A:N/ Hello my absolutely, positutely wonderful readers :D This is the third installment of Gabes Cafe and Bakeshop so I hope you enjoy! Warning: Sam get a little... weird in this one :P
This was most definitely the earliest Dean had ever awoken for work on a Wednesday morning but he wanted to get to the Bakeshop as early as possible. After all, last time he hadn't even had the chance to finish his pie. So he really just wanted ten or twenty extra minutes to drink his coffee, eat some pastry and read the newspaper.
It had nothing to do with a certain blue-eyed employee.
Nope. Not at all.
Not even with the remnants of last night's dream floating around his head.
… Maybe a cold shower was in order before he headed out.
After his shower, Dean was standing in front of his mirror trying to pretend that he wasn't debating what shirt to wear. He thought the green might bring out his eyes more but the blue one showed off his arms. Then again, that might make him look like he was self-absorbed… Oh God, was the gel a mistake?
As Dean flung clothes around haphazardly, his younger brother was crouched just outside of the doorway and peering in with frightened eyes. His fiancée walked by and noticed the six-foot giant squatting by the room in his boxers and shirt, his hair still mussed from sleep.
"Sam," she called out, moving towards her boyfriend. "What are you do-"
He suddenly whirled around, his shaggy hair flying wildly. His eyes were large and startled and he made an exaggerated shushing sound complete with hand gestures that almost unbalanced him from his precarious position.
Equally frightened and amused by his behaviour, she descended to crouch by his side and whisper, "So what're you looking at?"
"The apocalypse."
"What!"
"I said shhhh!" Sam exclaimed, pressing one large finger to her lips. She waved it away and gestured for him to explain.
He pointed towards the door where Dean was now standing with his arms crossed and frowning at the only two colognes he owned. Obviously, the decision was weighing heavily on his mind.
"Someone has possessed Dean," Sam whispered, his gaze never wavering from his brother. "He's even wearing matching socks."
Jess raised a brow.
"He never wears matching socks!"
She laughed, "So coordinated foot accessories mean your brother's possessed?"
He nodded, his expression solemn, "It's the only explanation."
"Alright, I'll bite. What do we have to do?"
"Well I think we should first test it out with some salt and holy water."
"Salt and holy water?"
"Demons are burnt by them."
"Oh so it's a demon that's possessing Dean."
"Obviously. Come on Jess, keep up."
She threw up her hands in surrender when she noticed a figure standing behind Sam. An involuntary giggle almost passed her lips. Either way, Sam noticed where her eyes were looking and followed them up to where his brother stood looming over him. He let out a little squeak and fell back.
Dean raised an eyebrow, "You alright there Samantha."
"Pssh, of course!" he assured, standing up quickly and avoiding looking his brother in the eye. "Why wouldn't I be? Out of curiosity, do you know where to buy holy water? Not that I'm looking to buy. 'Cause that would just be crazy!"
The elder brother looked understandably weirded out by this behaviour and edged away from the wild eyed giant carefully. "Whatever you say Sammy, just get your butt in the car 'cause we're leaving."
"Now?" Jess asked, glancing at her phone. "It's really early. Sam's not even dressed yet."
For the first time, Sam seemed to notice his dishevelled attire.
"Well hurry up 'cause I'm leaving in five!"
Of course they only left in ten.
At the bakeshop, Dean was already eyeing Castiel as he ordered his pie. Sam was eyeing his brother and Jess was eyeing her fiancée. Gabriel, as the third party observing, was eying them all eyeing each other with much amusement.
"So how are Mr. and future Mrs. Moose this fine morning?" he questioned lightly as he prepared their coffee. Dean, having already gotten his, had made a direct beeline towards where the quieter employee was sitting.
"Thank you," Jess said as she was handed her coffee. She blew on it and replied, "Well Sam's been having a bit of a break down this morning."
The only evidence that the subject heard this comment was a small twitch in his left eye.
"Is that so?" Gabriel asked as he worked the register.
She nodded, "Poor dear thinks his brother's possessed."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"
"I think it might have something to do with your cousin," she smiled, "He's been acting oddly ever since meeting him and it's thrown Sam off."
The shop owner laughed and agreed, "Cassie too. He smiled three times yesterday. That's got to be some sort of record!"
"Is he depressed?" Jess asked with a frown.
Gabriel shook his head, "No, no nothing like that. It's just he was born with this stick up his ass and rarely lets any emotion show. He's like Robo-Castiel. Seems like he loosens up when he's around Dean though."
The blond woman smiled and said thank you again before dragging Sam away from his 'covert observation position' behind a potted plant and towards an actual table.
If Dean and Cas had been paying a little more attention to the world around them, they might have heard Sam yelling, "But Jess! I want to spyyyyy!"
"So what's the novel today?" Dean asked as he sat down that Wednesday, already tucking into his pie. He glanced up as the man blinked owlishly at him for a moment before a barely there smile crossed his face.
"Dean," he said, "How are you?"
"Good, so what's the novel?"
Castiel looked down at the book in his hand for a moment, as if only just remembering he was holding it. Finally he replied, "Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy."
"Another Russian?"
"Yes."
Dean grinned at him and he offered a tentative smile back, as if almost unsure of the appropriate response. For a moment they sat in silence. Dean was stealing secret looks at the blue-eyed man, noticing that though he was obviously a very fast reader, he hadn't turned the page in quite some time.
Finally, the mechanic struck up a conversation again.
"So Cas," he said, satisfied when the other man immediately snapped his head up to look at him. "I never see you actually working here but you're an employee?"
Castiel blushed and nodded, "Yes. Most often I work the later shifts but I enjoy the mornings so I usually just sit here and read for a few hours.
"Oh no, you're a morning person. Just what I needed," Dean teased, pointing his fork accusingly at him.
For his part, Castiel just tilted his head in confusion and asked, "Is that a problem?"
Dean shook his head, chuckling a little at the socially befuddled man. "Nah, it's probably a good thing."
"How do you mean?"
Now it was Deans turn to blush as he stammered, "Oh well, pshh, you know, balance… and all that..."
"No, I do not know."
"Just that it's good when people balance each other out," Dean continued, wishing he could beat his face with a wooden spoon. "Like early risers and late sleepers or olive lovers and haters."
Castiel nodded his understanding, his face still very reflective. "I see… I hate olives," he commented.
"And I love them," Dean smiled, taking a sip of his coffee.
"I guess we're a good match then," Castiel observed with his ever-serious expression.
Dean choked on his drink and spluttered unintelligibly. "What!"
"Well according to your logic, we appear to 'balance' each other well," Castiel said, frowning a little as he tried to see the flaw in his previous statement.
The blond gaped at him and was met with a steady expression. Finally he just shrugged and said, "I guess you're right."
Castiel nodded and returned to his novel, successfully hiding the smile that crept on to his face.
After finishing his coffee and pie, Dean stood outside with Jessica waiting for Sam to come out of the bathroom.
"So how's Castiel?" she questioned, her voice casual.
Too casual.
Dean narrowed his eyes suspiciously and gave a short answer of, "Good."
She smirked, "So you haven't gotten into his pants yet?"
"Jess!"
"What?" she defended, "It's so obvious that you two like each other."
He shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You. Him. Intense staring. It all equals some serious UST."
"UST?"
"Unresolved Sexual Tension."
Dean gawked at her and asked, "Jesus Christ, what sites have you been on lately?"
She gave him a sly smile and shrugged when Sam entered the scene again. He was clutching something behind his back rather obviously.
"Sorry I was late guys," the giant said with a too big smile on his face.
Dean tried to peek around his back but Sam just jerked away. "Uh, what do you got there Sammy?" he asked.
"Nothing," Sam replied too quickly, "why don't you just go to the car Dean."
His elder brother stared at him for another moment before shrugging and turning away. What sounded like "freak" escaped his lips as well.
As soon as Dean's back was turned, however, Sam struck. He lashed out with an uncorked container of salt, spraying it all over Dean. The man stopped in his tracks when he felt something pebble against his back. Slowly he turned around to look at Sam, his face more bewildered than angry at this point.
"Dude, did you just throw salt at me?"
Jess tried to stifle her laughter.
"Uh, it slipped?"
And she failed.
Breaking into gales of laughter even as the two brothers proceeded to yell themselves hoarse in their argument, Jess couldn't help but love her family.
Dean was still shaking salt out of his hair when he left work later that day. He was driving down one the lesser-known roads he liked to travel when a sign caught his attention. It was sort of aged, the once bright colours faded and peeled but the words were clear enough.
LAWRENCE THEATRE
PLAYING "TARAS BULBA," BASED ON THE NOVEL BY NIKOLAI GOGOL
TOMORROW AT 7 AND 9 PM
His first thought was of Castiel seated at that sunny café table, a big thick Russian tome in his lithe hands and a peaceful expression on his face. It made Dean smile.
The idea was now planted in Dean's head and was growing without his permission. The image of the two of them in a dark theatre, possibly the only occupants, sprung to mind and it was all he could do to not drive to Gabe's café right then and demand Castiel come with him.
Somehow, he made it home despite all of the schoolgirl daydreams that floated around his head. Honestly, this was ridiculous. He was not some thirteen-year-old girl crushing on the diner boy with hearts in her eyes.
Although he could perfectly understand why they would want to crush on that particular diner boy.
When he walked into the doorway of his small, shared house, he was immediately confronted with the rather frightening sight of his brother grinning at him with a glass of ice water clasped in his large hands. Dean froze in the doorway.
"Come in, come in," Sam beamed, his cheek twitching slightly.
Dean warily walked in and closed the door. "You're not going to kill me or something are you?" he asked as he took off his leather jacket.
"Of course not silly!" Sam said with a fake laugh. "I just thought you might be thirsty."
He eyed the drink. "You're trying to poison me aren't you?"
"Of course not."
"Well I'm not drinking it," Dean said, crossing his arms.
Sam's eye made a spastic movement. "Drink it."
"No."
"Come on, you'll like it."
"I'm not thirsty."
"Brother, I made it just for you."
"No!"
"I MADE THIS FOR YOU!"
"JUST DRINK THE WATER DEAN," Jess suddenly called from the living room, having overheard the entire exchange between the man and her crazy fiancée. Hopefully, he would give up his insane theory after this. If he didn't, she feared she would have to tell him just what was going on and then Sam would most definitely tease Dean to death.
In the foyer, Dean had obviously decided to trust Jess' judgment, despite the wild eye look his brother was giving him as he raised the glass of water to his lips.
Finally, he took a sip.
Then another.
Actually it was quite refreshing.
When he had drained the glass, Dean handed it back to Sam who looked rather disappointed for a man who had just found out his brother wasn't possessed.
"Happy?" Dean asked as he made to move around the giant. He was stopped, however, when Sam pointed a large finger at his chest and hissed, "You are not my brother."
"Alright, Sammy, time for your nap," Jess said and got up from her comfortable position on the couch. "You've done your tests. It's Dean."
"But Jess! He's all weird!"
"I know baby," the blond comforted, leading him away from a bewildered Dean. "He's just doing it to mess with you."
"Oh…"
Luckily, Dean was still too preoccupied about his plan tomorrow to really dwell on Sam's odd behaviour. His brother was a freak. Nothing new there.
Sooo... what do you think! Next chapter contains some not-so-suave Dean attempting to ask Castiel out so if you'd like to see (or read I guess...) that please REVIEW!
-MesserMessa