And this is the thrilling finale to this story. Thank you to those of you who have followed it, I appreciate it! The next part of this series should be coming soon, so look for the title "Now I'm a Believer"!

It had been a month since Dean and Castiel danced badly around the living room to his old 'Cake' album. Sure, it had been awkward, because he knew that he was definitely feeling something for the older man, and he didn't know if Castiel felt anything similar. He hoped, sure, and they did see- well, talk to each other - almost every day. It was just... well, Dean didn't see how Castiel would want to be in a relationship with someone like him, someone... broken. Who would want someone that couldn't see?

It came as a surprise when Castiel showed up with Sam one day. Dean knew that Sam would come home early sometimes and he and Cas would already be there, but it was kind of unusual for the two to enter the apartment together. Dean could hear the smile on both men's faces as they chatted animatedly about something, so he just shook his head with a smile, continuing to let his fingers brush over the braille lettering of the Stephen King book he was trying to read. Sometimes, he figured it would be easier to just listen to the audiobooks, but he felt like that would be cheating.

It took Castiel sitting next to him on the couch for Dean to lift his head a belatedly realize that the man had been saying something, that was how hard he had been focusing on the book.

"Hello, Dean," Castiel said as he settled more comfortably into the couch. "How is the book? Did you catch any of my conversation with Sam?"

"Uh... sorry, Cas," Dean said, flushing in embarrassment as he ducked his head a little. "I wasn't really paying attention, I guess."

"It's alright," Castiel assured, his voice low and just as sexy as ever. Dean felt a little heat pool in his chest at the sound of it. "I just wanted to ask you something. A little bit of advice, I suppose."

Dean felt his heart freeze in his chest at the words, but he nodded anyway, not letting his face change with his feelings. "Go ahead, man. I'll always help you out, if I can."

Castiel's relief was evident in the air, and Dean figured that he was smiling that goofy grin that would show up on his face whenever he found something amusing. "Well, there's this person I like. They're incredibly kind," he started, and Dean felt a little something inside of himself break. "And I don't think that they see that in themself. I want to know if you've got any idea on how I should ask this person out on a date, since I seem unable to come up with one of my own."

Dean didn't know if his distress was showing on his face, but he hoped it wasn't. If this person was gonna make Cas happy, then he wasn't gonna get between them. "Yeah, I can, um... If I was you, I'd tell that person that they make you happy. And I'd say it bluntly, so that they can't mistake it for somethin' else." Dean paused, thinking about how he'd go about it, and nodded. "I hope that they make you happy, Cas."

"I hope so, too, Dean," Castiel said, reaching for Dean's hand and threading their fingers together. "Because... Well, Dean, you already make me happy, and it'd be the highlight of my year if you would agree to go on a date with me sometime this week."

Dean was speechless at the words. Castiel just asked him to go on a date? He wasn't imagining this? Dean took a moment to pinch himself, wanting to ensure that this wasn't a dream. It sent a sharp pain to his nerves, so Dean decided that no, this wasn't a dream. But had Castiel really just asked that?

"...Dean?" Castiel's voice was a little drawn, hesitant at the long silence after he had spoken.

Dean shook his head a little, to bring his mind back to the present. "I... Cas, I would love that," he replied in a hushed tone, more than a little bit of awe in his voice. "I just... well, I hadn't thought that you felt the same way, I..."

Castiel reached out, twining their fingers together, making Dean pause and smile. "I was worried that you didn't feel the same way," Castiel admitted with a short laugh. "You never said anything, not after we danced."

"I spent some time working out just how I felt, and when I figured it out... Well, I was so afraid that it would mess up our friendship that I didn't want to say anything. I'm glad you did, though," he admitted with a low laugh. "What were you talking about with Sam?"

"You," Castiel told him, and Dean had a feeling that the man was smiling fondly at him. "I was asking him if it was alright with him, were I to ask you on a date and you were to say yes. Apparently, he was expecting that to have happened weeks ago." Castiel watched as Dean's eyes went wide and a pink blush filled his cheeks. It was, frankly, an adorable sight.

"Well, I'm sorta glad I wasn't listening, then. It would have given away the surprise," Dean murmured, voice surprisingly smooth for the embarrassment he felt at the moment. He smiled brightly when it made Castiel laugh, the sound rolling over him like a wave of warmth.

"I really like you, Dean," Cas said, voice fond as he squeezed Dean's fingers lightly.

"I really like you too, Cas," Dean hummed in response, eyes closed as he relaxed next to the man. "I wish that I could actually see you, though. It would be nice to have... noticed something. You're really good at hiding your feelings with your voice," he joked happily.

Castiel snorted and pushed Dean a little, good-naturedly. "I couldn't tell from looking at you. I mean, you blushed so much when I first met you I thought that it was a normal thing."

Dean ducked his head and blushed at the words, shaking his head as he heard Castiel start to laugh softly. "As soon as I heard your voice I was already enamoured with you," he admitted. "You've got the nicest voice I've ever heard, Cas, I mean it. Better than that guy that does that 'Welcome to Night Vale' podcast that you made me listen to."

"You're cute," Castiel teased, pressing his forehead to Dean's for a long moment. There was silence, the pair of them breathing softly, before he asked gently, "Dean... Can I kiss you?"

There was another long pause, and Dean thought that his heart had stopped in his chest before he gave a jerky nod, tongue wetting his lips before Castiel's were pressed against them, soft and warm and slightly chapped. Dean wondered just how he was supposed to restart his thoughts with Castiel infiltrating them so fully, but he hummed into the kiss and tilted his head, and suddenly it didn't matter anymore.

For a first kiss, it was rather heated, despite the fact that there wasn't any tongue and it only lasted for a few seconds. It was the lingering shocks that traveled over Dean's skin, the way his lips tingled where Castiel's had been pressed against them, that made it heated. "You're good at that," he murmured in a hushed voice to Castiel, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I think I'll probably need some practice to get up to your level," Dean joked after another moment, stopping himself from lifting a hand to his lips like he wanted to.

"I was about to say the same," Castiel hummed, then pressed another soft kiss to Dean's lips, pulling away after a little longer this time. "It makes me wish I had asked sooner if it was alright. I suppose we have plenty of time to make up for it, though."

"That we do," Dean agreed with a laugh, "that we most certainly do." He flushed when he heard Sam clearing his throat from the doorway of the living room - he hadn't even heard his brother's footsteps.

"I ordered pizza, it should be here soon. If you two want to get washed up to eat, that is," he said, no small amount of amusement in his voice. "Just, uh, if you're gonna take it any farther than that, please don't do it on the couch."

Dean choked on air at the words. "It's too soon for that, bitch, don't go getting anything in your head!"

"Shut up, jerk," was Sam's reply from the kitchen, and Dean shook his head, leaning his forehead against Castiel's shoulder before he lifted it once more.

"He's insufferable," Dean murmured to Castiel. "What do you want to do for that date?"

"He's your brother, I think that's supposed to be a given," Castiel teased in return. "I was hoping to bring you out to dinner, and then perhaps go to a movie. Maybe that new X-Men movie that comes out next week?"

"That'd be great," Dean agreed with a laugh. "I'd love to go to dinner and a movie with you. You'll have to tell me what the people looked like after the movie, though." At Castiel's nod, and hummed affirmation, Dean sighed, shifting so he was able to sit closer to his newfound boyfriend and let his head rest on the man's shoulder. This was nice. To both of them, this was the start of something amazing.