Author's Note: Revised on 6-22-2018

All It Takes is Twenty Minutes

After dinner had finished cooking and everyone was seated comfortably at the table, Dean and Sam at the heads of the table with all the dark haired Novaks on one side and the blondes on the other, Dean found his gaze inexplicably drawn to Castiel Novak. It was intriguing to watch him just… listen to Michael talking. His clear blue eyes seemed so rapt with attention, hanging onto every single word... His eyes darted back and forth as if to catch something Michael might have forgotten to say with words. He tilted his head ever so curiously… realization dancing across his face, eyes crinkled in amusement and he threw his head back in laughter. Dean shook his head. Whatever Michael said must have been apparently funny. Castiel took a sip of his water to wash down his latest bite of food and smiled gently. He hesitated briefly and Dean's heart fluttered in his chest. It was like slow motion. Castiel's eyes lifted from the plate in front of him and stopped when they reached Dean's. His eyes darted back and forth and a light smirk played across his features. Dean felt the heat rise to his cheeks and instinctively looked back at his food. Dean Winchester did not blush.

"So, Dean?" He looked up and found Michael's inquisitive eyes on him. He darted briefly to Castiel and Dean was suddenly self-conscious. Had he been that obvious about staring at Castiel? "Sam has told me that you're a PI."

Dean darted his tongue over his teeth. "Well sort of. I take jobs as a PI as well as a Bounty Hunter."

"Bounty hunter?" Castiel's elbow was on the table, his fist pressed into his lips. He pulled away briefly. "How did you manage to get into bounty hunting? That's quite interesting."

Dean rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Our dad was a bounty hunter when we were growing up and we moved around a lot." He shrugged. "Got used to traveling, got used to hunting people down with him so I just kept going. Turns out I sort of had a knack for it!"

Dean could almost feel Castiel's eyes drilling into his soul. "Have you always wanted to be a bounty hunter?"

Dean chewed the inside of his cheek. Had he? He knitted his eyebrows together. No one had ever asked him that. "I mean I guess so." He rubbed his lips together. He was mildly aware that everyone had stopped talking. "Have you always wanted to be part of Novak Industries?"

Michael placed a hand on Castiel's shoulder. "Well he hasn't really had much of a choice. Castiel's got the gift-,"

Castiel waved his hand away. "Not the gift again-,"

Gabriel chuckled. "Come on, Cassie!" He ignored him looking pointedly at Sam and Dean. "Castiel can find out everything he needs to know about a person in twenty minutes."

Sam gave Castiel a bemused smile. "Twenty minutes?"

Lucifer took a big gulp of wine. "Yup!" He answered with a 'pop' at the end. "Everything he needs to know to butter them up and tear them down." He gestured his glass towards the youngest Novak. "It's kind of amazing. He makes business deals effortlessly."

Dean slumped down in his dining room chair looking pointedly at Castiel. "Really?" He shot him a playful smirk. "Everything in twenty minutes?" Castiel bit his lip and nodded. "Alright then, lay it on me." He gestured to himself challengingly. "Butter me up and tear me down." He darted his tongue between his lips briefly glancing at Castiel's beautiful pale chapped ones… Down Winchester. Can't be hitting on him in front of all his brothers…

He lifted his water cup to his lips and smiled playfully. "Doesn't work like that Mr. Winchester." And oh God, if being calling Mr. Winchester didn't do something to him.

"Yeah, Dean-O. Doesn't work if you're aware of what he's doing." Gabriel chimed in.

Raphael cleared his throat, brow furrowed and a frown on his face. "I don't know why you all encourage him. Castiel has no gift." He wrapped a hand around the cup in front of him, knuckles growing white. "Let's not forget about his inability to maintain a stable relationship and his terrible choices in significant others." He lifted his glass to his lips and an ugly smirk spread across his face. "Where was your 'remarkable' gift then, hm?"

Castiel still had a fist over his mouth, his elbows still resting leisurely on the table, but his eyes bore deep into Raphael's face. His expression and demeanor feigned relaxed, but his eyes flamed furiously. Lucifer scoffed. "God Raphael, quit being such a dick. Just because dad trusts the company with Castiel instead of you doesn't give you the right to bite his head off. Your beef is with dad not with our little brother."

"Be reasonable," Michael chimed in. "Castiel is most fit to run the company. He thinks just like dad." He shrugged as he refilled his wine glass half way. "Besides, he's the only one that can tolerate all of dad's bull shit."

Balthazar, who up until this point had been thumbing through his phone uninterestedly, shifted it into one hand, holding it loosely. "I don't know why you're giving Cassie shit for his past relationships. Let's talk about that cow Naomi you married-,"

"At least I can keep a relationship you stupid British slut!" He slammed his palms on the table and stood to his feet. "You just screw anything that moves. You and Castiel are a mess! He can't run Novak Industries if he can't even manage a healthy personal life!" He threw his hand out towards the youngest Novak. "How could he possibly ruin a relationship with Richard Roman. Sure, it was only a matter of time before Megan Masters ended up in rehab, but this – this was Richard Roman! Do you know what kind of deal we could have made? Now the guy is on the fence about working with us at all. All because Castiel-"

"Enough." The table fell silent. Dean's eyes snapped to Castiel. His elbow still rested on the table and his head was still sitting in the palm of his hand. His thumb was tucked underneath his chin and his index finger lifted, running up the side of his mouth. A chill ran down Dean's spine when he noticed the intense gaze directed to Raphael. His voice was low, and rumbled deep within his chest. "Raphael, if you do not like the way that I run Novak Industries, I suggest that you take it up with our father. Although I run the company, he still holds all executive power." He moved his hands folding them over the table. "I also encourage you to apologize to Samuel and Gabriel for causing a scene in their home, when they've been nothing but hospitable towards us." Balthazar sneered and froze when Castiel flicked his gaze to him. "Balthazar, I insist that you apologize to Raphael for choosing to compare Naomi to a farm animal." There was a brief pause as Raphael shot daggers at Castiel, seeming to have an internal battle.

He tore his gaze towards Sam and Gabriel, teeth gritted and uttered. "I apologize. I did not mean to cause a disturbance."

Before either of them could respond Balthazar cleared his throat. "Sorry Raph, Naomi isn't a cow."

Castiel slid out from his chair and clasped his hands together, a smile plastered across his face. "Great! Now, let's clear away these dishes and adjourn to Gabriel's game room. Last I heard Michael got his ass handed to him in Mario Kart by Lucifer."

The rest of the brothers stood to their feet and Michael protested, "I didn't get my ass handed to me! Lucifer cheated!"

There was a loud snort as Raphael stacked some plates. "Please, when we get up there I'll show you how a champion races on Rainbow Road."

-[]-

A couple hours later, the Novak brothers, plus Dean and Sam, were in Gabriel's game room piled comfortably onto the couch. Raphael, Balthazar, Gabriel and Michael were currently racing while the others watched. Suit jackets and ties had long been abandoned, and dress shirts were rolled up to the elbow.

Gabriel groaned. "God dammit, Raph! Why are you so good at this?"

Raphael threw his head back and laughed, eyes still on the screen and hands still firmly gripping the controller as he took a sharp corner. "I've got kids, Gabriel."

Dean watched in disbelief as a new personality washed over the eldest Novak. Just a few hours ago he'd been sour and rude and in one swift almost empty conversation, Castiel had him smiling… relaxing even. Dean shook his head slightly as he watched Raphael playfully bump shoulders with Balthazar.

How did Cas do that? He glanced around the room noticing that the youngest brother was missing. He placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'm gonna grab another beer, you want something?"

Sam shook his head and shot Dean a quick smile. "Nah, I'm fine. Thanks." His eyes went back to the screen.

Dean made his way downstairs, trying to subtly pop his head into each room that he passed. He made it to the kitchen grabbing two beers, determined to find Castiel. After searching the rest of the house, he gave up, glancing briefly out the kitchen window that lead to the backyard. He narrowed his eyes and noticed the brother sitting on the back-porch steps, bundled in his trench coat. Dean quickly grabbed his leather jacket from the coat rack and threw open the back-door, spilling light onto the stairs. Castiel was leaning back against the steps, his elbows propped up at the top, one knee lifted and the other straight.

Dean took a seat beside him a couple feet away and held out one of the beers. "Thanks."

Dean just gestured towards him with his own bottle and then moved his gaze to the backyard, focusing on the pool. "So," He cleared his throat and took a drink. "What are you doing out here?"

He chanced a sideways glance as Castiel pulled out his phone, shot off a quick text and slipped it back into his pocket. He twisted the bottle in his hands. "I wanted some fresh air. I find that social situations make me uncomfortable. I like listening to the silence and watching the darkness. It's soothing." Dean blinked at him incredulously a few times. Castiel took a sip and tilted his head staring curiously at Dean. "Are you and Sam close?"

Dean was mildly taken aback by the sudden change in conversation, but accepted it happily. "Hell yeah!" He took a drink and stared out at the yard. "Like I said earlier, our dad traveled a lot for work, so it was really just Sammy and me." He shrugged noncommittally. "Made Sammy food, got him to whatever school we were at that month and earned money on the side for clothes and school supplies." He chuckled. "I was just lucky that Sammy was a little genius and didn't need help with his homework."

Castiel took a drink. "What sort of jobs?"

He thumbed the bottle absentmindedly. "Odd jobs. A lot of repair work when we traveled, worked on cars with my Uncle Bobby when we were in the area and when I got old enough, dad taught me the ins and outs of Bounty hunting." He huffed. "Liked to call it the family business." Castiel hummed in response. "How bout you, Cas? What exactly does it mean to run Novak Industries?"

An empty gaze fell over Cas's eyes. "I help those in need." He answered simply. "All those hopeless…bastards who just tried to follow their dreams and came up short." Dean blinked at the cold response. "A lot of individuals who start their own business fail, and us at Novak Industries sweep in and determine the validity of their business. If it has potential we save it, if it doesn't then we move on."

"Kinda like playing God, huh?"

He took another drink. "I suppose. We do a lot of other things as well – inventions, investments, marketing…" His voice trailed uninterestedly. "Wasn't exactly where I saw myself, but I can't complain."

"Where did you see yourself?"

He frowned. "It's of no importance. I tried to go about my own way once, but I am better suited where I'm at." He shrugged. "My brothers like to blame my father for where I am, but I think it was decided long ago – even before my mother died."

A look of empathy flashed across Dean's face before he looked down at his lap. "I'm sorry about your mom."

Cas took a drink. "I'm sorry about yours."

"How did you-,"

"Do you like traveling?" Castiel turned his full attention to Dean again. "Being on the road all the time and such, do you find it rewarding?"

Dean blinked a couple of times trying to register the change in conversation. "I um – yeah, I enjoy it. I mean, I miss Sam and my family back home like Bobby and Ellen, but I like what I do." He smiled. "Besides, I'm hardly in the same place more than once, and I get to spend my free time at a bar playing pool or picking up a chick." He took another swig. "I tried the apple pie life. It's just not for me."

"Mmm." Castiel took another sip. "Gabriel mentioned to me that you drink too much."

Dean snapped his head to face him. "What?! I don't drink too much!" He argued defensively.

The Novak shrugged. "I think we all have our demons." He finished off his beer and placed the empty bottle beside him. "Unfortunately, mine know how to swim." He stood to his feet and dusted himself off. He reached out grasping Dean's hand firmly and pulling him up off the stairs as well. The moment his eyes fell into the moonlight Castiel froze. Dean's emerald eyes were staring deeply into his own blue ones. For an instant he was almost certain that time stood completely still. He could feel those forest green irises swallowing him whole, so many emotions in those two orbs. Anger. Bitterness. Hope. Love. Curiosity. Fear.

The intensity of Dean's eyes were so overwhelming, Castiel felt himself struggle to breathe. Suddenly everything from his past two weeks in Kansas hit him like a freight train. He was almost positive he must have spent the last few years sleepwalking, digging himself in a deep hole – stuck at Novak Industries. And Dean's eyes – offered comfort, help, a way out.

The back door was flung open and instinctively Castiel ripped his hand away from Dean's. Gabriel was standing in the doorway with a disgruntled Sam standing behind him. "5-4-," Gabriel's eyes were on his phone. "-3-2-1." He looked up at Castiel. "That's time."

Castiel smirked at Dean. "You're scared to get close, but you hate being alone. You like to pretend that you don't feel anything at all, but the only way you can achieve that is through excessive amounts of alcohol. You're afraid of any success or happiness because if it gets ripped away from you it'll be harder to cope. The only constant and only person you truly care about in your life is your brother Sam, and although you loved your mother, she died before you could fully understand what it was like to have one in your life. Your father," Castiel snorted. "Reminds me much of ours. You're great at bounty hunting, but I can't imagine you're truly passionate about it considering you've never been given the opportunity to even want to be anything else." He raised an eyebrow. "And the constant stream of women you no doubt pick up at bars is a way for you to cope with the loneliness and still keep them at an arm's distance away."

He turned to head inside pausing briefly beside Gabriel. "Thank you both for your hospitality today." He smiled directly at Sam. "I know our family can be quite overwhelming, but you handled it well and I'm happy that Gabriel found you." He took a step and paused in the door, looking over his shoulder. "Oh and Dean?" He tossed him a chastising smile. "You do drink too much." He smiled again at the engaged couple. "Thank you again for a lovely evening. If you'll excuse me I have to say goodbye to the rest of our brothers." He disappeared in the house.

Dean blinked a couple times. "What the fuck just happened?" A small smile twitched at the corners of his lips. Castiel Novak, might just be the most incredible man he'd ever met.