Holy Cow! This chapter took me a very long time to write. Not going to lie, I was both dreading this chapter and so excited to write it. In my non fanfiction creative stories my characters tend towards having sadder experiences, so writing this has both been relaxing, and also very challenging.
I'm also wanted to thank you all for continuing to review and read this story. I'm blown away by how amazing you all are. I want to also say thank you to those who reviewed 'Ninth Encounter'. Thank you for your kind words for my aunt. They are greatly appreciated, and I'm glad you thought I did the sad subject matter of that chapter justice.
Dean was sitting on the couch holding the game controller when the doorbell rang.
"Coming," Dean yelled from the couch. He quickly paused the game and ran to the door. When he opened it Cass was standing so close that Dean swore all he could see was his face.
"Hi," said Cass in his low voice.
"Hi, Cass," said Dean, taking a small step back.
"I wanted to return your container," said Cass, handing the small empty container back. It looked like he had cleaned the cookie crumbs all out.
"Oh, thanks," said Dean, taking the container. He held the door awkwardly for a moment before adding, "Come in."
Cass nodded okay and stepped into the house.
"You want anything?" said Dean walking towards the kitchen, Cass following behind him.
"No, I'm fine," said Cass. He stopped at the kitchen doorway, and placed his hands unnervingly still by his sides. Dean couldn't tell from where he was, but it looked like they were clenched, like Cass was on the verge of either saying something or running back out the front door.
"Hello," said John in surprise when he opened the garage door to find an unfamiliar face in his house.
"Hello, sir," said Cass.
John looked towards Dean. "Is this?" He glanced back at the boy.
"Cass," filled in Dean. "Cass this is my dad."
"John," Dean's father said, stepping towards Cass with an outstretched hand. Cass took it and they shook firmly. "It's nice to finally put a face to the name. I think though, I thought you might have red hair like Anna."
Cass smiled politely. "We're not really sure where Anna got that."
"No, but I do see the family resemblance," said John. He then looked back at Dean. "You two heading out?" he asked.
"Um, no," said Dean, then collecting his thoughts continued, "I mean. Cass came to bring this back," he said holding up the empty container so his father would notice it.
"Right, it was your birthday Wednesday. Happy Birthday," said John, looking back at Cass.
"Thank you, sir."
"Why don't you boys go do something," said John, a smile plastered on his face. DEan thought perhaps that morning he'd had three cups of coffee instead of his regular two.
"Dad, I'm not sure Cass-"
"Dean," cut in his father. "You've been sitting on your butt playing video games all morning. Go do something outside."
"I...actually wanted to see if you wanted to go take a walk," said Cass timidly.
"See," said John. "Now get out of here." John came up to where Dean was and shooed him towards the front door.
"Okay, okay," said Dean. "Let me grab my jacket." He took his old jacket off the rack and shrugged it on.
"It was nice to meet you Cass," said John, going over into the living room and turning off Dean's game for him.
"Yes, it was very nice to meet you too," replied Cass.
Both boys stepped out of the house. Dean huffed, lifting the collar of his old jacket up a little.
"I swear, I think he has something against video games," mumbled Dean.
"It is a beautiful day though," said Cass.
Dean turned to Cass and stopped before replying. He just wanted to watch Cass look up and the clear sky.
"Ya, It is," Dean finally agreed, still looking at Cass. Cass looked down, and only then did Dean look away from the piercing blue eyes. "So where are we off to?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"We could go to this spot I know. Michael and I use to go there when we were young," said Cass.
"Okay."
The boys walked in silence. Dean didn't know if he should say anything. It'd only been three days since he had walked into Cass house for the first time. He just felt a great sense of nervousness come over him whenever he looked at the calm faced boy. He didn't really even pay attention to where Cass was leading him, but in a few minutes he started to realize that they weren't on a path anymore and wild brush was growing around them.
"Cass, where are we?" he finally asked.
"One sec, we're almost there," said Cass, pushing his way past some of the brush.
They came out to a small clearing beside water. Dean looked over to the other side and saw benches and swings.
"We're on the other side of the playground. Beyond the pond?" he asked, surprised.
Cass nodded and led Dean over to a patch of dirt in front of a tree. "No one really comes over here. Except teens that get drunk."
"Pleasant." Cass sat down on the dirt and leaned his back against the trunk of the tree. Dean mirrored his actions. "You and Michael came here?" Dean asked.
"Ya, especially when Mom was first diagnosed and going through Chemo. Anna was too young, but he'd take me." Cass smiled as the lighter memories of his adventures in these woods with his brother came back to the front of his mind.
"I'm sorry about Wednesday," said Dean, finally with enough courage to get past the thing he was so nervous about.
"I'm glad you know now."
"Me too," said Dean. "I mean, I'm glad you don't have to hide it."
"I'm sorry about that too," said Cass looking down at his hands.
"Too many apologizes man," sighed Dean. "Lets just forget what happened and start fresh."
"Okay," said Cass, with a small smile. They sat in silence for a moment. Dean could hear the laughter of children coming from the park across the pond. "My mom wants me to go to school after this year," said Cass, breaking the silence. "My dad doesn't want her to be alone."
"Where does he work?" asked Dean.
"He does anything he can. He used to be a writer, but," Cass paused when his voice wavered a bit, "he had to put that on hold once Mom got sick." Cass looked out towards the park. Dean turned to look at Cass, and noticed his eyes seemed glazed. "Now he's gone more than he's home. But, he does the best he can."
"That's why you stay home so much," said Dean, the gaps filling in his mind.
"My mom likes when I go out and hang out with friends. She gets sad when she sees that I spend all my time with her. So sometimes I ask Michael to watch her when he's off work."
"The day that your dad called you?" Dean asked, remembering the sudden phone call, the miscommunication that Cass had explained had happened.
"I thought Dad had the night off. But he got called back in, he just happened to stop by the house. I mean, she was taking a nap. She was fine. But he had to go back to work," Cass voice started to break and grow softer and more strangled with ever word. "She forgets things. Forgets that she's taken a pill, or that she hasn't. Or the stairs chair with jam in the middle of the stairs. She needs help getting in the bathroom. I just, I help her. I know what to do, so I needed to be there."
"That's not fair," said Dean. Dean thought about how he looked after Sam, and how he'd feel if Sam got hurt under his watch.
"She's slowing down. I just. I-"
Cass started to cry, he covered his face with his hands. Dean just wrapped an arm around his shoulder and rubbed in circular motions, trying to mimic what his mother did when he or Sam were distressed. They sat there for a long time, Cass just crying into Dean's shoulder. On a whim Dean took hold of Cass' hand and squeezed it. Cass choose to keep hold of Dean's hand and Dean suddenly had a flashback to the roller coaster when he'd first met the boy. Cass looked up, and wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his free arm. They continued to hold hands. The sat like that until the sound of kids across the pond seemed to dim. Cass would calm down, and then something, perhaps a thought would make him cry again, and Dean just would squeeze his hand.
"Dean, do you think about what life will be like after school is over?" asked Cass finally.
"You mean, like this summer?" asked Dean.
Cass grinned. "No, I mean after school. Like after high school. What do you think you want to do?" he asked.
"I..." Dean paused, surprised by the randomness of the question. "Actually, I think I want to do something like counseling."
"Really?" asked Cass, the answer surprising him.
"I want to help people," said Dean. "People who don't know how to defend themselves. I want to help them make it in the world."
"Huh," was all that Cass was able to say.
"What?" asked Dean. Did Cass think his answer was strange? Bad?
"I just thought, I don't know. You'd want to be a mechanic," said Cass, looking at Dean.
Dean felt a burst of laughter roll through him. "Don't get me wrong. I love cars, and I love fixing them. But," Dean looked away from Cass and stared at the edge of the water ebbing back and forth, carried by the breeze. "Sometimes I go to the community meal, the one my mother works with. I see people there. People who get overlooked, passed by. Some of them have some serious demons their battling. Their friends, family, they all gave up on them. I want to do something about that. Help them get passed their issues, work towards being better." He stopped for a moment, realizing he had gone on a tangent. "I mean, it's silly, I don't know. That's what I'd like to do."
Cass just sat there looking at Dean. Dean suddenly felt like he had said something rather stupid, and his heart started beating. He was sure Cass must have noticed the pounding. Cass had this look of contemplation, like so many gears were shifting and locking towards the final answer he seemed to be seeking. Dean only noticed for a moment that Cass' eyes seemed to widen by a fraction before In one move Cass leaned forward and pressed his lips against Dean's. It was fast, and before Dean could even contemplate what was happening the blue-eyed boy had pulled away. Cass turned away from him, his ears were a deep shade of pink, and Dean knew his whole face was probably a few shades redder as well.
"I think I like you," said Cass quietly.
"Huh," said Dean, not really able to think clear enough to form logical words.
They sat there in silence. It took Dean a few moments calm his racing heart, and take in the fact that his hand was still linked with Cass'.
"What about you Cass?" Dean finally asked.
"What about me?" asked Cass.
"What do you want to do?" Dean said.
"I'm thinking," Cass paused. "Nursing."
"Really?" asked Dean.
"I want to help people too," said Cass. Dean turned to him and Cass was grinning shyly.
Dean looked down slightly embarrassed, and trying to get his lips to form his next sentence.
"I think. I like you too."
"Oh," said Cass. Dean didn't look at the boy, but he could feel Cass sit up straighter, like his whole body had suddenly become lighter. "What do we do?" asked Cas.
"I'm not sure. My mind. It's kind of spinning right now," said Dean quickly.
"Dean."
"Yes."
"Are you okay?" asked Cass, releasing his hold of Dean's hand so that he could turn more towards him. Dean didn't look at him, but he could tell that Cass was looking right at him. His hand felt cold.
"My head is kind of spinning."
"Is that good?" asked Cass nervously.
"I feel happy," said Dean, just trying to wrap his head around the tingling feeling that was enveloping his entire body.
"That's good."
"And confused," he added. Because he was. "I like you," he said finally looking up at Cass. "But, I mean, I've thought people were nice looking," he felt dumb after saying only this. "Girls were nice looking I mean."
"We're boys," said Cass.
Dean let out a quiet laugh. "Yep," he said. "Two boys," Dean repeated, looking down at his lap.
"That's a problem?" asked Cass.
"It could be," said Dean.
Cass snaked his hand back into Dean's grip and squeezed it. Dean turned to him. Dean felt his phone vibrate, and reluctantly released Cass' hand to take it out and looked at the ID. He answered it once he saw the 'Home' name flashing.
"Dean, sweetie, are you still with Cass?" asked Mary over the phone.
"Yes."
"Well, its getting close to dinner, so I just wanted to make sure you knew," she said. Dean glanced down at his watch in surprise.
"I'll be home soon," he told his mother.
"If Cass would like to come he is welcomed to," she said.
"I'll ask him and see."
"Okay, well I'll see you home soon okay, sweetie."
"Sure thing, Mom."
Dean closed his phone.
Before Dean could even turn to ask Cass answered the question. "I can't come over tonight."
Dean felt a great sense of sadness. "Oh, that's too bad. But," Dean began suddenly. "I'll see you now. More, I mean. Right?" asked Dean.
"I'd like that," said Cass with a grin on his face.
A sudden worrisome thought crossed Dean's mind. "Are you going to tell?"
"If you want me too," said Cass.
"No," Dean said suddenly. "Not yet, okay. If that's okay?"
"Okay."
Dean felt the nervous excitement come over him again as he felt inspired to do something. He leaned forward and kissed Cass again; this kiss lasted longer than the first kiss. Dean couldn't help but feel content and utterly blissful while kissing Cass. He and Jo had kissed one summer on a whim to just do it for the heck of it, but this was so much better. When they broke apart Cass had such a dreamy look on his face that Dean couldn't help but let out a chuckle. They got up and walked hand in hand, and only when they reached the streets where pedestrians and car returning to their homes were passing did they release the grip. They didn't say anything either, not even when they parted ways, they just smiled at one another, and Dean gave Cass' hand one quick squeeze. They both glanced over their shoulders at the other as they walked away, but eventually Dean turned a corner and Cass disappeared out of his sight.
This is the longest chapter going up, and hopefully they don't exceed this in the future. Anyway, how did you like the first step of an actual relationship? I'm trying not to go so much into their actual thoughts, so that you guys can feel what they are feeling just by their physical behaviors.
Guess what?! Charlie is coming! Yay! So excited to write her in. Also I have a slot for Ruby, Garth, and Bobby. Plus I want Anna to come back in. I'm going to try to add in as much as I can without it making the story less about Dean and Cass.
Love you guys! Thanks for reading!