Cas is glaring at a financial statement like if he looks hard enough it'll morph into the numbers he wants on Tuesday afternoon when Ruby pushes open his door. "Some cute guy is here with coffee for you," she says.

Cas blinks. "Sam?" Ruby likes Sam. It's weird.

But she shrugs. "Nope, never seen him before in my life. You should probably hit that, or I will."

"Ruby!" Cas makes a strangled noise. "Why are you so interested in my sex life?" Ruby makes a face at him and steps back out of the doorway with an okay, okay and then, oh joyous day! Dean walks in, his Winchester's apron still tied around his waist and a coffee cup in his hand. "Hey," he says, and then falls silent and stands awkwardly in front of Cas's desk. Cas waits. Ruby is eavesdropping.

After a moment, Dean seems to remember why he came. "Oh. You weren't downstairs so I brought you coffee," he says, gesturing to the cup in his hand.

"Oh. Well. Thank you. I don't have any cash on me, I don't think – "

"On the house."

Cas blinks again. "Oh. Thank you." Dean nods. He's still holding the coffee cup and rocking back and forth on his heels. The two of them stare at each other silently for a few more moments before Cas says "Yes?" just as Dean says all in a rush, "Do you want to go out with me?"

"What?" Cas asks. He probably didn't hear right.

"On a date," Dean explains. He waves the coffee cup vaguely. "With me."

Cas stares at him. Dean looks like he might have an aneurysm. Cas literally has no freaking idea how to answer him, and he looks away, starts to talk, doesn't, starts to talk again, and what finally comes out is "Why?"

It's not him at his smoothest. He winces a little bit. Dean looks startled and a little confused. He splutters a few times before saying bluntly, "Because you're hot?"

Cas's jaw drops. "No," he says, angrily, and then another "no!" for emphasis. The part of him that wants to preen because Dean Winchester thinks I'm hot is pretty much drowned out by the part of him that's too proud to say yes to that, and he shakes his head as he turns back to his paperwork.

Dean's face falls. "Oh. Are you not - I thought Sam had - never mind..."

"Yes, I like men," Cas growls, frustrated. He slams the statement down on the desk. "But you've hated me since you moved here, assbutt. Why would I want to go out with you?"

"I don't!" Dean says haltingly. "I don't. Hate you."

"Oh," Cas scoffs, "Well, you do a good job of showing it."

"I'm not - good at that kind of thing - "

"Obviously."

Frustrated, Dean runs his hand across his mouth and huffs. "Sorry I asked," he says.

"Yeah, me too."

Dean glares at an indeterminate spot on the wall above Cas's right shoulder and looks like he's trying to say something else, but then he not-quite-slams the coffee cup on the desk and leaves. He bumps shoulders with Ruby as he goes, and she steps past him and leans against Cas's doorframe. She watches Dean leave the office over her shoulder, and then turns to Cas.

"Cas. You just turned down a date with the hottest guy you've ever seen. Who thinks you're hot. Who brought you coffee."

Cas drops his head into his hands. "Ye-es," he whines. "Don't remind me."

Aaaaaaaagh, so I'm not exactly happy with this chapter, but it's here because it...has to be here. I guess. I don't know. ANYWAYS. Bless you for reading this. Sorry I'm not a better writer. /hides under area rug

p.s. i love constructive reviews! that's how i get better [: