I'm incredibly insecure about this chapter, this wasn't where I was going to go with this one. The smut has been on my brain recently, though, and I couldn't help myself from adding in something a little bit more intimate between Dean and Cas. This pushes the meeting back a chapter, but I assure you, it'll be worth it. They'll probably meet in chapter eight, if things continue on the path they're on now.

BZZZZZZD.

Dean sat up, breathing in sharply. He made a face, fumbling around in the couch, looking to locate the offender.

BBBBBBBZZZZZZZZZZZZZDDDD!

His hand closed around his cell phone, which had slipped in between the cushions of the couch in his sleep. He looked at the screen, the brightness of it temporarily blinding his freshly-opened eyes. He checked the time, groaning as he saw that it was eight o'clock in the morning. Come on, it was his day off! Why did he always get stuck with waking up early?

He unlocked his phone, seeing that he had two separate messages, from two different people. He made a face; were all of his friends deciding that the butt-crack of dawn was the best time to message him?

Hey there, just wanted to remind you that the Christmas party is in a few weeks, and it's your turn to host. I hope you know I did, in fact, get a hold of the egg nog. Don't ask how.

Sam's number. Dean tilted his head to the side; it was July- Oh. Now he remembered.

Ever since they were little, the Winchester Christmases had been ignored. They had hardly known the definition of Christmas until they were at least ten, and even then, it had just been another day to them. Their father never felt like putting forth the effort to give them a real holiday, and had often stayed drunk the entire time, leaving Sam and Dean to watch Frosty the Snowman and wish that somehow, things would be different that year. Once they had grown up, they realized that things could be different.

So, they made the holiday their own, in more ways than one. Their Christmases now were large and extravagant, cutting down a tree together and decorating it and baking cookies and making a ginger bread house and marathoning the Home Alone movies until they both passed out, drunk on holiday spirit and the half-whiskey egg nog that Sam loved. But still, both of them felt like it wasn't quite enough.

So, every July, they threw a mid-year Christmas party. Technically it was a little past mid-year, but both of them preferred the heat of July for the party. They were happy to come up with half-done, half-expired Christmas decorations and terribly out of season music. They went back and forth on who would host it, and this year just happened to be Dean's turn to shine. He wrinkled up his nose in distaste; he would have to dig out the lights, put up his small fake tree, look up the recipe to make gingerbread cookies, and most importantly, decide who to invite. Sam would be expecting to meet his friends.

Sam would be severely disappointed to have Dean admit he was fresh out of real-life friends.

Wait! Dean did have real life friends now! Just because they had met online, didn't mean that they were any less important than any other people Dean could have met. He'd known the guild for a year now, it was high time he should start acknowledging them as a social group. Especially since their meeting last night had gone so well. He had to admit that even in real life they worked well together. So, that settled it. They would be coming to Christmas in July.

His thoughts briefly drifted to Castiel, and he scowled at himself. He'd known the dude for a week, for Christ's sake. He wasn't going to want to meet up any time soon, and for all Dean knew, he was a pedophile or old as balls or something like that. Or, a woman. With a really deep voice.

The point is, that Dean couldn't invite Castiel because he hadn't known him long enough to trust him. It would be; is , pretty stupid of him to trust somebody so much after only knowing them for a little over a week. Even though they had spent hours talking, and Dean felt oddly open around him. That couldn't matter. Besides, he was just the tiniest bit nervous to meet Cas. What if- What if he found out his body was nice, too?

Dean cleared his head, blushing deeply. He wasn't going to think about that right now. Or ever, for that matter. He was straight, end of story. He'd been with plenty of girls, liked plenty of girls, not boys.

He checked his phone again.

Hello, Dean. Good morning. From Cas. Dean thought that it would be best to go ahead and add him to his contacts, so he didn't have to look at the number and remember who it was every damn time his phone rang. He entered it in as Angel, hoping vaguely that nobody would check his phone contacts and question it.

Hey. You're up awful early for somebody who works in gaming. Dean replied. He knew that if he had a job with hours that flexible, he'd sleep until three o'clock in the afternoon and stay up until seven in the morning. At least. Then again, he was slowly and surely finding out that a lot of things were different between the average man and Cas. He sort of liked hearing things from the outward perspective.

I'm always up this early. I don't sleep very often, and when I do, it's in cat naps. Four hours here, four hours there, and I'm good to go. Castiel responded. I like being up when the sun rises, though. It calms me.

Dean smiled a little at that. He'd been camping a couple of times, and he'd seen the sun lazily come up over the mountain side and start to shine radiantly towards the earth. The mixture of colors that even the most skilled painter could never quite capture, the smell of dew in the morning... He could get behind that. Of course, he couldn't bring himself to actually get up early enough to admire it much. Mostly, he got up a the standard nine o'clock for work, and that was it.

Sounds fun. Sorry again we couldn't play last night, I had a thing I had to go to for a friend- It was a bit of a mess. Well, my schedule. Not the thing. He typed out quickly. As soon as he sent it, though, he felt a little bit uncomfortable. Almost like he hadn't quite said enough. The renaissance fair, the princess is in my guild. We all met for the first time.

That looked more personal.

Well, I'm sure you had a great time. It's fine. Actually if you're free, I would be willing to get on now and resume game play. Would that be adequate?

Dean had planned on spending the day with cheap porn and tasteless self-indulgence, (he hadn't dared do anything again since the shower incident, and he was just beginning to work up the courage to get over it) but if he was being honest with himself, gaming with Cas sound like a much more appealing idea. A small smile appeared as he texted back a simple,Yeah, that's adequate.

He grabbed his head phones and computer, setting it firmly in his lap. He started both up and pulled up the bookmark with angel/demon alliance, logging on as quickly as possible. Castiel was already there, and he heard the regular small click of the microphone turning on. He couldn't help but smile as they were greeted with the long road stretched in front of them, a small driving animation taking place. Eventually it ended, and they were standing in the state of Utah, in front of a large and old building. A high-level demon was guarding the doors.

"I can't believe they got some of the demons on their side." Cas's character mumbled to his.

"Be lucky I'm doing this." Dean actually said, into the microphone. He opened his inventory and pulled out his special knife, the one that killed demons. He'd gotten it from a temporary ally the game had pegged as Ruby. "This was supposed to be my day for getting drunk and watching cheap porn."

"Yes, I'm sure the game will never compare to your self-exploration. Really Dean, are you still fourteen?" Castiel quipped, his voice taking on a lightly teasing tone. "I never did understand how a grown man could take such pleasure from himself."

"Oh, like you haven't done it." Dean scolded. He was met with absolute silence on the other end, and watched the plot unfold for a couple more seconds. He only realized after the characters were done communicating that the silence was not, in fact, their usual brand of comfortable. It was slightly awkward and had unanswered questions and unspoken phrases hanging between them like a thick veil of awkward. Dean realized what this meant a little before Castiel would have broken the silence himself. "You... have, haven't you?"

"I've not really seen the point, much. I know I'm not attracted to anyone's bodies, so I wouldn't really be sure what to think about." Castiel mumbled. Dean shifted awkwardly in his seat, suddenly feeling very, very awkward. This didn't mean that Cas viewed him as a sexual deviant now, did it?

"So you've, like, never seen porn of anything? Never had an orgasm?" Dean questioned. "Dude, how are you even a thing that exists?" He questions, before realizing that it might be taken as rude. To his relief, Castiel's voice when he answers is calm and a little bit sheepish, rather than offended and angry. Dean is glad that he didn't come across as a giant douche this time.

"I've seen porn. I've had an orgasm; I'm not a virgin." Castiel scolds. "I just don't see the point in it. I've never really had the urge to put hands on myself."

"So you've never had phone sex? Dude, no offense, but it sounds like you've been a little deprived." Dean admits. Because honestly, who the hell got to thirty and hadn't had phone sex yet? "You have to try it sometime. I won't stand for that, I'm too good of a friend." Dean finishes, slightly teasing.

"Oh, so I suppose you're volunteering to do it yourself? Very generous of you. I'm sure it would be such a pain for you to listen to me moan." Cas said, his voice dropping low and seductive, with the slightest hint of playfulness. This was the first time since the shower incident that Cas had said anything suggestive, and the tone of the words made Dean's stomach do a flip-flop. His dick was almost immediately at half-mast, lightly pressing against his zipper.

His entire body ached for him to just go along with it. Besides, tagged on his mind, It's not like it will be a big deal. This will help prove to you that you're straight. If you can tease like this without getting out of control.

"Oh, very painful." Dean said, but his voice sounded a little off, even to him, "But I'd be willing to make the sacrifice. I'm sure you wouldn't mind going ahead and whipping it out to thoughts of my voice, either." Dean said. The thought of Castiel doing just that had his body hot and slightly tingly all over.

"Okay then, lead me through it." Cas said. His voice sounded oddly serious, and oddly calm for what was about to happen. Dean realized then that this wasn't something that was a joke anymore; Castiel was seriously going to do as he said. It made him feel more than a little aroused, and in-control of the situation. Obviously, it was normal to help a friend out when in need, right? He wouldn't be a very good friend if he left Castiel entirely clueless on the issue.

"Alright. Do you have lotion? And tissues." Dean said. He heard some scurrying, the opening of some drawers, and finally something being set down on top of a desk. "I'm going to take that as a yes. Now, uh..."

It was a little hard for Dean to think (no pun intended) with his cock throbbing uselessly in his pants, but he powered through it. Because he was straight, and wasn't going to wank off while trying to teach his friend to. That would be weird and unsanitary and honestly quite rude. This was for Cas, not for him. "Are you hard? If not, make yourself. You don't like bodies or whatever, but... Just, imagine somebody touching you." Me, preferably. Dean resisted the urge to yell at himself to shut up.

There were sounds of little pants coming from the other end, and Dean wondered if that was the sound of Cas touching himself already. The thought made his own dick give yet another dull throbb, and a bead of precum was absorbed by his underwear. He moved one of his hands down to his crotch, guiltily pushing it down. He had to stifle a groan as the added friction made him even harder.

"I- I think I'm sufficiently hard, Dean." Cas said, his voice just a little rougher than usual. Dean bit his lip, and he couldn't even stop the twitch of his dick.

"Good, good. Uh, now, this is going to sound weird, but... What are you wearing?" He questioned, flinching at himself. There was a dull chuckle from the other end.

"Sweat pants, nothing else. That doesn't sound weird, Dean. You're allowed to enjoy yourself, too. After all, I'm fairly certain that phone sex is supposed to go both ways." Castiel said, much too plesantly for something of the nature. Dean couldn't keep in the groan that followed, his hand pushing down on the bulge in his pants. "The noise you just made provided to be effective stimuli, for example."

Dean's mouth was in a tight line, his breath coming out in short pants. God, that technical talk was hot as hell. What did Cas do in his spare time, read the fucking dictionary?

"Oh, um.. okay. So, um... What I'm doing is, uh.." Dean let out a little gasp, "Pressing down and rubbing through my clothes. You can do that too, if... If you want." Dean said.

"Okay... Like-" Castiel started, and then cut off with a gasp. A loud, uncensored groan came through. "Oh, okay, I think I've got it." He said. "Is there anything else I should do?" Cas questioned. Dean was on cloud-fucking-nine right then, the way the other's voice shook with arousal and want. He couldn't help but feel like this was all some kind of a really, reallygood dream.

"Get the lotion." Dean said. He located some on the table himself, pumping it into his hand. He unsheathed himself, wrapping his hand around his member, pretending it was somebody else. Pretending that it was Cas's. "Pretend that it's me, touching you." He growled out, feeling slightly possessive. It was all together ridiculous that he'd feel this way, this strongly, but he couldn't bring himself to care, nor could he persuade himself to filter what he said. Cas was getting the full treatment. "Take out your dick. Ugh, I'm so hard for you, Cas," He hissed.

"It's out, Dean. I assume I'm to pleasure myself as you would, if you were here?" Cas questions. The breath gets almost caught in Dean's throat- it's a good kind of feeling. Because he just realized that oh god, yes, yes he would. He'd make Cas moan and squirm, suck hickeys into his neck so that everyone would know that he belonged entirely to him.

"Yeah, just like that. Faster, Cas." He moaned, increasing his own pace. There was a moan on the other end, Cas's rich voice coming through. Suddenly, Dean couldn't take it any longer. The heat of the moment, the sound of Cas's hands on his own skin, knowing that Cas was hard and swollen and touching himself right now, with Dean, it pushed him right over the edge.

It was like little fireworks overtook his body, sending him to new realms of pleasure, as he pulled his hand away. He was barely able to catch his release in a close by tissue, saving himself the trouble of cleaning the carpet later. He heard a startled gasp and a moan through the other line, and he knew that Cas had came, too. He sat there for a moment, satisfied, panting.

"Well, that was certainly a pleasurable experience." Cas panted, and started to move his character again. Dean sat still for a little while, stunned at the quick recovery of his partner. Things didn't even seem awkward right now, despite how afraid he'd been that they would end up sitting in stunned silence.

"I, uh... Yeah, same. What are we doing now?" Dean asked, turning his attention slowly back to the game. This was getting burried, as other such memories, in the very back of his mind to revisit later.

A screen popped up announcing their first ever solo mission, and Dean gave out a groan. Of course, because the universe hates him, it wanted him to sit alone in silence.

"I suppose this means we won't be seeing each other here for awhile. So, for now, goodbye, Dean." Cas announced. Dean nodded his head weakly, trying to clear it at the same time.

"Yeah, I'll see you." He said. Just then, their microphones disconnected, and Dean was left in the silence of his own thoughts. For example, What the hell just happened? And What if you've just blown your friendship?

He cleared his mind and turned back to the game, intent on getting this stupid single-person mission over with.

Dean hated this. He'd been running through the game by himself for an hour now, wondering what was happening. He'd found one of the damned ingredients he was looking for, but the other three still eluded him. That coupled with the fact that he probably had a life-changing realization to make he was going to put off for as long as possible just made everything seem really annoying and mediocre.

I recognize that what we just did may have made you uncomfortable. If you would like, we could avoid the subject in the future. Castiel texted him. Dean stared at his phone.

Well, looks like he was acting a little more awkward about it than he thought, in the couple of minutes they had together afterwards. He didn't want to make Cas feel bad- it wasn't his fault that Dean had made the decision to whip it out and have a gay old time (again, no pun intended). No, you're fine. I'm just a little worried now. I have a lot to think through.

Well, do you want to talk to me about it? Maybe I could be of assistance.

Dean was surprised to find himself typing out the word, Yes. He had never been much the sharing type, (as we've already stated) but Cas always had this weird way of making him wantto talk about it. He was going to be the death of him, Dean could see it now.

I, uh, I just... I don't know. I'm worried about life. This is sort of, well, in case you hadn't noticed, you're the first dude I've really felt interest in. We've barely even talked, and yet, I've opened up to you more than anyone here recently. You've become family. Dean sent. After reading that over, he realized that talking to somebody while still high on an orgasm was probably not the smoothest idea for him. He sounded like some cliché soap opera gone wrong.

Dean, you shouldn't feel that way. I feel as if I've known you for quite some time. I would hope that you wouldn't take the amount of time we've spoken as a deterrent. I think of you as family, too. Again, if it makes you uncomfortable, we can avoid the subject.

Yeah. Dean said, lying through his teeth. I'd like that.