In the few days leading up to Dean's birthday, him and Castiel barely left each other's side. They did everything together. The only time they separated was when it was their curfew, and when Castiel went to buy Dean's present from the nearby mall.
"What do you want for your birthday?" Cas questioned the day before Dean's birthday, running his fingers through his ruffled hair
"Nothing" Dean lied. His mind was yelling 'you,' but he pushed the thoughts back, denying himself the one thing he truly wanted.
"Ugh, you're so difficult to talk to, you know that?" Cas jabbed at Dean's stomach, earning a chuckle.
"Then why do you talk to me?"
'because I love you..'
"Because I know you got a soft side, okay? You act all tough, but you're really just a giant teddy bear."
"In that case, I know what I want for my birthday." Dean grinned
"What?" Cas said
"How 'bout a giant teddy bear" Dean prodded back at Cas, laughing, but Cas dodged the attack, stumbling and falling into Dean's arms, throwing Dean off balance, and they fell to the ground in a giggling heap.
"Get a room, faggots!" bellowed Gabe, one of the rowdy kids in the home, always playing dumb pranks. If it weren't for Cas, Dean was sure he would be mingling with Gabriel and his friends, but Cas was all he needed in this hell hole.
Dean almost yelled something back about Gabe's oh-so-loving father, but Cas quieted him before he got the chance, "shh shh calm down baby its okay," he said, going red at the "baby" that he had let slip out of his mouth without thinking.
Dean watched Gabriel walk away, biting his tongue, forcing himself not to hurl all the insults he knew at the boy. Once Gabriel had walked around the corner, he squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated on the cold, damp tarmac beneath his head as he began to hum, tapping his hands along to the beat of the song inside his head.
Cas recognised the song. "Are you humming Metallica?" he asked.
"It calms me down." Dean replied, eyes still shut tight.
With every word Dean said, Castiel felt himself growing fonder of the rugged outcast.
Castiel smiled softly, he felt a burst of affection welling up inside of him for the boy lying beneath him. He compulsively reached out and placed a hand on Dean's cheek, running a thumb over his lip. Dean's green eyes fluttered open to see Cas' staring back at him intently, head slightly cocked.
"Dean," he whispered, barely audible. "Dean Winchester,"
"Yeah," Dean muttered back, not resisting the intimate touch.
"I love you…" Cas spoke gently.
Dean scanned Cas' face, examining every inch, searching for a hint of dishonesty in the boy's face, but there was none. Dean slowly drew closer, his heart pounding in his ears. Cas closed his eyes, his lips parted slightly, reluctant to refuse the moment he had been longing for ever since he had met Dean.
Dean allowed his eyes to flutter shut, and he leaned forward, lifting his head off the ground, gently brushing his nose against Cas'. A few seconds passed while they just lay there, hearts beating along with one another, lips close enough that Cas could feel the heat radiating from Dean's, and he could feel the gentle vibrations of him shaking. It was clear that Dean was nervous. He had never done anything like this in his life. Not even with a girl. Castiels lips stretched over his teeth in a crooked smile, immediately loosening again and pressing themselves against Dean's.
Dean kissed Cas back every bit as passionately.
He could taste the faint spice of the tacos that they had eaten earlier on Cas' warm, soft lips.
He could smell his cheap lemon cologne that Dean loved so much.
He could feel the love surging up in him for this boy who was a stranger to him just a few days ago.
As Cas' mouth opened slightly into the kiss, Dean took the opportunity to gently prod his tongue into Cas' mouth. He wasn't quite sure how to do this, but it seemed as though he had done it correctly, as Cas mirrored the movement and slipped his tongue into Dean's mouth, smiling slightly as he did so.
Dean rolled over, not breaking the kiss for a second, so he could lay on top of Cas. Dean wasn't exactly submissive and he didn't plan to be. He balanced himself on his two hands, positioned either side of Cas. Cas continued to move against Dean's mouth and he let out a moan, reaching his hands up and rubbing his fingers against the short hairs at the nape of Dean's neck, slowly moving his hands upwards to tangle in the longer sections of Dean's hair.
Dean was the one to break the kiss.
He pulled away, smiling. This was the happiest he had been in a long time. It was the happiest he would be in a long time. Dean opened his eyes and made eye contact with Cas, keeping the contact as he rolled off of him and was met by the cold, hard ground. Dean lay on his side looking at Cas, Cas looking back, and curled his legs up to meet Cas' warm body. Cas leaned forward again, this time not to kiss Dean, but instead to rest his forehead against Dean's.
And there they lay, happiness tingling through their bodies, for hours, not caring who saw, because for the first time in forever, they had someone to love.