Unlike my family ties fic where I've written several chapters worth of content, I'm still writing this one. However also unlike my family ties fic I have some idea where I'm going with this one, so this one should very likely have an ending even if I get off track a few times and have to take a couple of detours :P Anyway I'm sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes and I hope you enjoy this chapter...just a teeny bit but hopefully a alot a bit.
The next day Cas skips Math unable to face his teacher. He instead completes maths problems in the library.
He manages to complete several pages of Math problems before a commotion happens outside the library doors.
"...the fuck are you?" Cas hears Zack's voice float into the library. Zack is the school bully, Cas usually manages to avoid him.
"Somebody your own size, now leave him alone" comes another voice, this one unfamiliar.
"You don't get to tell me what to do" Zack says snidely.
"And you don't get to treat everyone like they're beneath you, but you still do" the other voice quips.
The librarian opens the doors and Cas catches a glimpse of Zack and a rather tall boy with long shaggy brown hair, standing beside a boy called 'Garth' Cas knows from his science class.
"What's going on out here?" The librarian asks sternly.
"Nothing" Zack huffs and walks away.
The tall boy and Garth head into the library smiling sheepishly at the librarian.
Garth spots Castiel and grins "Hey yo Castiel" his constant cheeriness is something Cas both admires and despises.
"Hello Garth" Cas looks from Garth to the boy standing beside him.
"Hi, I'm Sam" he smiles shyly back at Cas.
"Hello Sam"
"What you doing there, Castiel?" Garth asks leaning over Cas' book.
"Maths" Cas replies simply.
Sam's expression turns to one of interest "That's cool. My brother's a Math teacher so I'm pretty good at Maths. If you need any help..."
Cas furrows his brow "Does your brother teach here?"
Sam stuffs his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels "Yeah. You might know him, Mr Winchester?"
Cas fights the blush creeping up his neck at remembering how he'd run out on Dean yesterday "Yes I do. I'm in one of his classes"
"Yeah? Is he a dick?" Sam grins "I've never actually seen him teach."
Cas smiles "No he's actually rather good at teaching" Cas' smile widens "many of the girls have taken to him quite fondly"
Sam chuckles "Yeah he said as much. But thought he might be exaggerating, he likes to boast about stuff like that"
Cas smiles "Dean said you are planning to be a lawyer?"
"Seriously, Dean's sharing all my deepest, darkest secrets with his classes?"
Cas chuckles "I don't believe he's shared anything particularly dark. Yet." Cas smirks then continues more sincerely "He hasn't told my class much about you. He only told me that during my tutoring lesson."
Sam looks slightly relieved to know his brother wasn't boasting to half the school about him. "Your one of the students Dean's tutoring?"
"Yes" Cas nods.
"Cool. I think he mentioned you a couple of times" Sam smiles at him.
Cas briefly fears that Dean told Sam about yesterday but Sam doesn't seem to know about that.
"What Maths class are you in?" Cas eyes Garth as he flicks through a few pages of Cas' Math book, a look of immense concentration on his face.
"I'm taking a Sophomore class. I've learnt quite a bit off Dean so like I said, I'm pretty good at Maths" Sam blushes and smiles bashfully.
"That makes sense" Cas agrees.
The three boys continue chatting until the bell rings.
Cas manages to dodge Dean throughout most of the day. However, just as Samandriel is approaching the table with his tray of food, Dean catches sight of Cas.
Cas ducks his head. While Dean contemplates confronting Castiel or letting it go, for now. He eventually decides on the latter If the kid skipped class so he wouldn't have to deal with me then might as well give him his space for today.
Cas feels his body sags in relief when Dean carrys on walking to his own lunch table.
"You Okay?" Samandriel asks, placing half a hot dog and a pudding cup in front of Cas.
Cas stares at Samandriel for a moment "...Yes"
Samandriel nods then digs into his lunch.
The next day, despite not really wanting to, Cas decides he can't avoid attending Maths forever so he slinks into the back of the classroom.
Dean walks in just before the warning bell sounds. He sets his stuff on the desk, writes a starter on the board and then begins roll call.
"Castiel?" Dean glances at Cas' desk to see a figure hunched over it, writing.
"Yes" Cas says half-heartedly, making sure to keep his eyes on his work.
There's a short moment of silence before Dean continues with roll call.
Dean walks around the desks helping a student here and there, taking his time before approaching Cas' desk.
Cas is in the middle of working out a problem when he feels a hand gently clasp his shoulder. He turns his head to see Dean crouching beside his desk.
"You alright?" Dean offers Cas a small smile.
Cas lowers his eyes to his desk for brief moment, gathering his courage before looking Dean in the eyes and responding "At the moment, yes"
"Good. Is there any questions you think you're goin' to struggle with? I might as well go through 'em now." Dean squeezes Cas' shoulder reasurringly.
Cas glances down at his work and then at the problems written on the board. "Um... the fifth and...ninth problem?"
Dean nods, looking at the board and finding the two problems before turning to Cas to start explaining the steps involved.
When class is over Cas packs away his things and heads for the door.
"Cas?" Cas stops and turns to look at Dean "Could I have a word?"
Any hope that the subject might of been dropped suddenly drains from Cas' body.
"Of course" Cas answers meekly. Ignoring the gawking he gets from a few of his class mates, he approaches the desk with his gaze glued to the floor.
Dean waits for the last student to leave the room before closing the door. He comes to stand beside Cas, leaning against the desk.
"What happened Monday?" Dean asks softly, yet straight to the point.
Cas' hands clench in his coat pockets and he bites his lip "...I was having a bad day" No use denying it, he tried that last time and look where that got him.
Dean leans toward Cas "Are you sure that's all? 'cause if there's anything else going on, the school could get you help for it...make it go away"
Cas hesitates. He wants to make it go away, but he's not sure he can trust the school to do that. He has little faith in the system because the system is flawed, greatly so.
Cas shakes his head "No...just a bad day"
Dean decides not to push him. If he's going to get to the bottom of this, he's gotta earn the kid's trust.
"Alright" Dean grabs a sticky note and a pen "I'll just write ya a note for your teacher and you can head to class."
Cas nods and accepts the note before leaving.
Cas walks with Samandriel into the cafeteria. Samandriel takes his place in line while Cas takes a seat at their usual table.
Looking around the cafeteria, Cas' gaze settles on a group of laughing girls a few tables over. They seem to have a deck of cards which they are presumably playing. Someone takes the seat beside Cas, snapping his attention away from the girls.
"Hey" Dean grins at him "you don't mind if I sit here, right?"
Cas just stares at him, unable to form a coherent sentence.
Samandriel approaches the table, taking his usual seat across from Cas. "Oh hi. Mr Winchester, right?"
Dean smiles at him "Just call me Dean"
"Hi Dean. Um...did you get bored of the teacher's table?" Samandriel attempts to politely phrase the question Cas was unable to ask.
Dean glances over at the teacher's table "Yeah" he sighs "All they talk about is grocery shoppin' and what soaps they're gonna to watch tonight"
"Oh." Samandriel looks over at Cas, nervousness evident in his eyes.
They sit in awkward silence, all attempting to focus on eating their food. Until Samandriel remembers to give Castiel his pudding cup.
"Is that all you're havin'?" Dean glances suspiciously at the pudding cup.
"Yes." Cas says quietly.
Dean seems to sense that Cas doesn't want to talk about it and instead asks "You want half my burger?"
Cas' first instinct is to say no. But he's been eyeing Dean's burger for the past 5 minutes. Burgers are probably Cas' favourite food but Samandriel isn't so keen on them, so he only gets them once every couple of weeks if the cafeteria isn't serving anything better.
Cas' lack of response seems to give Dean his answer, as Dean tears off half his burger and hands it to Cas.
Cas takes a hesitant bite and let's out a small moan of pleasure. Dean raises his eyebrows and casts a glance at Samandriel who shrugs and smiles sheepishly.
Over the course of the next few weeks, Dean continues to sit with Cas and Samandriel during lunch. The awkward silences become less frequent each day until they're virtually non-existent. Cas finds it easy to forget about his home life or that Dean is his teacher as he sits enraptured by one of Dean's stories.
"...and She said 'Dude, I said I was craving cream, not that I need shaving cream!' and I was like 'You know what, that makes a crap ton more sense'."
Samandriel starts heaving with laughter, probably more than the story is due, while Cas' lips quirk up in an amused smile.
Dean grins at Samandriel and turns to look at Cas, wagging his eyebrows. Cas huffs out a laugh just as the bells rings.
"Right, I gotta head off. Got a rowdy bunch of freshman to tend to."
"Goodbye Dean" Cas smiles.
"Bye Dean" Samandriel beams.
With a short wave Dean disappears through the cafeteria doors.