Dean led the way out to the bar and took a seat at one of the tables. He indicated to Jo to bring over a couple of whiskeys. Blue-eyes took a seat opposite him and smiled hesitantly at Dean who couldn't help but smile back.
"So you never did tell me your name" Dean started
Castiel cleared his throat and replied "Uh it's Castiel"
Dean grinned in reply to the unique name "So Cas, what brings you out to The Roadhouse? Don't think I've ever seen you round here before"
Castiel thought about what he was going to say before he replied. He didn't want to tell Dean his entire life story, that might just dampen the mood a little bit so instead he told a partial truth "Uh I just moved into town and living with my brother who decided to drag me out for a night out" Castiel glanced down at his hands before he looked back up to Dean again "Little did I know, he can't handle his liquor anymore"
Dean chuckled and grinned at Castiel which made Castiel's heart flutter. He put that smile there and couldn't help but smile in return.
Jo came over with their drinks and planted them on the table in front of them before she gave Castiel a wink "Here you go boys"
"Thanks Jo" Dean said as she walked away.
They sat in awkward silence for a few moments before Castiel decided to enquire about Dean's music "I really liked your set tonight, especially your solo songs. How long have you been a band?"
Dean blushed and looked down at his glass "Uh thanks." Dean looked back up to Castiel before he answered the second half of his question "Well me and Sammy, my brother, the sasquatch" Dean pointed over his shoulder the tall man who Castiel recognised as the bass guitarist sitting at the bar with a blonde woman "Have jammed together ever since I was about ten or so. He was a natural. Picked up a guitar and was amazing in no time at all." Dean's eyes lit up as he talked about his brother. Castiel couldn't help but smile at how close Dean and his brother seemed to be by the way Dean talked about him. "I was writing songs since I was about twelve or so just stupid little things but I loved it. I met Ash at school in music class and we were best friends straight away so it was a no brainer to start a band with him and Sammy."
Castiel smiled at Dean as he told his story on how their band got together. He couldn't help but feel jealous of Dean. He seemed to have a great life and an amazing talent with great friends. Castiel had no one other than his brother. "Sounds great" Castiel replied before taking a sip of his whiskey. Even after all the alcohol he'd drunk that night, he still didn't feel much effect from it. His tolerance had always been quite high.
"Yeah, it's not a bad way to start a career. So what about you? What do you do?" Dean queried
Castiel hesitated for a moment before replying "Uh actually I'm between jobs at the moment. I just left my previous job. It just wasn't for me and I'm still trying to decide what I actually want to do." Castiel smiled a small smile at Dean trying to fight off the memory that he'd just walked out on his family.
"Oh right" Dean said awkwardly and looked down at his drink "Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out" Dean lifted his eyes again and looked into Castiel's seeing the pain the blue-eyed man felt. There was more to that story but the man was holding out on him. Dean couldn't help but feel like he really wanted to get to know the enigma that was the man in front of him.
They talked for what seemed like only minutes about everything and nothing before Castiel picked up his whiskey and downed the rest of the drink. He saw Dean do the same out the bottom of his glass. Castiel placed the glass back on the table and sneaked a glance at his watch and saw it was getting close to midnight.
Dean cleared his throat causing Castiel to glance up at him "How about another drink?"
Castiel paused for a moment before he decided he probably should be headed home. Dean was a great guy and he didn't want to move too fast too soon. It had been a while since he'd actually had a relationship after all. "Uhm actually, I think it's time I went home. It's getting quite late…"
"Oh, right, yeah of course" Dean replied saddened. He'd hoped that he and Castiel could talk for a little longer but obviously Castiel just wasn't as into him as he thought he was.
Castiel sensed Dean's disappointment so decided that he should ask for his number so they could meet up again somewhere where his brother wasn't passed out in the backroom. "I did have a nice time talking to you Dean. Maybe we could do it again soon? Preferably when my brother hasn't had too much to drink"
Dean let out a chuckle at Castiel's joke about his brother as a sense of relief came over him at the fact that Castiel actually wanted to meet up again. Maybe this could actually go somewhere. "Yeah Cas, that sounds great."
Castiel couldn't help but smile at the fact Dean actually wanted to meet him again. "Great," Castiel beamed "Let me give you my number and you can give me a ring when you want to do this again" Castiel reached over to the napkin stand and grabbed one before he pulled out a pen from his jeans pocket. He carefully wrote out his number before he slid it across the table to Dean who took it with a smile.
"I'll uh, I'll definitely do that" Dean replied with a smirk looking down at the napkin.
Castiel blushed and ducked his head before he stood up from the stool and headed to the back room to collect his brother. His brother awoke this time and followed Castiel outside where they hollered down a taxi and headed home. It was the first time in a long while that Castiel was genuinely happy he could only hope Dean would pick up the phone and ring him soon.
-
Dean awoke the next morning eager to ring Castiel. He hadn't stopped thinking about the man since he left the bar very late last night - or early that morning however you want to look at it - and couldn't resist asking if the man wanted to have dinner with him that night. There was just something about the man that drew him in. He was funny without meaning to be; conservative but seemed eager to meet again so Dean didn't hesitate as he picked the napkin out of his discarded jeans on the floor, pulled out his cell phone and the same time and dialled the number.
The phone rang so many times Dean was sure he'd rung too early. Just as he was about to hang up, the ringing stopped to be greeted with a "Hello?"
Dean internally groaned at the sound of Castiel's low gravelly voice "Hey uh Cas? It's Dean"
"Dean!" Castiel exclaimed excitedly and Dean couldn't help but grin. Castiel definitely wanted to see him again.
Dean hesitated nervously before he told Castiel what he rang for "I was wondering," Dean began his voice steadier than he had expected "If you wanted to go out to dinner with me tonight?" He said it so fast he was sure Castiel wouldn't have understood a word he'd said.
There was a moments silence before Castiel replied "What time?"
Dean's grin was wider than it had been in years
-
Castiel awoke the next morning to the sound of retching coming from the toilet. He groaned as he rolled off the couch and wandered along the hallway to the bathroom to find his brother on the floor with his head in the toilet bowl looking extremely hungover. He couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's unease.
Gabriel groaned and looked up at his brother. His eyes were bloodshot and watery from vomiting along with bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. Gabriel raised his hand and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before he spoke "I hate you and your high alcohol tolerance" He rested his arm on the toilet seat and placed his head down closing his eyes.
"Not my fault you don't know when enough is enough" Castiel teased before he let out a sigh. It was his turn to look after his brother even if this pain was self-inflicted. He left the doorway and headed back down the hall to the kitchen to grab a large glass from the overhead cabinet and filled it with water. He wandered back down the hall to the bathroom, stepped inside and opened the mirror cabinet to fetch some aspirin for his brother. He shook two out of the bottle before he handed the glass and the pills over to his brother sprawled over the toilet.
"Thanks Castiel" Gabriel murmured before he swallowed the pills and downed the entire glass.
"Are you going to be okay? Or do you want me to give you a hand to get back to bed?" Castiel asked from the doorway
Gabriel placed the glass on the basin cabinet before he looked up at his brother "I should be fine" he replied as he placed both hands on each side of the toilet seat to brace himself before he slowly moved to his feet. He wobbled a little and his legs shook with lack of food in his body but he managed to get to his feet and head towards the exit. He paused in front of Castiel "Thanks bro" he said with a grin.
Castiel cringed at the smell that came from his brother's mouth "At least warn me before speaking within smelling region. You go get some rest; I'll cook you some breakfast"
Gabriel moved out the doorway and down towards his bedroom "You're the best Cassie" he called over his shoulder before he entered the bedroom and closed the door behind him.
Castiel sighed again and turned to head back to the kitchen to start on some breakfast. He opened the fridge and peered inside; he found some eggs, bacon, and milk. He pulled them all out and placed them on the bench before he went to find the rest of the ingredients to make some pancakes. He had to bend down he fished out a bowl and two frying pans from the cabinet below him and placed them all on the bench.
Ten minutes later his pancake mix was perfect and the bacon and eggs sizzled away as he heated up the second frying pan to start the pancakes. He'd mixed in a generous amount of chocolate chips knowing Gabriel had a rather sweet tooth and it might help a bit with his hangover. He was about to pour in the first pancake when he heard his phone going off from the couch. He dashed over as fast as he could and picked it up. When he glanced down at the screen to see who was calling him didn't help as it was a number he didn't recognise. He pressed his finger on the screen to accept the call before hesitantly putting the phone to his ear. He really hoped it wasn't Zachariah calling to give him an earful.
"Hello?" He asked hesitantly
-
At six o'clock that evening, Dean paced his room with a selection of clothes laid out on his bed –wearing nothing but a towel after his recent shower - not knowing what to wear. He wanted to look smart but not look like he was looking for a hook-up. He wanted this thing with Castiel to go somewhere that wasn't just the bedroom. Sam had obviously sensed Dean's dilemma or maybe he just heard Dean pacing around and came to investigate because he was now stood in the doorway with a smug look on his face.
Dean stopped his movement when he noticed Sam stood there "Shut up!" he shouted at him
Sam raised his hands in defence "I didn't say anything"
"No but you were thinking it!" Dean replied "So you can either leave or help me choose something to wear for my date tonight"
Sam walked over to the bed and eyed the clothes Dean had laid out. "Is it a formal or casual thing that you're doing on this date?" Sam queried
Dean paused for a moment as he thought of the place he had asked Castiel too "We're going to that Italian place that we sometimes go to so you decide"
Sam turned his attention back to the clothes and picked up a nice pair of black jeans that didn't have any rips in them and a plain, dark grey button down and thrust them into Dean's arms.
"Wear those" he then wandered over to Dean's dresser and opened the second drawer down which contained all of his tee shirts. Sam waded through the selection before he pulled out a plain white shirt and threw it at Dean. "That too" Sam then glanced over to the shoes that were in the bottom of Dean's closet "Wear those black loafers you wore to LA last week and that should do"
Dean looked down at the clothes in his hands and then to the shoes in his closet before he looked back to Sam in bewilderment. "Uhh thanks Sam"
"No worries Dean" Sam smiled at his older brother before he headed to the door and leaving Dean to put the rest of his clothes away.
-
Castiel was a different story all together. He knew exactly what to wear. Dean had told him to dress smart but casual as the restaurant they were going to wasn't the fanciest place in town but still a place you needed a reservation for. He was giddy with nerves and excitement as he stepped out of the shower at half past six. Dean would be there at seven to pick him up and take him out. Castiel picked up his black slacks and put them on over his boxers before he put on the white button down he had laid out. He topped his ensemble off with a blue tie that matched his eyes.
Once he was done dressing, he eyed himself in the mirror. He liked the way he looked and hoped Dean felt the same. He folded his towel and placed back on the towel rail to dry before he fixed his hair in the mirror. He knew it was a lost cause as soon as the water dried, it would go back to looking like he'd just got out of bed so he just decided to run his hand through it and try and have it stick up all in one direction.
He sprayed on some cologne before he headed out of the bathroom and down the hall to wear his shoes were. He picked out his black dress shoes and sat on the couch to put them on. When he was done, he relaxed into the couch sneaking a glance at his watch and seeing he had about ten minutes until Dean would arrive. If he thought he was nervous before, he was a complete nervous wreck now. His knee bobbed up and down in anxious wait as he watched as the hands on his watch inch closer and closer to seven.
Gabriel appeared from his bedroom seemingly recovered from the night before with a bag of candy. "Ready for your date?" he asked
"Yeah, just a little nervous. Haven't been out with anyone in a while…" Castiel trailed off
Gabriel walked over to the couch and plonked himself down next to his brother and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder "You'll do great. Just be you. You look fantastic – better than I've seen you in weeks actually so just enjoy it and see where it goes"
Castiel smiled at his brother "Thanks Gabe"
"No problem kiddo. Go get some ass" Gabriel teased before he stood up and headed back to his bedroom.
Castiel cringed at his brother's comment before shouting to his back "Did you really need to ruin the moment by saying that?"
Gabriel stopped in his tracks and turned to face his brother again "Hmm" Gabriel hummed in thought "Yep I think I did" Just as Gabriel said that, there was a knock at the door "And that's my cue. Go get him tiger"
Castiel turned his head to face the door before he got to his feet. He took the few steps to the door and placed his hand on the door knob. He took a deep breath as he turned the knob and opened the door to see Dean stood there wide eyed as he took in Castiel before him. Dean eyed him up with - Castiel doing the same with Dean – before they locked their eyes together.
Dean's face broke into a huge grin before he spoke "Looking good Cas. You ready to go?"
Castiel took in the sight of Dean before him in a grey button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the top couple of buttons undone to reveal a white tee shirt. Castiel smiled shyly back for he replied "Yes I am. Let's go" before he stepped forward and shut the door behind him.