feel his face scrunching. Cas just held his gaze unflinching.
"Sweet? Are you serious? It's freaking weird." Dean looked away. Cas looked at him like that now and he never knew how to respond. Since they'd had 'the talk' about Cas not being there in his bed, well shit got complicated. Dean would catch Cas looking at him occasionally, like now and it unnerved him. It was like the Angel was daring him to push it. Cas had created a whole set of rules for himself since Dean's ...experience. Like Dean knew that Cas stood in his room when he was sleeping. Sleep would be restless, the dreams would start and then a woosh of air and they'd seep away, sleep became peaceful. Cas was keeping his promise, he wasn't in the bed but it was a fine line. Dean knew that Cas knew that he knew...okay he needed to stop this.
"Are you two alright?" Cas-two asked, his expression bright and shiny.
"Yes, Dean is having difficulty processing the, your, err, relationship dynamic," Cas replied.
"You mean this?" D2 asked. Then he turned, taking Cas's face in his hands. They kissed, it was passionate and deep and several long seconds long. Dean could focus on nothing else, he tried to look away, really... but there was that car crash thing again.
His mind rolled back to all those time Cas lay next to him, so close. So terribly close and he shuddered.
Sam rolled his eyes and added, "Dude, is that necessary?"
Cas was looking everywhere but right at the kissing couple.
"For the look on his face, absa-freakin'-lutley." he grinned at Dean.
"Dude, Not cool." He managed to force out.
"We're sorry if it makes you uncomfortable," Cas-two said, throwing his Dean a glare.
"Are we though?"
"Yes, we are." Cas-two pressed his face against the grinning man, then turned to them with an apologetic look.
"This must be weird for you," Sam commented.
"That's one way to put it, yeah," Dean replied rubbing his face. Cas stayed quiet.
"Do you guys want coffee?" Cas-two asked as he stood to go to the kitchen.
"Er yeah, that'd be great," Dean answered, thinking he'd rather have whiskey.
"Yes, please," Cas added, nodding.
"Be right back" Cas-two replied as he disappeared into thin air for the second time.
While they waited for Cas-two to return with coffee, Dean examined himself, the other him, D2... Damn it was there ever an easy way to talk about this alternate reality crap? His hair was darker maybe? There was less blonde than Dean had in his. The rest seemed the same. D2 had Cas' handprint on his arm, he absentmindedly rubbed his own shoulder. Dean felt weird, not sure how exactly...just weird.
The guys received their drinks in record time and Dean pushed the thought away. Cas looked delighted as his contained copious amounts of honey. He sipped it as a small smile played on his lips.
D2 sat drinking from an oversized mug. It read 'An Angel watches over me' with a picture of a small cartoon angel, it had dark hair and wore a brown trench coat. 'That is too freakin' adorable', Dean thought. It was there in his brain before he could control it and he chastised himself. Dude, could I be more gay? Looking up from the mug he smiled at his own inner voice then met his doubles gaze. He choked on his coffee. Yes, I could be more gay. Damn it.
As he coughed the scalding liquid from his lungs everyone looked at him. They needed to get Jack and get back to their reality, like yesterday. This one was making Dean uncomfortable, extremely uncomfortable.
"So where do we start?" asked D2 who leaned against his angel's shoulder.
"Cas could you put the word out?" Sam asked.
"You mean with the angels?" Cas-two clarified. "Sure, they may have already noticed a Nephilim, which is why he didn't return to you."
"I was concerned about that," Cas added looking at his mirror image. "They may have sensed him and have him as a prisoner." he paused looking concerned.
"It's a possibility but I'm unlikely to know anytime soon. There are factions who feel that I'm... unacceptable." He paused and D2 scowled, "So it may take a while for anyone to find information to help us."
Cas looked quizzically at them but all that he got was, "long story."
The conversation picked up as they hashed out details. Time to find Jack.
