Chapter 3; Chicken soup and Pie.
After leaving Cas's apartment Dean didn't head straight home, instead he made his way to his brother's house, who was less then happy with him.
"what the hell Dean!...where have you been, I haven't been able to reach you for days, I even went to your apartment,", Sam waits glaring at his older brother.
"Christ Samantha, would you calm down", Deans huffs as he slumps down in an arm chair.
"Dean...", Sam says warningly.
"I'm sorry I didn't call Sammy...I was helping out a friend", the anger fades from Sam's face and is replaced by confusion.
"you don't have any friends Dean", Sam states carefully.
"way to make me sound like a loser Sammy", Deans says with mock hurt, Sam rolls his eyes.
"but you don't have... friends" Sam insists.
"look I made a new friend alright...and he was in a bad place and I had to help him", Deans says frustration seeping into his voice, Sam's face softens.
"look I don't mean to be so intense...it's just the last time you fell of the grid...", Sam trails off as he sits down on the sofa next to the arm chair.
"I know Sammy...I know it won't happen again", Dean sighs heavily as he closes his eyes.
"so a new friend huh...is he a good person", Dean rolls his eyes.
"yes mum he's a good person, I promise he won't get me in any trouble" Sam scowls, giving Dean bitch face 4.0, he has a whole catalogue.
"alright ...I'll lay off" Sam relents leaning back in the chair as Dean chuckles, lightly ruffling Sam's hair before standing up.
"I know you're worried Sammy but I'm fine", Sam follows his brother as he heads towards the door.
"why don't you stay Dean, Jess will be back soon, we can have dinner together" and then there's that puppy dog expression that Sam's mastered over the years and Dean almost caves in when he's suddenly bombarded with Cas' teary blue eyes, and the promise to wait for his call.
"thanks but I'm knackered, I think I'm just gonna head home and sleep", Dean says tiredly.
"okay...just don't be a stranger", Sam says clearly disappointed.
"I won't.." Dean states firmly as he walks down the stairs away from his brother.
"and Dean", Sam calls out , Dean turns around to meet his little brothers gaze.
"what Sammy", Dean sighs tiredly.
"it's Sam", his little brother states with a mocking smirk, Dean rolls his eyes.
"yeah yeah...bitch", Dean retorts with faux malice.
"Jerk!", Sam shouts, Dean laughs as he starts moving again.
Dean practically passes out when he gets back to his apartment, three days of running around cooking, cleaning and visiting Cas has definitely taken it's toll. Even in his haze Dean still takes out his phone and holds it in his hand, pressing it firmly to his chest waiting for Cas' calls. Its around 8 when Deans phone rings startling him from his sleep induced coma, clearing his throat he slowly brought the phone to his ear.
"hey Cas", even to his own ears he sounded groggy.
"hello Dean...did I wake you", Dean can hear the concern in Cas' voice.
"it's fine Cas...I needed to get up anyway", sitting up Dean rubs his eyes.
"are you sure", Cas is still worried Dean sighs.
"seriously it's more than fine...how are you feeling, did you eat", Dean asks.
"yes I did...I found the food you left for me, the chicken soup was delicious", Dean smiles as he listens to Cas' warm voice.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it-" Dean begins.
"oh very much so", Cas interrupts excitedly making Dean chuckle "it's been a long time since anyone's cooked for me", Dean feels Cas' mood dampen at the observation, so he clears his throat.
"did you try the pie", Cas can sense the nervousness behind the question.
"it was delicious, thank you Dean", Cas can almost here Dean sigh with relief, can almost feel his smile.
"I'm glad you liked it, pie is the best thing in the world", there's genuine affection in Dean's voice, and it makes Cas smile to know that something as simple as pie can make that man happy.
"I take it you like pie then", Cas says slowly, wanting to keep hearing the warm timber of Dean's voice.
"oh man I love it... it's my all time favourite food" Cas can hear the almost infectious excitement in Deans voice.
"Dean...", Cas asks gently.
"yeah Cas" Dean waits as the pause stretches out.
"erm...would you maybe..", Cas gulps trying to swallow down his nervousness.
"what Cas..", Dean pushes gently, Cas takes a deep breath trying to expel his cowardice.
"if you're not too busy...would you like..to maybe hang out, of course I completely understand if you can't...", Cas mumbles nervously and Dean smiles finding it far too endearing.
"I'd love to Cas, just name the time and place", Cas inhales sharply as Dean finally puts him out of his misery.
"oh okay...erm how about two days from now at my place", Dean can still hear the fear in Cas' voice as if he's expecting him to suddenly change his mind and Dean wonders if a lot of people in Cas' life have disappointed him.
"I'll be there", Dean states firmly hearing Cas sigh loudly, clearly a little more than relieved.
"okay, I'll see you then", Cas says quietly, and then they both simply hover on the line neither knowing whether to hang up or not.
"what time do you want me Cas", as soon as the sentence leaves his mouth, Dean finds a blush creeping up into his cheeks as his brain nose dives into the gutter.
"anytime after 4 is fine Dean", Cas replies not missing a beat, Dean sighs Cas didn't seem to have noticed.
"okay, I'll see you then , bye Cas", Cas clutched the phone tighter he wanted to talk to Dean for a bit longer, but he didn't want to push it.
"Goodbye Dean", he said reluctantly, before hanging up.
For the next two days Cas ran around preparing for Dean's arrival, he'd honestly never been as excited as he was at this very moment, Dean wasn't doing much better he swayed in-between extreme excitement and fear. Finally the eventful day came round, dressed in pair of faded jeans, an old black Sabbath t-shirt and his leather jacket he shuffled nervously in front of Cas' door, come on Winchester man up, Dean knocked and a couple of seconds later the door swung open. Wide blue eyes stared back at Dean, flakes of dried flour on his cheeks, Deans eyes trailed down to the apron wrapped around Cas' slender hips, before going back up to those eyes.
"h-hello Dean...", Cas shuffled nervously under Deans gaze feeling it rake up and down his body, clearing his throat Dean laughed nervously.
"been battling with flour Cas", Dean said trying to deflate the tension he had created, Cas frowned but stepped aside to let Dean in, shutting the door he turned back to face Dean.
"why would I battle with flour Dean", Cas asked seriously, Dean run his hand through his head.
"it's an expression Cas...", Cas's face relaxed as he practically sprinted back to the kitchen, leaving Dean to follow him as the kitchen came into view Dean's eyes widened as he took in the flour which was covering almost all the surfaces, there were strawberries on the floor, chopped apples in the sink, a fallen case of flour, a sprinkling of sugar on the floor and almost everything else.
"what's going on Cas...it looks like a bomb exploded in here", Cas turned around head lowered slightly with embarrassment.
"I've been cooking...it's been awhile", Dean leaned against the counter watching Cas with a gentle expression.
"you didn't have..cook for me y'know", Cas looks up his eyes wide with worry.
"I thought you liked pie.." before he can even read Deans reaction, Dean is suddenly invading his personal space and Cas' breath hitches as sparkling green eyes are surrounding him, and there's two arms holding onto his shoulders.
"you made me pie...", there's so much emotion in Deans voice, joy, excitement, disbelief , and something else that Cas can't quite work out.
"p-pies..I made more t-than one", Cas stuttered completely overwhelmed by suddenly having Dean surrounding him and it only gets worse because then Deans expression changes and he seems awed and he's staring at Cas in a way no one has, he's staring at Cas like he matters, like he fucking matters and Cas' chest constricts as his heart swells and he can't breath, and then its all over far too quickly as Dean pulls back looking more than a little embarrassed.
"looks like this is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship", Dean's expression calms down leaving Cas staring into those warm green eyes.
"I hope so, I sincerely hope so... Dean", and there it was again that fear, that disbelief that uncertainty, Cas was still afraid that Dean was going to leave, that he wasn't serious about being friends, Dean frowned.
"Cas I don't know what happened...but I'm not planning on just leaving …Cas if you only knew...what a big step..if", the atmosphere has suddenly darkened, it was the first time hearing such a despairing plea in Dean's voice and Cas felt guilty for causing it.
"why don't we have some pie", Cas said turning away, wanting to lighten the mood.
"pie sounds great", comes Dean's soft reply as he watches Cas' slender fingers struggle with the knots on his apron.
"just give me a second" Dean can hear the frustration in Cas' voice.
"let me", shivers ripple through Cas at the sound of that voice, and he freezes the sensation of Dean's warm breath gently licking at the base of his neck completely fuddling his brain. He can feel the heat from the body standing directly behind him almost pressing into his back, can smell that intoxicating aroma of cologne leather and something indescribably Dean. There's a slight tug on his apron as Dean works the knot, and he feels it becoming undone and he waits for Dean to move away so he can breath again. But Dean remains where he is inhaling Cas' scent, transfixed by the pale expanse of his neck, entranced by his nervous shivering.
"Dean..", Cas calls quietly.
"yeah Cas", Cas shivers again at feeling of warm puffs of air grazing his neck.
"we should have pie", there's a pause and then he feels the warmth leave his back, turning slowly he sees that Dean is now a feet away staring at Cas with bewildered and nervous eyes, a faint blush colouring his cheekbones.
After that incident Dean went and sat in the dining area, slightly away from Cas who tided himself up, as he cut the pies before organising them on a large plate and placing them on the centre of the table.
"wow Cas...it smells so good", Dean's mouth was practically watering at the sight of his favourite food, sitting down next to Dean, Cas smiled.
"I didn't know what you'd like, so I made apple, cherry and banoffee pie..", the rest of Cas's sentence gets lost in Dean's eyes which are once again gazing at him with that awed expression.
"why are you alone Cas", the question takes them both by surprise, there was such sadness in Deans eyes as he gazed at Cas, whose blue eyes turned away not sure what to do with the question.
"Dean I...", but he trailed off looking down, kneading his hands nervously, and then a hand covered his causing his heart to leap out of sync and his skin to tingle warmly, turning slowly Cas's weary gaze finally met Dean's.
"you deserve so much Cas...you deserve everything", Cas lips trembled.
"I..don't deserve anything...I'm not worth anything...I'm not...", Cas shied away trying to pull his hand away from Dean's whose grip simply tightened as he yanked Cas forward so that they were almost nose to nose.
"you're not nothing Cas...whoever made you believe that is a liar", there was a fierceness in Deans voice that slightly startled Cas, a determination in those green eyes and he was so close and they were breathing the same air, and Cas was utterly lost.
"I don't know if I can believe that", Cas said quietly.
"then I guess I'll just have to make you believe it", and then there it was again that gentle comforting smile, which basked Cas in a warmth he wanted to drown in.
Thanks for reading, so what do you guys think so far, feedback would be great :)