Sorry for the delay...even though it's only been, what...thirteen days? XD Even so, hehe. I tried to make this a longer chapter. 4,000 words, huzzah! :D Happy days! And it has humor. I'm in a good mood, soooo...no headache at the moment. I'm a tiny bit loopy, I will admit, so...XD I apologize for typos/mistakes in advance. Also, in this chapter, it mentions a game. If I messed up, I'm sorry :( Feel free to point out mistakes, I guess.

Oh, and if you haven't seen it on my profile, I don't think I'm going to be making any new Supernatural stories. I might make new Now 'verse stories (because they relate to this 'verse but that's something different and this is ongoing and a series). I will still finish series that I am writing (such as the Eyes 'verse and Dragon 'verse and Now 'verse and whatnot) but I don't think I'm going to be posting new stuff, like new, new stuff. I just...I haven't been watching the show or anything. I didn't even watch the second half of season six. It just...lost the edge for me? I dunno. But don't worry! It's happened before in season 5, in the middle of it. I stopped watching it but then got a craving again and started back up, so maybe it will happen again? But...yeah. Just letting you know. I will still take on challenges (to an extent if they're in my range of things I do) and stuff but...heh yeah.

Anyway O.o

Onward!

Chapter Twenty

"What are you wearing?" Dean asked over the phone with a smirk as he sat on his bed. Well, not his. His temporary bed, he supposed, but not really his bed, because his bed had been destroyed in that fire. His home had been destroyed in that fire, that…explosion.

Damn, but someone had tried to kill him, kill him and Sammy both. He bit down on his lower lip and tried to push the thoughts aside; they had no place in his mind because he was on the phone with Cas - his Cas, his boyfriend, the black-haired, blue-eyed wonder he was in love with, and he couldn't be thinking about dark thoughts like attempted murder on his life when he was talking to him. That was just wrong. On so many levels.

"Really?" Cas intoned sarcastically. "This is the kind of conversation we're having now?"

Dean couldn't help but chuckle. Castiel always knew how to make him laugh. At least he was in a better mood now. When Cas's family had shown up at his house two days ago, there had been a somber feel at the Novak household as Bethany cried about Mark and Jimmy stomped around, clearly unhappy, but he did apologize for what he said. Clearly this was a hard time for him. He was close to his father and he was stuck in the middle of a family spat.

"Well, are you gonna tell me?" Dean asked, shoving those thoughts away as well and focusing on the person on the other line. "Or are you gonna leave me guessing? Because you know how creative my mind can be. Right now I'm picturing you in a leotard, getting ready for bed."

Castiel burst out with a tight laugh. "Dean, for the last time, I do not stretch and sleep with tight-fitting outfits."

"Aw, c'mon."

"I'm not a gymnast."

"Then gimme something to go on," Dean coaxed. "What are you wearing? Details! And don't skimp out on me, either. Every little nook and cranny."

Cas laughed again. It was a sweet sound in Dean's ear after the drama of these past few weeks. He smiled and lay down on his bed since he couldn't move much. Laying down was all he could do these days. It was annoying but, hey, who was he to complain that Sam was practically waiting on him hand and foot? Although he could do without the mother-hen-ing. That was sort of annoying.

"Dean, seriously."

"Seriously. C'mon, I haven't had my dose of Cas in two days! Two days, Cas, I'm dying over here!" He made coughing sounds as though to prove his point.

He could practically feel Castiel rolling his eyes.

"Don't roll those big blues at me."

"I wasn't - how'd you know?"

"Please. What don't I know about you?"

"Alright. What am I wearing?" Shit. Now he knew that bastard was smiling.

He glared at his ceiling. He'd practically walked into that one. Cas was getting sneaky. "Not leotards?" he guessed.

"Nope."

"Damn," he sighed sadly. "There goes that fantasy."

Cas chuckled. "Sorry to burst your bubble."

"It was popped ages ago. You can thank Hunter for metaphorically stabbing it."

"Doesn't he metaphorically stab everything you metaphorically create?"

"That's metaphorically besides the point," Dean said with a scowl. "And you're distracting me. Hmm. No underwear?" he asked hopefully.

"Dude. I don't go commando to bed. It's almost midnight."

Dean sighed. "Damn. Yet another fantasy ruined. A genie you ain't."

"Again, sorry." He didn't sound very sorry.

Dean smirked and shook his head. "Sweat pants, then. Gray. Socks. Probably a T-shirt that's a little big on you but comfy."

A brief pause. "That's…actually right." A bit of shock in his voice.

"Yes. I can read your mind. Bwahaha."

"Did you just…do an evil giggle?"

"Giggle? Did you just say an evil giggle?" Dean scoffed, sitting up with a small wince as his leg shifted. "I'm sorry, but 'Bwahaha' is not a giggle. I have never once in my life heard anyone giggle like that."

"Dean."

"Seriously, can you picture it? Someone's just sitting in class minding their own business and all of a sudden they think of something funny. They start giggling and you hear this: BWAHAHAHA!" He did his version of evil, maniacal laughter. "Right in the middle of class when it's all quiet, but in giggle form. That would freak me the hell out. They should take out the evil laughter in movies and put that shit in it, I'd be the first to run out of the theater. Think about it, Cas. You're walking down the dark alley one night, minding your own business, checking your phone, and all of a sudden you hear this evil giggle following you from the shadows…"

Castiel started laughing on the other end of the line and Dean smiled. Success. He liked making Cas laugh. He considered it a job well done when he was able to do so. Especially with all the drama and chaos that was going on at Cas's home lately. Making him laugh was a plus in Dean's book these days. "You're crazy," Cas told him with a sigh.

"That's what they tell me," Dean said back.

"Who's they?"

"I haven't figured that out yet. I'll let you know when I do."

"You do that."

"I will."

Castiel sighed on the other end of the line and Dean could picture him shaking his head in true Cas fashion.

"So what's up?" Dean asked slowly. "How's the, um…How's the family?"

"Pretty good," Castiel said surprisingly. "Jimmy calmed down. He's playing video games in his room with Gabriel right now. Michael's coming over soon."

"Michael…oh." Dean nodded. Michael was Gabriel's older brother, but he hadn't met him yet.

"Yeah, Gabriel's brother," Cas confirmed. "He wants to meet you."

"I, uh…um…okay…" he said slowly. Meeting Gabriel was one thing, but meeting Michael? He had barely heard two things about the guy - that his name was Michael and that he was Gabriel's brother. That was practically it.

"You don't have to," Cas said quickly, backtracking.

"It's fine," Dean assured him. "It's your family, Cas, it's fine. When?"

"I…When's good for you?" Castiel asked quietly.

Dean frowned to himself. "I dunno…tomorrow, maybe?"

"Alright…then tomorrow. Yeah. He can do tomorrow." He seemed to be talking to himself. Dean smiled slightly.

"Okay, Cas. If you're sure."

"Yeah…yeah, he can do tomorrow. That's good. Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's fine."

"Okay. You don't have to."

"Cas."

"Dean."

Dean sighed. "Now you're just mocking me."

"I am not."

"You are."

"I am not!"

"No need to get defensive."

"I am not getting defensive!"

"Now you're shouting."

"I'm not - okay I am." There was a slight pause. "It's just…I'm not sure how well you two will like each other and I guess I'm kind of nervous. I mean…I…you don't have to do this, Dean."

"Calm down. It's fine. I said it was, didn't I? I said I'd meet him. Sheesh, Cas, it's not the end of the world, it's just your cousin. I met Gabe, right? He can't be worse than that hyperactive chocolate eater."

Cas chuckled somewhat. "Yeah…I guess you're right." There was a brief pause. Sure, it was midnight, but this was the only chance they'd been able to talk all day. Dean's pain pills made him sleepy and he'd slept most of the day and then had been hassled by Dad and Sam to eat and whatnot and this was the first time he'd been alone. He hadn't wanted to chance calling Cas, afraid he'd be asleep, but then Cas had surprised him by calling him before he'd gotten a chance to make up his mind. "So…tomorrow?" Castiel asked, dragging him back on topic.

Dean nodded even though he knew Castiel couldn't see him through the phone. "Yeah, sounds great. What time?"

"How about around three in the afternoon?"

"Awesome, I can sleep in."

"Yeah, same here." He could hear the smile in his boyfriend's voice.

It made him smile as well.

"Cool. Well, Cas…how about I let you go? That way I can get a head start on mother hen Sam tomorrow."

Cas chuckled. "Yeah, okay. I'll let you get some sleep, then. Love you, Dean."

"Love you too, Cassie. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, you too."

The two of them hung up and Dean dropped the phone onto the bed beside him as he yawned, only realizing then how tired he actually was. He had been fighting sleep off and on for hours now, but it came and went.

He nuzzled his face into his pillow and dreamed of seeing Cas the next day.

Dean had mastered his crutches. Why didn't that surprise Castiel? He'd even managed to climb up the stairs with them on his own despite the fact that Castiel had told him to stay downstairs and not do anything too stressful. Did he listen? No, this was Dean they were talking about. When Castiel had gone to the bathroom, he'd disappeared from the living room. Castiel had returned to the room to find Dean gone and he'd then had to go upstairs and had found his boyfriend sitting quite comfortably on his bed with Soldier sitting happily at his feet.

Dean had gotten up the stairs on his crutches. There was no stopping him now.

Castiel shook his head and sat next to Dean on the bed.

"I thought the doctor said no unnecessary movements?" he said, narrowing his eyes at the blonde.

"Oh, did he?" Dean asked innocently, scratching Soldier behind the ear as the dog leaned into his touch and happily wagged his tail as though he hadn't been touched in ages. That traitor. Castiel petted him every day and night.

"Did Jimmy help you up here? He knows better."

"No," Dean said, scowling. "I can do things on my own, you know. I'm not an invalid. Getting up the stairs on crutches isn't all that hard."

"Dean…"

"It's fine."

"But - the doctors said-"

"They said a lot of things…but you have to just tune them out eventually or you'll go deaf listening to all their cryptic mumbo jumbo," Dean said with a small shrug as though it was common sense.

"Dean, they said those things for a reason. You have to listen to them," Castiel said worriedly. "How's your ankle? Are you feeling okay?"

He didn't look pale but that didn't mean anything. Of course he didn't look pale - anything better than the sheet pallor he'd been in the hospital was a dark tan.

Dean narrowed his eyes at him, a green glare fitted on him. "Cas, stop. I'm fine. And if you don't stop hovering I'm going to slap you. Do you understand me?"

"But-"

"No buts. Unless you want me to kick yours and show you just how fine my ankle is."

Castiel took in a slow breath and released it quietly, nodding his head. "Alright…fine. But…tell if you start to feel bad, okay? You'll tell me?" He narrowed his eyes at Dean sternly.

Dean rolled his eyes in a quick swirl. "Duh, dude. No, I like being in agony too much. Of course I'll tell you." He sighed. "So, I take it Jimmy's hiding out in his room?"

Castiel sighed and nodded. "Yeah - with Gabriel."

"Playing video games?"

"Yeah."

"Ah."

"…We gonna join 'em? Michael's not due for another hour. I'm early."

Castiel frowned. "But I suck at video games."

"I can teach you, baby."

"Baby?" And he was going to ignore the way his heart skipped a beat whenever Dean decided to try new names for him. Yes, totally ignore it.

Dean smirked at him and stood from the bed with his crutches. Soldier jumped to stand next to him, a black, loveable lump of fur with blue eyes looking like it was just sticking out of his leg the way he was just sticking so close to him. Dean reached down and slid a hand across the top of the dog's furry head. "Let's play," he declared.

Castiel sighed. "Fine," he murmured, "but they're gonna eat us alive."

Dean's eyes flashed with good humor and mirth. "We'll see about that."

They exited his room and moved down the hallway toward Jimmy's room. Castiel knocked once before opening the door. Jimmy and Gabriel were both seated on Jimmy's bed with GameCube controllers in their hands. Jimmy put the game on pause before he turned his head and scowled at them.

"What?" he asked. "We're in the middle of a game."

"We're gonna join ya," Dean declared as he entered the room without waiting to be invited. He sat on the floor in front of the bed. "What are you play - oh, Super Smash Brothers Melee. I love this game!"

Gabriel laughed. "Why doesn't this surprise me?" He took a bite of chocolate which he had next to him on the bed - a large, king-sized Hershey bar. "You're in luck - there are two other controllers."

"But I…Do I have to play?" Castiel asked as he sat next to Dean, also on the floor. Soldier sat on Dean's other side, watching the paused screen in confusion, his pink, smooth tongue hanging out of his mouth.

Jimmy sighed. "Alright, fine…you two can join us. Cas, press the reset button while you're down there."

Castiel sighed. He guessed he was playing after all. He moved toward the black GameCube system and pressed the reset button before grabbing the two extra black controllers. He wasn't even sure how to use these stupid controllers. Whatever happened to Nintendo? Why was that gone? It was so much easier. So simple. Now there were all these buttons…

"Choose your character," Jimmy said as a screen popped up with a bunch of characters on it. Castiel only recognized a few. He shrugged and picked Bowser - he recognized him. Bowser was tough. He used to be hard to be on the old Mario games.

Dean smirked and chose a character named Roy. Castiel had never heard of him. Jimmy chose Ganondorf. Castiel didn't know him either. Gabriel chose…Zelda? A woman? Castiel looked at his cousin oddly while Dean burst out laughing.

"Just don't ask," Jimmy groaned. "He keeps picking her. I think he secretly has a crush on her and wants to steal her from Link."

"It's the hair," Gabriel said with a smirk. "And that pointy chin. Pointy chins are my thing. They could take someone's eye out if you run away with them."

Dean laughed and shook his head. Jimmy put it on team mode, red against blue, and it was Castiel and Jimmy against Dean and Gabriel - Bowser and Ganondorf against Roy and Zelda.

Dean glared at Gabriel. "You better be good, woman."

"Fear not, hothead, this woman has intuition," Gabriel replied while eating more chocolate.

Dean sighed. "Well, at least this explains the choco cravings."

Jimmy picked a random location and the fight started.

Castiel had no idea what he was doing - he just started pushing buttons. The screen kept moving, growing larger and then smaller as the characters moved. He lost sight of his.

"Where am I?" he asked, looking around the screen.

"Dude, I just whacked you - you're on fire," Dean said, laughing. "Wait, nope, never mind. There you are - you're dead."

Castiel's health shattered and went back down to zero percent as his character reappeared. He sighed and jumped toward Dean's character of Roy, breathing his fire at him.

"Ack, what, no! I'm fire, you can't kill me with fire!" Dean pressed buttons and had Roy jump away from him.

Zelda shouted something and was flung out of the screen where smoke shattered her figure. Her health shattered and she reappeared. Suddenly she transformed.

Castiel stared. "Did she just…turn into a dude?" he asked, gaping.

"Yes. Yes she did," Jimmy replied while kicking at Gabriel's character with his own. "His name is Sheik."

"Bloody transvestite," Dean murmured. "My team is an it."

"Hey, don't badmouth me," Gabriel said, "or I won't help you."

"You have to help me - or I won't help you."

"We could just leave them to argue," Jimmy said.

Castiel shrugged, still trying to figure out to work the con - he just jumped off the edge and died.

"Way to go, Cas, way to go," Dean laughed. "You're making my job of killing you very easy. One more life to go and you won't come back."

"Cas," Jimmy complained, "stop dying! Get behind me! You can't leave me alone against two people!"

"I told you I suck!" Castiel told him, because he had tried to warn them. But did anyone listen to him? No. No they didn't. "What are you doing?" He was watching Roy, Dean's character. He was currently just standing there with his blade raised. There was ringing sound…at least it sounded like it.

"I'm charging," Dean said.

And it was at that moment that Ganondorf happened to land in front of him. Roy released his pose and dropped his blade forward. A bout of fire hit Ganondorf at the same time as the blade sliced into him and he was sent flying out of frame, where he died. His health shattered and he reappeared a moment later.

"Damn it," Jimmy cursed.

"Heh, that's what you get for landing in front of me when I'm charging," Dean said as though he were king of all charging. "And that is why Roy is awesome."

Zelda - Sheik? - went all kung-fu on Bowser while Castiel was still trying to figure out the controller. He was knocked toward the edge but somehow managed to still hold on and climb back up. He pressed a button and suddenly reached out with a harsh punch and hit Zelda/Sheik hard, knocking them - it, her - out of frame and killer him.

"Finally," Jimmy sighed.

"Hey, I was trying," Castiel said. "I was just-"

Bowser walked off the edge and died. His final death of the game.

"Cas!" Jimmy growled. "Watch what you're doing!"

"Sorry!" he apologized. "I didn't know I was moving!"

Dean laughed. "It's okay, you'll learn with practice, you just have to play more often."

And with that, he swung his sword at Jimmy and hit him, killing his character for the final time.

And Dean's team, the blue team, won the game.

"New teams," Jimmy declared. "Dean, you take Cas."

Dean grinned. "When and how?" he asked, watching them.

Castiel's face flushed deep red. "Dean!" he hissed, swatting him hard in the arm, bringing his hands up to cover his face. Gabriel burst out laughing while Jimmy just shook his head.

"Ew, dude, no, TMI," Jimmy said after a moment.

"You might wanna change you're character, Cas," Dean said, grinning.

Castiel released a slow breath and took his hands away from his face. He grabbed his controller again and looked at the characters. He changed his character from Bowser to…Dr. Mario? Who was that and what did he do? Oh well, he was going to suck anyway.

"Dr. Mario, eh?" Dean asked, green eyes locked on him as a slow smile came across his face. "Dude, you better shoot some badass sleeping pills at these bitches or no milkshakes for you."

Michael Ramsey stood just about an inch or two shorter than Dean - well, regular Dean, not Dean on crutches. His hair was brown and cut short, almost like Dean's but not in the same spiky style that Castiel had come to know and love. Dean and Michael stood looking at each other for a moment as though sizing each other up and Castiel stood next to Dean worriedly, unsure as to how well this meeting was going to go but Michael had asked to meet him. Did Michael know they were together? He'd asked Gabriel not to tell him. He wasn't sure how Michael would take it.

He'd grown up with Michael and Gabriel but the two had always been different. While Gabriel had taken the news great and enthusiastically, Michael might now. What if he hated it? What if he was against it, against Dean?

Michael's blue-gray eyes were sharply focused on the person next to him. His cousin's eyes had always been like that, though, Castiel reflected. Sharp. Focused. Steady. Calm.

"This is Dean," Michael finally said.

It wasn't a question, but Castiel nodded all the same. Dean's green eyes narrowed at Michael.

"And you must be Michael," Dean said, his voice just as calm and sharp as Michael's as though he'd stolen it from him himself. "Gabriel's brother."

"Yes."

Castiel looked between the two of them. "So, uh…" he murmured, unsure as to what to say. He could feel a tension in the room and he wasn't sure why.

"What happened to you?" Michael asked, gesturing at the crutches.

"Oh, you know…accidents and all that." Dean shrugged. "I'm a bit clumsy."

"I see. And do you lie often?"

Dean's eyes narrowed into small slits. "I don't see how it's any of your business."

"So you do, then. Interesting." Michael nodded.

"Michael, you're being rude," Castiel said, glaring at his cousin angrily.

"And he's being a liar."

"I am not, you son of a-" Dean growled.

Castiel sent him a look, silencing him. The last thing they needed was to have someone get into a fight here.

"Michael…why don't you leave?" Castiel said, giving him a stern look that stated that he wasn't really asking, he was telling.

"Nah, Cas, it's okay," Dean said, smiling faintly at him. "I need to be going." He glared at Michael and then looked back at Castiel. "Have fun with your, ah…family."

"No, Dean…don't go," Castiel said, frowning at him. He didn't want him to go. He hadn't been there that long and he hadn't seen him in a few days. He looked at Michael, hoping he would get the message and go.

"Fine," Michael sighed. "I'll go." He shook his head like he couldn't believe Castiel really wanted him to leave, but it was true. Michael was being an ass. "See you later, Cassie." He turned and left the room. Footfalls echoed down the hall and down the stairs.

Castiel released a breath of relief and looked a Dean once he was sure Michael was gone.

"Dean…I am so sorry," he apologized regretfully. "I had no idea he would act like that. I didn't know he would…behave like that. I'm sorry."

Dean sighed. "I…It's okay, Cas."

He grabbed Dean's arm and pulled him back toward the bed from where Dean had been moving toward the door to leave. "Don't go."

"Cas…"

"Don't go. Please? He's gone. You can stay. Don't go."

He didn't want Dean to go. It had a been a few days since he'd last seen him and he hadn't been there very long anyway. Plus Michael had been an ass toward him already and he didn't want Dean leaving with that impression of Castiel's family. Also…he just…didn't want to be alone right now. Gabriel and Jimmy had gone out after their game - they'd gone to get something to eat and wouldn't be back until later, so he was alone in the house if Dean left. A part of him just really wanted Dean to stay.

Was that so wrong?

Dean sighed. "Alright…okay. I'll stay," he said, smiling faintly at him. "All you had to do was ask, Cas." He sat down on the bed and Castiel sat down next to him. "So…what do you wanna do now?"

"I don't know…but I'm really sorry for how Michael acted."

"It's fine. It's in the past."

"I know, but…but I'm sorry. I don't know why he was like that. He really shouldn't have been."

"Some people just are."

"I'm sorry."

Dean sighed with exasperation. "Don't make me shut you up."

Castiel frowned. "Dean, this is serious."

Dean shook his head. "No, this is silly. You're overreacting over nothing. Some people are just assholes sometimes, okay? It's fine. Honest, stop apologizing."

Castiel sighed heavily. "Sorry, I just…" He shook his head.

"It's fine," Dean assured him. His hand landed on his arm gently. "Honest. Just…how about I not meet him again?"

Castiel nodded his head. Yeah. Yeah, he could do that. No problem. Dean and Michael not meeting up again sound okay. He could do that, make that happen. "Okay, yeah. Sounds good." He smiled at Dean. "I love you."

"You'd better," Dean said, grinning as he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Castiel's, the soft, hot and pliable surface feeling like a tender wonderland. "Because otherwise I'd feel pretty damn awkward when I said it back."

So :D Extra long chapter for now. Hope you like it! Thanks for reading and please review! :D

~Muffy the Dough Slayer~