A/N: You can't blame me for being late this time I had NaNoWriMo ha there is a real excuse so suck it. I love you all.
Chapter Four
Of course, Cas is used to feeling irrationally nervous and having his palms sweat and his head feel like it's going to explode, but it's never been accompanied by such an undeniable feeling of excitement before.
He's going to meet Dean's brother. Dean likes him. His brother will tell stories about Dean as a child and Dean will laugh, and grin, and slap him on the arm and say something like "shut your mouth" and Cas will sit there and watch and be very happy.
No, he's not over thinking this at all.
He tries to spend his free period rereading Othello but his mind, of course, wanders, and he thinks about what this means for him. No one outside of his family's ever got close to him before; not that he's objected to the idea, just that no one's tried. Within his family, though, he's undeniably close to his brother Gabriel, and when his sister Anna is in town, Cas likes to watch her banter with Gabriel, content to observe the people he loves.
His relationship with the rest of his family is shaky, though, and it makes him wonder about Dean again. Whatever he thinks, he always ends up here. All roads lead to him. Maybe talking to people isn't so bad after all.
Lunch comes after AP Physics, but Dean has a class, so Cas sits back at his table with his lunch and book and stares at the space opposite him where Dean had sat yesterday. It's not like the guy had been looking to make friends; he'd only sat next to Cas because all the other tables were full. But Cas was glad he had. And he hopes Dean is glad too.
Suddenly he gets a weird feeling in his side like something is moving. Alarmed, he glances down, and realises it was his phone vibrating. This doesn't happen very often, so it took him by surprise. He laughs at himself and pulls it out.
An unknown number is on the screen, and he opens the message. It reads, You have no idea how boring law is oh my goddddd.
Who is this? Cas replies. He eats a few bites of his sandwich while he waits for the reply.
The queen of england. Who do you think idiot
Oh. It's Dean. Hi. And actually, I'm very aware of how boring law is. My brother used to watch 'Law and Order' relentlessly in the bedroom next to mine.
Haha nice. Are we good for tonight? Sam is excited to meet you we're gonna pick him up from middle school that okay?
That sounds great, Cas replies, grinning to himself. Do you think he'll like me?
He likes everyone he's like a human puppy.
Great. See you in an hour.
When Cas gets to the car, Dean is leaning against the driver's side door and smirking, staring at Cas as he walks up – which means that Cas trips over his feet three times. He usually rides the bus home, but today, apparently, he has a ride.
"Hey, twinkle toes," Dean jibes as Cas nears.
Cas blushes. "Shut up. We can't all walk in straight lines."
"You're right, the world would be madness. Without people bumping into each other, I'd probably still be a virgin. Let's go." He slides into the driver's seat like that was no big deal.
Cas hesitates, and Dean rolls down the window. "What?"
"Should I get in the back?"
"Eh, Sam won't mind riding in the back. He's probably gonna be talking non-stop anyway, so you gotta be at an angle where we can give each other world-weary looks."
"Well, if you're sure." He sits in the passenger seat, the feel of the leather too familiar seeing as he's only been there once before. He buckles his seatbelt and asks Dean about his day as they set off.
"Oh, it was alright. I learned things. I hated people. I flirted with a hot chick, what was her name. Meg? What's her deal?"
Cas shuts his eyes for a few seconds as the memory of Meg kissing him and him thinking it was nice but then finding out it was a dare washes over him, and then replies, "Don't go there."
"Aw, but I want to."
"Trust me."
Dean glances over. "Really? Second day, you're asking me to trust you."
"Don't you?"
Dean thinks for a few seconds, chewing his lip, which is entrancing, and Cas can't tear his eyes away from it. "I don't know. We'll see."
This doesn't hurt Cas's feelings, really. It's obvious that Dean is a guarded person and doesn't let a lot of people in. More defences than an art gallery. But Cas is happy just enjoying the paintings for now.
They pull in to the middle school and Dean turns up the blaring rock music, leaning close to Cas to say, "Sammy hates it. He thinks I'm embarrassing him in front of his friends."
"Does he not like your music?"
"You kidding me? He's into like, classical shit. Stuff about life. Drives me nuts. But, driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole."
Cas nods. "Fair enough."
Kids start to emerge from the building, and after a little while Dean points at the boy standing head and shoulders above his friends. "That's him."
"He's very tall."
"Yeah, and he doesn't let me forget it."
Sam walks towards the car, and Dean frowns. "Huh."
"What's wrong?" Cas asks.
"He usually waves like a lunatic. With that damn sloppy grin. Something's happened."
"Should I go?"
"No, no. He's one of those people that recharges by being around others. Just ask him about school and stuff."
"Okay." This doesn't help Cas's nerves.
Before Sam gets in the car, Cas gets a good look at his face. He looks normal, maybe even bored. But due to what Dean said, this isn't good.
"Hey, Sammy," Dean says as Sam shuts the door behind him. "How was school?"
"Fine."
"Did you hand in your chemistry project?"
"Yeah."
"Did it go down well?"
"Sure."
Dean turns to Cas with a smile that Cas doesn't believe. "We made a baking soda volcano. Complete with dying villagers."
"Really?"
"Yeah, it was awesome." He looks back at Sam. "Sam, this is Cas."
Sam registers Cas's presence and smiles, holding out his hand over the back of the seat. "Hey. Heard a lot about you. Must be pretty brave to be friends with Dean."
"Hey, shut up." He reaches out to slap Sam's shoulder, but Sam moves away and scowls. "Okay, homewards." Dean starts the car and Cas turns around to talk to Sam.
"What are you studying at school?"
"Oh, all kinds of stuff. I'm really interested in law, though."
"I wonder why," Dean says dryly, winking at Cas.
"What do you mean?" Cas asks.
"He sits next to his freakin' girlfriend the entire class." Dean grins like he's proud, and glances at Sam, whose face has suddenly fallen. He stares out the window. "Something up, Sammy?" Dean asks, visibly worried now.
"I'm fine," Sam replies tightly.
Dean pulls over on the side of the road, turning his whole body around to face Sam. "Dude."
"Ruby broke up with me," Sam says, waving his hand. "It doesn't matter."
"That bitch," Dean says under his breath, "She tell you why?"
"I think I'm too boring for her or something. She kept wanting to, like, break into churches at night and stuff."
"And you said no?"
"Duh, that's why she dumped me."
Dean smiles a little, then checks himself. "I'm proud of you for that. You don't need her. She was a bad influence."
"I don't care. I love her."
Dean looks at Cas helplessly. Cas suspects that this is the first time Dean has had to deal with something like this, and it's clear Dean himself hasn't been dumped before. But Cas is used to rejection. He can help. So he tries.
"Sam, if I've learned anything from a lifetime of rejection, it's that things have a way of turning out for the best in the end. You deserve someone who loves you as much as you love them. If Ruby doesn't want you, screw her. Find someone who does."
Sam looks up. "Wow. Thanks, man."
Dean slaps Cas's shoulder and grins. "Well, hey, Yoda. Nice job."
"Thank you."
Dean starts the car again and Cas sits properly in his seat, listening to Sam talking animatedly about just what went down when the volcano actually exploded and three kids got foam in their eyes, watching Dean as he laughs, and smiles.
Their house is attached on both sides and relatively small, but the garden out front is well cared for and the neighbours smile and wave when they see Sam and Dean get out of the car.
"Casa Winchester," Dean says, spreading his arms in a grand gesture.
"It's not much, but it's home," says Sam.
"Alright, Weasley." Dean pulls out his keys, locking the car and opening the front gate. "Nice job on the grass, Sammy."
"Thanks, you like the hydrangeas?"
"Not too shabby," Dean says, nodding his approval. Cas closes the gate behind him and follows them up the path. "Hey, Cas," Dean calls back, "what time you gotta be home?"
Cas looks at his watch: 3pm. "Any time before five."
"Can we make it half four? Dad gets home at five, and he doesn't like strangers in the house."
"Does he not know I'm coming?"
"No, and he's not going to, if Sam keeps his dumb mouth shut."
"Shove off," grumbles Sam. "I don't like keeping secrets."
"Hey, you're the one who had Ruby over every day last week. I mean, uh, before we knew she was a giant bitch. Not even hot."
Sam rolls his eyes. "Thanks."
Dean lets them in the front and Cas walks into the hallway, which smells like beer and cigarettes and an actual family. Cas isn't used to such a warm environment. His own home is scrubbed to within an inch of its life, and he always has to take his shoes off when he goes in. Dean goes straight to the living room and puts his booted feet up on the coffee table.
"Want a drink?" Dean asks, leaning his head back on the old leather of the sofa.
"Yes, please."
"Beer okay?"
"Dean," Sam warns, sitting down on an armchair.
"Relax. We got a couple hours." Dean stands up again, motioning Cas to sit on the sofa, and heads to the kitchen.
Cas sits down and looks at Sam. "Is everything okay? Should I not be here?"
"It's fine," Sam sighs. "Dean shouldn't be drinking Dad's beer, though. He's gonna get yelled at. I think he just wants to impress you."
"Why's that?"
"Dean doesn't have friends a lot. He might act all cool and tough and easy-going, but he's never had a real friend before. Hell, he's never been in a long term relationship."
Cas picks at the hem of his sweater. "So, what does that mean about me?"
Sam chuckles. "Well, man, I guess you're special." He smiles, and it's more warm and welcoming than a stranger has ever been towards him before. Excluding Dean, of course. But every rule Cas has about people seems to exclude Dean.
"They're a bit warm," calls Dean from the hallway before nudging the door open with his foot and coming back into the living room. "Fridge broke. But they're still good." He passes one bottle to Cas, and a juice box to Sam, before settling down on the sofa. Cas feels it dip as Dean sits.
They talk for a while, Cas telling Sam about his siblings at Dean's request, and they laugh about it instead of getting weirded out like most people do. Sam tells Cas about the time when Dean took a shower at a new school and didn't know they put their clothes in lockers, so when he got out they weren't on the hanger anymore, and he had to walk out to get help in nothing but a shower cap that he found in the trash, and Cas laughs so hard that tears come to his eyes.
Suddenly, though, Dean checks his watch and stands up. "Shit, it's quarter to five. Cas, we gotta go."
"Okay," says Cas, keeping the disappointment from his voice. He stands and holds his hand out to Sam. "It was nice to meet you."
Sam smiles and shakes it. "You too, man. Come over anytime."
"Thank you."
"Be back soon," Dean tells Sam, pulling on his jacket. "If Dad gets home before me, tell him I'm getting groceries."
"But you're not getting groceries. He's gonna notice that."
"Ah. Okay. I'll get groceries. You need anything?"
"Do you know what turmeric is?"
"Nope."
"Nevermind. Just get the usual."
"Gotcha. C'mon, Cas." He walks out into the hallway. Cas gives Sam one last smile and follows.
They get into the car and Dean switches on the radio, but turns the volume down so it's more background music than anything else. Cas tells him his address and how to get there, and they speed off.
"Sam is very nice," Cas comments, looking out the window.
"Yeah, I guess he is. Gassy, though."
Cas laughs. "Well, I didn't get that impression."
"He holds it in around guests."
"Do you think he likes me?"
"Course he did. Who wouldn't?"
"Everyone."
"Pssh, that's bullshit. They gotta talk to you for two seconds. Trust me."
They make eye contact, and Cas cocks an eyebrow. "Trust you? It's been two days."
"Do you?"
"I don't know."
"Man, you cut me deep."
They pull up in front of Cas's house and Dean lets out a low whistle at the big white structure. "Damn."
"I would say 'it's not much, but it's home', but the truth is actually the exact opposite."
"Hey, at least you got a working fridge. That, in my opinion, is the most important thing about a house."
Cas smiles, and Dean turns to look at him, and their eyes meet, and Cas considers trying to kiss him, but that would be weird and way too early, so instead he says, "Do you want to come inside or something?"
Dean raises his eyebrows, and Cas's eyes widen, and he splutters out, "I didn't mean – not like that, I mean, like for a – like, just, I don't know, stop looking at me like that."
"Smooth," Dean says, grinning. Cas scowls, but he's more at ease than he thought he'd be. "I'd love to, but I can't. Gotta get home. Dad's gonna be suspicious if I'm not home by half past."
"Okay. Well, thank you for today. It was nice."
"Yeah. See you tomorrow, Cas."
"See you, Dean." He opens the door, gets out, and closes it, all without fucking something up. He waves for a second before walking towards his door. He turns the key in the lock, shooting one last glance towards the road, where Dean is still parked. He waves again, and Dean waves back, before Cas slips inside.