Cas knew that the last few weeks of seventh grade would be easy, and frankly, a little boring for Ben education wise, but, he'd noticed a great and sudden decline in his desire to go at all. Usually, he was excited for school, aside from the 'crazy' girl who had a crush on him. Dean watched Ben doing his homework at the kitchen table, that was now almost a week late. Cas pulled at the tail of Dean's shirt and urged him to come into the living room. "Dean, do you think something's going on at school he's not telling us about?" He asked, peeking around the corner again. He looked back to Dean now.
Dean nodded. "He had a few bruises on his shin when he came home yesterday. Should I ask him about it?"
"It could be nothing. He's a 13 year old boy. He probably fell off his bike." He shrugged. "Maybe he's not making friends as easily as he'd hoped?" He guessed.
Dean was at work when he got the call. Ben had gotten in a fight at school. He sighed, and clocked out. The Impala roared as he revved her engine, trying to get her heated a little before he took off. When he got to the office, he asked for Ben, and they left. "What happened, dude?" He asked.
"Wait, you're not even mad at me?" He asked. "My old foster parents used to get really mad at me if I got into a fight."
"This has happened before?" He asked. "I mean, I'm sure the kid had it comin' right?" He offered, so he wouldn't feel so guilty. "It's not alright to hit any body, Ben, don't get me wrong, but I don't expect you to sit there and get your ass kicked because of some stupid school rule." He rolled his eyes. "Things were much different when I was in school, I'll tell you that."
Ben smiled and chewed on his lip. He was still angry about it. "He told me I was an outcast for a reason. 'That he knew I had two dads, and that I was adopted. He told me he felt sorry for me."
"And what'd you say?" He asked, a little angry at the child's nerve to speak about other people that way. He straightened his posture. "Just because you have two dads doesn't mean that you're any less of a good son, or that you deserve to be an outcast. I'm sorry we're causing you trouble."
Ben shook his head. How could Dean apologize for somebody else's rude speech? Dean always apologized. For everything. "I don't remember what I said. I don't think I said anything. I think I just hit him." He replied. "People who are that ignorant can't be corrected with words. They don't listen any way."
"Well, your vocabulary has certainly improved since you started here. Good job." He pulled into the drive way to see Cas outside with hands on the grass. He was messing with those hopeless, damned flowers again, wasn't he? "Why didn't they call you?" He asked.
Cas scratched his head. "What? Ben, what are you doing home? Dean, what are you- Baby, your eye!" He tossed off his gloves and rushed to Ben's side. He inspected his face. "What happened?" He looked to Dean for an answer.
Ben groaned. "I told you he'd do this." He leaned into Cas and squeezed him in a hug. "I'm fine. Can I watch TV?" He asked, walking inside with Dean.
Dean guess that his phone number was first on the contact list, since he'd registered him at the school. He'd have to leave the school a reminder to call Cas first next time, since he worked from home, and Dean could get fired for leaving work early too many times. He held the screen door open for Cas and Ben and sighed, taking off his boots. "What, you aren't going back into work?" Cas asked.
Dean shook his head. "Only about an hour or so left. No real point. Waste of gas."
Cas nodded in agreement and went to the kitchen. "Are my babies hungry?" He called out.
Ben plopped down on the couch. "Yes. Yes, they are. Dean, can we watch a movie? We never watch movies any more."
Dean laughed. "Not til you tell me how long this has been going on. Is this why you've been harder and harder to wake up each morning?" He asked.
Ben shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't want to worry you guys about it. You were so happy that I was happy, that I was ashamed to be unhappy..."
Cas came out of the kitchen with an ice pack, wrapped in a wash cloth. "Here. Put this on your eye." He kissed the top of his head. "Chicken and rice alright for tonight? I haven't went shopping yet."
They agreed, and Cas began to cook. He stayed in the kitchen because the sight of Ben with a black eye was tearing holes in his heart. If he weren't so old, and his back didn't creak like the floor boards when he got up out of his desk chair, he'd probably go show some preteens who was boss. He groaned, hating that he couldn't do anything about it.