Dean rolled over and ran his fingers through Cas's hair.
"Dean. Stop it." Cas ordered.
"No." Dean replied obstinately. "Your bed head is hot."
"I bet you say that to all the boys." Cas mumbled.
"Don't be butthurt." Dean smiled.
"I never understand that reference." Cas mused.
"You will some day." Dean sighed amusedly.
They both turned their heads when they heard a knocking at the door.
"Is that you, Sammy?" Dean asked.
"Yep." Sam replied.
"Oh. Come on in then." Dean said.
"Everyone have clothes on?" Sam sneered.
"It was a sleepover, not an orgy." Dean laughed as Sam walked in.
"I know which one I'd prefer." Cas whispered.
Dean choked and burst out laughing.
"That wasn't even that funny." Cas stated.
"Coming from you, it was hilarious!" Dean exclaimed.
"Am I missing something?" Sam asked.
"Don't get involved." Dean smirked.
"Didn't plan on it." Sam muttered. "Just wanted to know what you're planning on having for breakfast."
"I can make pancakes." Dean offered.
"Okay. Cool." Sam replied leaving Dean's room.
"You like pancakes?" Dean asked.
"I'm not sure, but it'll be nice to have something that's actually in English for once." Cas answered.
"What do you normally have?"
"Normally an omelet. My siblings tend to go for more exquisite meals, but I like to keep things simple." Cas said.
"No wonder you like me." Dean smiled.
"You're not simple. You're the most complex thing I've ever seen." Cas stated.
"Really?" Dean raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. Really." Cas replied.
"Well. I'm cooking. So let's go make us some pancakes." Dean pulled the covers off them, Cas immediately pulling them back over himself. "What?"
"I'm cold. Your house doesn't have very good heating." Cas complained.
"Then put some clothes on." Dean said.
"But I wore those clothes yesterday." Cas protested.
"Then put some of mine on and I'll have Sam toss yours in the washer, okay?" Dean chuckled.
"Fine." Cas sighed.
"Besides, what were you planning to do if I wouldn't give you my clothes?" Dean laughed. "Go home in your boxers?"
"That thought hadn't crossed my mind..." Cas muttered.
"Well, whatever. Be glad I'm complex and awesome." Dean smirked, tossing Cas some flannel clothes.
"These are scratchy." Cas whined after he had the clothes on.
"Well, deal with it, sweet cheeks. When you're poor, you don't get the best clothes." Dean smirked.
Cas glared at him and walked awkwardly out of the room, Dean leading him to their kitchen.
Cas was leaning on the counter with his arms folded, watching as Dean got out the ingredients.
"Dean. You should put butter in the frying pan so the batter doesn't stick." Cas said.
Dean ignored the notion and proceeded to mix the ingredients in a bowl.
"Did you hear me, Dean?" Cas asked. "Also, you should use an electric mixer so the batter is even."
Dean ignored him again and poured some sugar in the batter.
"Should you be using that much sugar? Are you sure it's healthy? Won't it be too sweet?" Cas continued.
Dean turned to his side, pressing a kiss to Cas's lips. "You have two options. You can shut up and let me do my job or you can continue being a pain in the ass in the other room."
Cas narrowed his eyes at him but remained silent.
"That's what I thought." Dean smirked.
Dean finished making the pancakes and put them onto a plate. "How many do you want?"
"I'll start with one." Cas answered. "Like I said before, I've never had any. Also, you didn't take much precision with your measurements, so they might taste like crap."
"I'm just full of surprises." Dean retorted. "So just you wait."
Dean set the plate of pancakes on the table in front of Cas and Sam. He brought over some butter and warm syrup along with them. Dean placed a pancake on Cas's plate and let Sam get his own.
"So?" Dean asked after Cas had taken a few bites.
"These are really good." Cas replied, his mouth full.
Dean smiled smugly. "You should hire me as your chef."
"I'll think about it. Best breakfast I've had in years." Cas laughed.
Dean took a bite of his pancakes finally. "I did do good. I should do this professionally. Bitches love pancakes."
Cas glared at Dean. "Why would you need bitches?"
Dean chuckled. "To annoy you."
"Your hypothetical bitches already annoy me and they're not even real." Cas replied.
"Shut up and eat, would you?" Dean rolled his eyes.
"Aren't you two just so kind to each other?" Sam snorted.
"Shut up." Cas and Dean said at the same time.
Sam put his hands up in a surrendering position. "Jeez, you two..."
Dean and Cas laughed and smiled at each other.
Dean and Cas walked into his house talking about some internet video that Gabriel had showed Cas. Michael heard the sound of the front door closing and immediately called for Castiel, unaware that Dean was with him.
"Castiel. Can you come into my office for a moment?" Michael asked from a small room down a hallway.
Dean followed Cas down the hall until they were outside his office.
"Dean, you should wait outside." Cas said.
Dean nodded silently and leaned back outside the wall, unable to hear any of the conversation that was being initiated in Michael's office.
Cas walked in and shut the door behind him.
"Hello, Castiel." Michael greeted slyly. He obviously had something on his mind and whatever it was, it was not good news.
"Hello, Michael." Cas replied.
"Do you love him?" Michael asked.
"Who? I don't know what you're talking about." Cas stated.
Michael slammed some papers paper-clipped together into Cas's chest. "Don't lie to me, Castiel. You know I don't appreciate it."
Cas picked up the papers and paled when he saw them. They were all online articles that Michael had printed off.
Michael continued talking while Cas flipped through the pages. "You see, last night one of my business associates sent me an article on that site, Yahoo. While I was reading it, I looked up at what was trending. You know what was number three on that list? Castiel Novak. So I clicked on it to see what was the uproar over you and I found those."
"Fuck." Cas muttered under his breath as he looked at the articles. The papers were riddled with pictures of he and Dean together, mainly from their time in New York. There were a few pictures after their visit, but none before. The titles sure would draw attention though. 'Novak Family to Have a New Member Soon?' and 'Youngest Novak Finally Found Love' sure weren't subtle.
"So tell me, Castiel. Do you love him?" Michael demanded.
"So what if I do?" Cas asked, setting the papers behind him on a desk.
"You do don't you?" Michael sighed.
"You know what? Fine. Yeah. I do." Cas answered. "Why do you care?"
"He is not up to your permitted social standards, Castiel!" Michael yelled. "His family's net worth is only $800,000,000! He's only with you for the money! Our money! Can't you see that?"
Dean could hear the sounds of muffled yelling inside, but wasn't able to make out what it was through the thick walls. He wondered if he should go inside. He was starting to get worried. Cas had mentioned how intense Michael could get about things.
"Dean doesn't care about the money!" Cas shouted.
"Well why else would he be with you?" Michael scoffed.
"Becuase he loves me!" Cas cried.
Michael laughed. "Oh is that what he told you now? You're so gullible, Castiel!"
"Is it honestly that hard to believe that someone could like me? Love me?" Cas yelled.
"Have you met you? Who would? Hell, your own mother couldn't deal with you before you could even talk!" Michael snorted.
"Even if my mom didn't, Dean loves me now!" Cas replied.
"No, Castiel. He loves your money!" Michael argued.
"He doesn't even care about the money!" Cas protested.
"And you know this how exactly?" Michael smirked.
"Becuase I know Dean." Cas growled.
"And just because you know the guy means you trust him with your life?" Michael laughed.
"I do." Cas stated.
"I'm sure that if it did boil down to it, your little friend wouldn't think twice about saving his own life before yours!" Michael scoffed.
"Shut up! You don't have a clue what you're talking about!" Cas yelled.
"Maybe, maybe not! The point is that you can not be with him, Castiel!" Michael ordered. "I don't care what he's after! You do not have my consent to date that boy! So stop loving him!"
"You can't just stop loving someone, Michael!" Cas shouted, on the brink of tears. "Trust me! I've tried! Do you know how much I've wanted to hate him? Do you know how much I've told myself that I don't care about him? Or that I don't care what happens to him? Or that I never want to see him again? I tried that so much, but I couldn't lie to myself!"
"That's sweet, Castiel, but my argument still stands. You're not to see him again." Michael glared at him.
"I'm sixteen, Michael!" Cas protested. "I think I can make my own choices on who to love! I'm responsible enough!"
"I don't care how responsible you are. As long as you're under my roof and I'm the one who's putting you through school, giving you food and water and shelter, you will do as I say." Michael scowled.
"Gabriel never does what you say and I don't see you giving him this kind of shit!" Cas yelled.
"Castiel. You know how I feel about you using such language." Michael growled.
Cas walked to the door and pulled it open. "Well you know what, Michael? You can take your fucking ego and your fucking money and shove it up your fucking ass!" Cas flipped Michael off before slamming the door shut.
"Whoa. Cas? Everything okay?" Dean asked.
"I think you should go, Dean." Cas stated.
"What why? Tell me what happened." Dean said.
"No. Leave. You have until Michael opens that door to excuse yourself." Cas ordered, sending Dean a death stare.
Dean sighed disagreeably, and unwillingly walked away, knowing that Cas was deadly serious.
"Dean..." Cas whispered into the darkness of his room, clutching his pillow to his chest. He kept glancing over at the window, hoping Dean would jimmy it open and come sit by him. The moon was shining brightly through the tree by his window, causing patterns to scatter across the carpet of his room. As the breeze ruffled the leaves, Cas stared at the moving light speckles trying to pick out shapes to get his mind away from the matter.
Cas couldn't get Dean off his mind. The lights he saw looked like Dean's face and the wind breathed Dean's name quietly and the blankets felt like Dean's comforting touch. Cas couldn't take it any more. He cursed to himself as he climbed out of bed and began putting on a suit. He snuck downstairs and grabbed his trenchcoat before returning to his room. He opened his double doors and silently shut them again. Cas climbed down the tree and went to the golden gates outside the mansion. He took a deep breath before he opened them and then he ran. He ran faster than he'd ever run before. Michael was already awake by the beeping of the gate. Cas ran down the street and kept running. He ran so far and so fast he didn't know where he even was anymore.
Eventually, Cas looked around and realized he was in the slums. It was an area similar to where Dean lived, but it wasn't where he lived. Cas saw an alley and went down it. A few yard in he sunk down against a wall and sat with his head in his chest.
"Hey, kid." A deep voice growled.
"Hey." Cas muttered, not bothering to look up.
"You know, you should look at people when they're talking to you. It's only polite." The man said.
Cas sighed in agitation and looked up at him. "What the hell do you want?"
"Damn. Someone's in a bad mood." The man chuckled.
"Would you stop with the smart ass remarks and shoot me, or kidnap me or whatever it is you plan to do to me?" Cas scowled.
"You know not every shady guy in a dark alley wants to hold you for ransom, kid." The man smiled.
"I find that hard to believe, but if that's not your goal, then what is?" Cas asked. "I'm not in the mood for any games here."
The man sat down next to Cas in the dirt and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're that Novak kid who's all over the internet. I have no fucking clue why you having a boyfriend is such a big deal. I mean, you're the least famous out of your whole family. What passes for juicy gossip these days is really disappointing, but I know what you're going through, dude."
"Humor me. What exactly am I going through?" Cas asked.
"That kid you're with...your family didn't know about him and now they know and you're not allowed to see him. They've taken your phone and blocked his number on all the phones in the house. I bet you had to run pretty damn fast and far to get here." The man answered.
"Hm. I'm impressed. That pretty much sums it up. I still don't know why you care." Cas mused.
"Well, maybe you're interested in some coke? pot? heroine?" The man suggested.
"Right? Becuase what shady guy in a dark alley isn't up to something?" Cas snorted.
"Well at least it's not mugging you. At least I'm kindly asking for money." He replied.
Cas fished out a couple hundreds. "Have some. I don't care. It's for a good cause."
"What do you want? I got it all. Prescriptions, drugs, all the illegal stuff, too. It's high quality." The guy smiled.
"Your phone." Cas answered.
"What?"
"Your phone. I want your phone. I'll give it back." Cas stated.
The man tossed Cas a cheap phone. Cas typed in Dean's number and sent a text.
Dean.
A/N: This was kind of shorter than usual, but I felt like doing a little cliffhanger. Well, it's not major, I just thought it was a good place to end anyways. If I continued writing what I have planned after this, I'm pretty sure it would've taken way more time than I have tonight. But it's church tomorrow, so three painful hours of speeches going towards writing fanfic instead. I'm pretty sure my mom dreads the day she ever got me this laptop. :P