Hello Friends! So sorry for the wait for this chapter. My document program wasn't letting me make any changed. I kept opening the story document and within a few minutes it kept freezing and then crashing the program, so it took me a while to finally get it to start working where I could actually write anything. Hope you feel like the wait was worth it. I really worked hard on this chapter because I wanted to make sure it was fun and deep at the same time. I want the boys to get to the emotional point where they completely trust one another and are able to connect. It's going to come in handy in some future chapters.
"Here," said Cass, as Dean felt fabric slightly hit his face.
"Hey!" Dean exclaimed.
"Sorry," said Cass, with a smile. "That's sweats, and a tshirt I think will fit you. If it doesn't I'll have to probably go into my dad's clothes cause you definitely have broader shoulders than I do, but I think that shirt should be fine."
"Sounds good," said Dean, feeling his heart pound a little more.
They both stood there. Cass shifted his footing, and Dean had a throwback memory to how they had been when they had first met and were walking on eggshells around one another. Cass shifted again, and caught Dean's eyes.
"Well, I'll let you change in here. I'm going to go brush my teeth. I think we have an extra toothbrush somewhere, but I have to go see." Cass turned from his room, exiting, and closing the door behind himself.
Dean couldn't help but let his body relax. He quickly realized that he felt like he'd been holding in his breath, as if anticipating something to happen. As he slipped out of his jeans and pulled on the baggy sweats he thought about him and Cass. Dean knew he found Cass attractive, he loved his dark hair, blue eyes, his smile, the way he looked like he was clenching his jaw when he was concentrating, all the little things. But, Dean liked how things were, and that moment, that one moment of awkwardness was not what Dean wanted. He wanted them to be completely comfortable together. At that moment he pulled on the t-shirt, and felt the snugness of the fabric. He heard the door get knocked on, Cass slowly opened it and took one look at Dean and sputtered out a laugh, then lightly touching his nose, but his laugh was so bubbly it made Dean laugh at the ridiculousness as well. The t-shirt Cass had given to him was not nearly big enough, in fact, it was probably one of the smallest shirts Dean had ever tried to fit himself into. In his daydreaming he'd totally not even noticed that the shirt was way too many sizes small and had a large teddy bear on the front of it. So Dean was left there with the results, and he knew he looked like a makeover show's horror results.
"How'd you even get into that?" asked Cass.
"Why'd you even give it to me?" asked Dean in return.
"I didn't! Or atleast, I thought that was my shirt. The backs the same color."
"This isn't your shirt?"
"No," said Cass. "That's Anna's shirt."
Dean looked down in shock at himself.
"You sister has a teddy bear shirt?
"Some relative gave it to her for Christmas some time ago. I'm not really sure they knew how old she was at the time. It was quite a strange gift. If I remember correctly it was my mom who made her keep it. I thought she was using it for pajamas. It must have accidentally gotten in my drawers." Cass let out another soft laugh.
"What?" exclaimed an exasperated Dean.
"If I were a cruel person I would take a picture and post it online," said Cass.
"You wouldn't!"
"You're right, I wouldn't," said Cass. He went over to his drawers and pulled out another t-shirt for Dean. Dean quickly slipped out of the snug shirt and threw on the larger one. It still was snug, but not like the teddy bear shirt that now lay stretched and defeated on the floor. Cass sat on the bed.
"I found a toothbrush for you, it's in the bathroom."
"Oh, thanks."
"Third door down. I left it open."
"Thanks. Be right back."
Dean exited the room. He couldn't help feel the flush of embarrassment one experiences the first time they stay in a new place. It's like you're excited, but nervous, and you want to be yourself, but also be on your best possible behavior, because someone may like you in small amounts but spending an entire day and then the night and another day - well - you really have to make sure they can tolerate you that long. Dean saw the toothbrush by a used tube of toothpaste and looked at himself in the mirror as he began to brush his teeth. He felt ridiculous in moments like this. It was Cass after all, Cass, the dark haired boy who was frightened by roller coasters, who had just as, if not more, crazy friends then he did, and who had now seen him wear a little girls shirt. This kid was cool, and had oceans for eyes. Dean, with a new confidence finished in the bathroom and walked back to the room. Cass had changed into some night clothes and was now pulling some blankets and a pillow from his bed onto the floor.
"I can sleep on the floor, you can take my bed," said Cass, still with his head down towards the ground.
"No, you sleep in the bed. I mean, it's yours anyway."
"Dean, your my guest, I can't have you sleeping on the floor. That's not being a good host."
"Cass," said Dean, grabbing the blankets from the boy's hands, "When I was in middle school my dad took me and Sammy on a summer road trip, we stayed in a bunch of weird motels, I'm used to having to be the one who gets the floor. I think I can handle it."
Cass stepped back, seeming not to want to fight Dean's demand. "Fine," he finally said, and sat down on the bed.
"Thank you," said Dean with a smile, setting his bed up for the night.
"You look-" Cass stopped.
"I look?"
"Don't know...you kind of look like how you did when we first met."
"Hm," said Dean, shrugging his shoulders and smiling.
Cass smiled back and then scooted back on his bed.
Both boys looked up when a knock sounded on the bedroom door. Chuck opened the door and looked at Cass and Dean.
"Hello boys," he said. "I'm heading to bed. Michael is downstairs with Anna. She fell asleep on the couch and he's stuck with his legs over his lap so he's down there if you happen to go down and notice him."
"Thank you Dad. I hope you sleep well."
"Goodnight Castiel. Probably won't be here in the morning. But, it was a pleasure getting better acquainted with you Dean," said Chuck.
"Thank you! Goodnight!"
"Dean, Dean Winchester. Such a good name," mumbled Chuck as he closed the door behind himself. Dean shook his head at Cass' father's behavior.
"So glad we don't have school tomorrow," said Dean.
"Speak for yourself. Most years I do have school after Thanksgiving. It's only because you're staying over that I don't have any tomorrow."
"Ulterior motives? So me staying over was just some plan to get yourself out of work. Cass you slacker you!"
"No, it's just a wonderful coincidence. Like hitting a stone with two birds!" said Cass excitedly.
"You mean hitting two birds with one stones?" asked Dean, laying down on his mat by the side of Cass' bed. Cass lay down on the bed, but turned himself towards Dean.
"Did I mess that up?"
Dean chuckled. "Cass, sometimes I think you're a human, and then other times I swear you are something else entirely."
"Like what?" asked Cass, peering down at Dean, making him shift his gaze to the ceiling.
"I don't know. Something pure. Like you've been untouched by anyone, and you've been saved for just me. Like we're going to do some crazy adventures together."
"Sounds like you've been reading one of my dad's books," said Cass as he turned and echoed Dean's stare towards the ceiling. Dean didn't reply, and they entered a silence.
"I think you're a tiger," said Cass, breaking the silence.
"What?"
"You think I'm something pure. Well I think you are a tiger."
"What makes you say that?"
"Everything," said Cass. Dean looked up at him in confusion, but let it go.
"It was really nice to meet your family. Gad seems like a pretty chill guy."
"He really is. But he tends to be very reserved. He served in the army and got discharged a while ago. He hasn't really been the same. But he's the one who inspired Michael."
"Are you worried about it being only you and Anna?"
"I've been prepared for Michael to leave when it was time. I'm not sure why I always knew he would figure a way to get out, but I don't resent him for leaving or anything. I will miss him terribly though."
"I can't imagine saying goodbye to Sammy, and not knowing when I would see him again. I'm not sure I could."
"Goodbyes are hard, but they're part of everything."
"You believe in Heaven, Cass?"
Dean didn't see him, but he imagined that Cass had a soft smile on his face.
"With all the thousands of possibilities that Heaven could be, for you, for someone else, for me, I have a hard time thinking that one of those possibilities, or maybe all of them, are not true. So, yes, I do believe in Heaven. Do you?"
"Bad stuff happens. It'd be nice if there was a place where it didn't," said Dean.
"Like a dream?" asked Cass.
"No," said Dean. "Dreams can turn bad as quick as that," he said with a snap, "No, it'd have to be like…" he paused, thinking. "Like the best memories you've ever had. The happiest you've ever been for all eternity."
"I'd like that."
"Me too."
Cass turned again to look at Dean, and Dean looked at Cass in return.
"You know from this angle you look very round faced."
Dean felt a pillow pelted at his face, and gave a quiet exclamation of surprise.
"Dean Winchester! You just a perfectly good moment!"
"What, I can't help that you have the face of a baby."
"A what?"
Dean snickered as a thought crossed his mind. "A baby in trench coat."
"You are a deplorable person," said Cass.
"Cass, bringing out the sassy vocabulary. Good job."
"If I had another pillow I would smack you."
"I'm cowering in terror or the mighty Castiel!"
"You are - sometime."
"What?"
"Sometimes-"
"Adorable? Lovely? Perfect?"
"Annoying," said Cass, leaning more over the side, and in surprise shot back as he was met with Dean sitting up from the floor and looking at him. "Sometimes," added Cass.
Dean smirked.
"Cass. This may sound like the most ridiculous thing ever, but I just remembered, and I wasn't sure if you'd want to, but there is this thing coming up in December."
"What is it?"
"The Winter Dance at school? The semi formal for freshman and sophomores."
"What about it?" asked Cass quietly.
"Wanna go?"
"Go?" asked Cass, looking down at Dean.
"Go to the dance...with me?" asked Dean.
Cass rolled back to middle of his bed, and Dean looked over at the bed waiting for him to reply.
"I'd love that."
Dean sat up and looked at Cass, who he was amazed to see had red cheeks.
"You blushing?"
"So what if I am?" asked Cass.
Dean sat up on his knees and leaned his arms onto the bed, finding himself slightly tugging at the side of Cass' shirt, playing with it. Cass just turned and looked at Dean.
"My nose better not be bruised still then. Or I'll sue."
Dean laughed and Cass joined silently.
"Sue who?" asked Dean.
"Everyone," said Cass still laughing, and then he slightly grabbed his nose. "Oww," he said pitifully.
"You've got to stop laughing," said Dean.
"Yes, and I'm in the perfect company for that," he replied, scooting over on the bed, still lying down, and Dean realized he was making room for Dean to lie down beside him, so he quickly slid onto the bed and lay his head next to the boy's.
"I am perfect," said Dean.
"And humble," said Cass.
"Don't forget," said Dean, pointing towards the small shirt still laying on the floor, "On Thursdays I'm a teddy bear doctor."
Cass shoved Dean out of the bed.
I have to say I had some moments while writing this that I felt like I was a squealing fangirl to the max, but sometimes that is called for. I loved being able to put in little things in ode to the show, and I hope you liked them all too.
I know the chapter didn't really conclude the night, but I'm leaving that for the next chapter. This chapter just felt perfect when I wrote that last sentence, so I didn't want to push it.
Next chapter is going to have more Winchesters in it. And prepare yourselves for the return of Gabriel, Balthazar, Benny, Jo, (maybe Charlie), and perhaps some others...I know I want Bobby back for something...anyway, they all will be coming soon! And You can get excited for the Winter Dance, Christmas, Dean's birthday will eventually be coming, and lots more!
Thank you all for sticking with me! Love reading all the reviews! I'm going to try harder to reply to all of you guys, so definitely leave me ideas that you have, or any comments! They are so appreciated!
LOVE YOU ALL!
~IAmAPurpleLewie