Textbooks and LARPing
Chapter Six: The internet is not always for porn
Dean is pissed. He has never been the butt of any situation like this.
Not since he was five.
After hanging out, and having an awesome fucking time, Castiel has stopped talking to him.
No reasons, no excuses. When Dean tried to say hi on Monday the kid ran the opposite way so damn fast he was sure he'd trip.
Not that he was worried.
Because fuck him.
"Son of a bitch." Dean hisses under his breath and Charlie sighs next to him.
"I swear to god this better be about the other team." She warns him, violently tapping at the choice letters it takes to destroy your enemies in League of Legends.
"It's just-!"
"Dean, this is league time and you know league time is serious business," Charlie says, "If you so much as mention Castiel right now I will not heal your precious Varus anymore and just let your annoying ass die."
Dean scowls, but he admittedly should have known better. You do not mess with Charlie's focus during game time, and if you join game time with anything less than 100% focus, there will be consequences. Grave consequences.
Kevin did it once and Dean doesn't know what happened but he knows that the boy never did it again.
"Fine, fine, you and your precious Leona are safe." He assures her, "I'm completely focused."
"Damn right you are."
A few hours later they finally finish and Charlie takes a deep breath before looking over to him, crossing her arms and staring him down like he's already said something stupid.
"So, he is still ignoring you, huh?" She asks and Dean nods.
"Yeah, the little shit won't even look at me. I didn't do anything!" He emphasizes the last part because he knows Charlie will have her doubts. Somehow people always assume things are his fault.
"Well, the kid was a bit peculiar. Perhaps he assumed since he watched the movie with you he was free of you?" Charlie offers, "I mean was he really so eager to hang out?"
Dean frowned, "He's lonely and doesn't know how to interact with people. I know he enjoyed himself."
"Maybe," She begins with a smirk, "He's falling for you?" They fall silent as Dean contemplates the idea. He doesn't get far, though, because Charlie is laughing a minute later. "Oh my god he's not into you, idiot!"
"Okay, okay, fair enough." Dean rolls his eyes. "Stupid kid, why did he have to be study partners with Sam?"
"Well if you want his attention, try whatever you did initially to get his attention." Charlie offers and Dean shrugs.
"I annoyed him until he caved…"
"Well then do it again." She suggests and Dean smirks. Little bastard won't know what hit him.
Castiel stares down at his hand in confusion. He went to grab a skull in the Mortuary Science lounge to study from and now it has somehow become stuck to his skin. Of course he is not an idiot, clearly someone placed glue of some kind onto it, and clearly that someone is Dean Winchester.
"Whoa, that's pretty on there isn't it?" Balthazar asks, smiling down at his friend. "Want some help getting it off?"
"Yes." Is his immediate response, so Balthazar pulls up a seat next to him and takes his hand, trying to gently pull it off.
"My, my, it only took me how many years to get to hand holding with you?" Balthazar teases, "You are the definition of hard to get, aren't you?"
Castiel rolls his eyes. "Perhaps I just do not like when obnoxious people crowd me."
"Hah! That can't be true!" Balthazar scoffs, "Aren't you ignoring a certain obnoxious person because you enjoyed him too much?"
"Not him," The younger teen protests, "Simply what he showed me."
"If I hadn't already known it was just a Marvel marathon, and it were literally anyone but you involved, I would take that to such a naughty place." Balthazar teases and Castiel glares.
"Why does everyone seem to be so intent on Dean and I having relations?" He asks, getting sick of all the jokes from Gabriel, and now Balthazar as well.
"I'm not sure," His friend admits, finally getting Castiel's hand off the skull, "Oh shit! You can actually see some of your skin still on the skull!" He teases and Castiel sighs.
"Dean is going to be the end of me."
It goes on like that for the next few days. Castiel being bombarded by random pranks from Dean that include all his favorite drink miraculously being bought out on the day they restock, literally anything in the mortuary science lounge that he is known to touch ends up sticking to him, then of course there are the attacks to his locker, including one day where he opened it and a pouch of paint exploded inside. It is all completely juvenile and he is now extremely glad he chose to stop seeing the man.
Thankfully it is all harmless.
At least that is what he thought until Thursday. The day he has always been most fond of.
Of course no day is a promised good day forever.
Naturally Dean ruined his streak.
In the most abominable way.
It all starts with a seemingly innocent enough prank when he gets into his classroom. On his table is something tiny, something completely miniscule, but noticeable. Yes, on his desk is a tiny frog. Or is it a toad? It seems more like a toad, he is actually fairly sure. Probably. Maybe.
He is not a zoologist, after all. He is also unsure of why Dean would put it on his desk, but he obviously did since pests like this were not really in the buildings, and everyone was discussing the handsome Dean Winchester being let into Mortuary Science rooms by Zachariah this week. Easily the most incompetent teacher in their school. Or any school. Ever.
Still, it is quite an endearing probable-toad, and he finds himself watch it crawl over his fingertips during class until he is inevitably caught. It is one of the few drawbacks to small classes, you cannot really slack on anything.
"Castiel!" His teacher calls, making him look up.
"Yes, Zachariah?" Castiel asks, feeling the animal crawling along blissfully unaware.
"First of all, I keep telling you to call me Doctor Zachariah-"
"I will when you have achieved getting your doctorate." He counters, easily ignored.
"Second of all, what is that on your finger?"
"I am going with a toad, but I am unsure." Castiel answers.
"Well… put that damned thing outside! It's disgusting!" Zachariah exclaims, fuming at him for the fourth this week thanks to Dean. "Perhaps you should work on getting your act together, Novak."
"Perhaps you should stop letting pretty boys into our mortuary science rooms unwatched, Zachariah." Castiel responds as he goes back to watching Gus crawl on his finger. Yes, he has named it Gus. Why? Because it is small and cute and seems like a Gus.
"Maybe keep your exes out of our wing." Zachariah counters and Castiel raises a brow.
"I do not have an ex."
"Well keep your stalkers out of here."
Castiel goes to refute that as well, but his planned protest falls silent when he realizes that Zachariah is not entirely off the mark. Possibly. "I will do my best, but do not give in to him anymore."
"Oh don't you worry, that kid is on my shit-list now with you." Zachariah lets out a long suffering sigh, "Why must you kids bring your teenage romance drama into class?"
"That is not what this is." Castiel points out before getting up to put him outside as he said.
He wants to go find Dean, tell him to leave him be, but he knows better. It is what Dean wants and he won't give him what he wants. Call it stubborn but he does not care. There is no way he will reward such behavior. Dean has to try better than that.
Sadly, he does.
"Damnit, Charlie, he's still not biting!" Dean groans, throwing himself on the bed in frustration. "Stubborn little bastard."
"No more stubborn than the man who refuses to stop trying to get his attention." Charlie counters, "An awful lot of effort for someone you don't wanna sleep with. Especially sucking up to some professor just so he will let you in places."
"First of all that Zachariah dude is easily the biggest tool in the universe, so it took literally nothing for a guy as popular as me to get access to places from him," Dean points out, "And secondly…shut up, Charlie."
"Ouch, such cruel words to my self-esteem." Charlie mocks and Dean rolls his eyes, landing them on her computer.
"Hey, Charlie…" A smirk comes to his face, "I have an idea for my next prank."
An hour later he's one page away from finishing the paper. Freedom.
Well, freedom to start on other homework.
That's when everything goes south.
His computer begins glitching, so he quickly saves his paper before something flashes onto the screen. He's unsure of what it is, until the well-endowed Asian woman takes her top off and gets to work on the man's-
Oh.
Oh god no.
Castiel's face goes bright red and he slams the laptop shut so fast it can be heard through the whole, admittedly empty, floor. He gathers his papers and books faster than he ever has and runs for the door, stopped by an elderly woman with an accusing look.
Dean will pay.
"Castiel Novak," The woman says, looking at a piece of paper in her hand, "Novak250, correct?"
"Oh no…"
"No?"
"Well, um…yes…technically…but I-!" Castiel is cut off with a terrifying look from the woman. He always thought she was sweet.
Clearly porn brings out the worst in her.
This is it, this is the final straw. Castiel has always believed in forgiveness but not anymore. Dean is dead.
"Castiel Novak," She sighs, "You have used our computers in an explicitly wrong way and we have to blacklist you."
Castiel feels his heart fall to his stomach, "It was not me, ma'am. You see, there is a guy who is stalking me and-"
Her look screams she doesn't buy it. For many reasons. "You have a stalker?"
"It seems weird, yes, but I am fairly certain at this point he is indeed a stalker."
"Look, I am sorry if that's true, but there is no proof anyone messed with your computer so until you have some do not come near our computers again." She warns and Castiel deflates.
"Yes, ma'am." He leaves the building and immediately pulls his phone out, dialing Sam. "Where is that thing you call your brother?" Castiel practically hisses into the phone.
"Oh shit," Sam groans, "What did he do?"
"I will tell you tomorrow during our study time." Castiel promises, "Until then, no him returning home tonight with fewer appendages is completely justified."
"Al…right…he's in Charlie's room. It's in the south dorms. Room 115." He can hear the grin in Sam's voice, "As long as he comes home alive I don't care much what you do."
"Thank you." Castiel grumbles, hanging up and heading for the room.
Upon reaching the dorm, and being let in by a very uncomfortable girl, Castiel storms down the hall until he reaches room 115. This is it. The final straw. He slams on the door until Charlie opens it.
"Oh, it's for you Dean!" She calls, side stepping to allow Castiel inside.
"Hey there Castiel." Dean grins, "Enjoy my gift to you?"
Castiel wordlessly stalks up to Dean, grabbing him by the shirt collar and effortlessly lifting him. He slams him into the wall, coming right up to his face to ensure eye contact. "Dean. Winchester."
"Uhoh…didn't like the anatomy lesson, huh?" Dean teases, making Castiel tighten his grip.
"Listen here, Dean Winchester," Castiel begins, trying very hard not to strangle him. "In the past week I have had to buy new pants during school because you decided to rig up some ink bomb in my locker, the body parts in the study room have more of my skin on them than I do, my incompetent teacher finally has something to throw in my face when I call him out on his inability to do anything right, and my entire major thinks I am having some kind of affair with the great Dean Winchester.
"I could have dealt with that, really I could have, but I just got banned from the schools computers because of you. Do you know what that means? That means I now have to use my brother's computer. Are you aware of how hard it is to type in anything on that without a porn site coming up? Or worse, a search for porn? Last time I used it I was unable to look him in the eye for months. Now we have to go back to that because you are incapable of letting things go."
His rage lessens a little when he sees the worried expression on Dean's face. "Wait, you got banned? Oh shit, I didn't meant for you to get banned, I was just-!"
"Just messing with me, right?" Castiel glares, "I do not need another popular kid 'messing with me'. Leave me alone, and I meant it." He lets Dean go and leaves the room, making sure not to look back.
Why?
Because Dean looked crushed just now.
The next day Castiel sits down with Sam for their normal studying. There has been no sign of hijinks or tomfoolery anywhere so far, so Dean apparently listened. He's not used to, or sure, how you cut ties with potential friend but he is fairly certain that was not the way to do it. On either of their ends.
"Hello, Sam." Castiel greets as he pulls out his papers. "I am sorry I could not get along with Dean."
Sam gives him a sad smile, "Yeah, you two just don't mesh well."
"He got me banned from the computers." Castiel supplies, just to emphasis Sam's point.
"Oh, right. You don't know yet…" Sam leans back in his chair and looks at Castiel, "As soon as you left yesterday Dean went to the library and came clean. He even managed to drag Charlie with him. She has never once owned up to the stuff she pulls and he still refuses to tell me what he did to make her, but at any rate…you aren't banned anymore." He smiles at Castiel's shocked expression. "He can be a jerk, and an ass, but…he does care."
"I see…but…we barely know each other…" Castiel frowns, confused at the entire thing.
"Dean was worried about you," Sam explains, "Because you seem so lonely, his words not mine. He did enjoy hanging out with you, the rest of the weekend it was all he talked about. There were shows he was gonna introduce you to, merchandise…all kinds of his nerdy stuff. Then you just never talked to him again." He shrugs, "Dean hasn't had that happen since he was five and people distanced themselves because he was a huge-ass nerd. Openly. So…he was hurt." Pulling out his book, Sam looks over at Castiel and frowns. "I'm not saying to be friends with him, there is no reason to do something you don't want to do…I'm just saying…neither of you went about this the right way."
"I understand…" Castiel's heart drops and he can actually feel his color draining.
This is why he doesn't socialize.
Later that night Castiel has holed himself up in a corner of the library, on the floor, surrounded by towers of books for class and psychology books to try and help him with approaching Dean.
They are useless.
Other than telling him he really needs to get out more, despite his brother and father's warnings.
Sinking into his little impromptu fort, Castiel buries his face in his hands and sighs. Friends are a harder concept than he thought.
With Balthazar it is easy, they both sort of fell into it and they understand each other so well it is almost impossible for one to offend the other. Almost. They know when to push the other to do something, and when to push back. Not to mention Balthazar's parents own a company that does frequent business with his father's so even Michael and his father approved.
They would never approve of Dean, which is a major reason he tried to pull away. Dean is a distraction. He is something fascinating and terrifying because he is everything Castiel has never even dared to dream of being. Pulling away was mean, though. Not giving him an explanation was worse.
He glances up at the shelves and wonders if perhaps he should read some young adult novels to gain a better grasp on friendship. Never being one for them, he's not exactly sure of what they might hold, although according to both Balthazar and Gabriel they are truthfully dreadful. However, he might just have to do it anyways.
For Dean.
Who he still has no idea how to approach.
He groans, long and suffering, until he heads someone clear their throat to his left. Looking over, he jumps a little, his foot knocking over one of his towers of books. The psychology ones.
"D-Dean!" Castiel quickly gathers the books and scrambles awkwardly to his feet, "Um…what are you…?"
"I came to apologize…" Dean says, holding out a bag of what looked to be Chinese food. "I never got to apologize…so….this is for you. I figured you would still be here, and hungry, because for some reason a smart guy like you doesn't know when to put the book down and actually eat." He hands the confused teen the bag. "Well, I'll be going. Last time I'll bother you, I swear."
For a moment Castiel just stares at him in awe, until Dean starts for the stairs. "Wait! Um, apologies are in order from me as well." He admits, stepping to one side of his little fort before looking at Dean, "Would you like to join me?"
Dean grins and walks into the cramped area, the two squished together among all the books as Castiel opens the container and sees everything he likes. "Gabe told me what to get." He admits and Castiel gives him a curious look, "It's not creepy, stop side-eying me like that!"
"I guess Zachariah was right," Castiel mutters, grabbing an eggroll from the container, "You really are a stalker."
"Shut up, you walking bag of awkward." Dean huffs, grabbing one as well before scanning over the books. "So what's with all the psychology books? Taking a new course?" He asks and Castiel almost chokes on his bite.
"Something like that."
A/N: I AM SO SORRY THIS SUCKS AND MY INTERNSHIP IS MAKING ME REALLY BUSY. I even had to quit my job because the internship, class, and that was too much. Now my brother is moving again, too, so I'm spending all the time I can with my niece. Ironically, I spent twelve hours watching her today (because she refuses to leave my side because she knows) AND managed to finish this. Yay for spring break! (Hopefully without work I can pop these bad boys out more often)