Title: The Trenchcoat Avenger of Truman High

Author: rons_pigwidgeon

Pairing: Dean Winchester/Castiel

Rating: NC17

Warnings: Nothing for now, but later chapters are gonna be chocked full of the sex. You've been warned.

Chapter Summary: Dean finds a way to break things off with Amanda and spends an unexpectedly pleasant evening at the Novaks.

Beta: bellasauraus

Author's Note: Posting this a little bit early because I can. Enjoy!

This chapter contains dialogue taken directly from Supernatural, Season 4 - Episode 13: "After School Special"
Writing Credits: Eric Kripke (creator), Andrew Dabb (writer), & Daniel Loflin (writer)
Transcript Used: . ?title=4.13_After_School_Special_%28transcript%29

Thank you to my beta, bellasauraus, for helping me with this chapter, and also for looking up the episode credits so that I didn't have to.

Jenny isn't Cas, but she isn't Amanda either, and he's never been good at the Talk. Usually, he isn't around long enough to have to have it, but Dad's taking forever and Amanda's getting way too serious for him to feel comfortable. So, there's Jenny. Someone knocks on the door and Dean calls out over his shoulder between kisses, "Five more minutes, Jerry."

The door opens. Not Jerry, then. Good. Better now than later. He pulls away from Jenny and turns to the open door. Amanda's leaning against the jam, looking unimpressed. Dean plasters on his best forced smile and steps out of the closet. "Amanda, hey!" He mutters to the other girl over his shoulder, already knowing Amanda can smell his bullshit, but doing it anyway. "Gettysburg address, 1863, right?" He turns back to Amanda, shrugging. "History test next period. We're studying." The girl slips out past him. Amanda still looks unimpressed. "Come on, baby. She means nothing to me. Don't be mad."

Amanda steps back and shakes her head. "I'm not mad, Dean. I thought maybe... underneath your whole 'I could give a crap,' bad-boy thing, that there was something more going on. I mean, like the way you are with your brother. But I was wrong. You spend so much time trying to convince people that you're cool, but it's just an act. We both know that you're just a sad, lonely little kid. And I feel sorry for you, Dean." She steps back, glaring. Her two bitchy girlfriends are giving him the evil eye from behind her.

Dean's stomach has dropped to his feet, and he feels like he might be sick. "You feel sorry for me, huh? Don't feel sorry for me. You don't know anything about me. I save lives. I'm a hero. A hero!" he retorts. He can tell by the looks the girls give him that he should have kept his mouth shut. There's snickering. He glares after them and turns around, putting his back to the small crowd that had gathered around them. Cas is standing there, head cocked to the side like a confused puppy.

"Hero? Really?" Cas asks, eyebrow raising incredulously.

Dean pulls him aside because the last thing he needs is more public display, only to have Cas slip out from under his arm and pin him to a locker. Again. It isn't hard enough to knock the wind out of him this time, though. That was all Amanda. "What did I tell you, Dean?" Cas growls, body locked in holding Dean up.

"That I couldn't touch you if I had a girlfriend. I don't now," Dean answers, forcing a smirk that he doesn't feel.

Cas stares at him—hard—before letting him go and quietly taking his hand. "Come with me," he says, leading Dean towards the exit.

"But we have English. Are you really suggesting we skip class, Cas? How rebellious of you." Dean can't stop. If he stops, he worries his heart will break all over again. Cas' hand is warm in his, enough to distract him from his embarrassment and shame. Cas ignores him, pulling him quietly through the crowd, ignoring their smirks and insults as well. They leave the building and walk through the parking lot to Cas' car, a beat-up old Fairmont with a cracked taillight and a line of rust all along the bottom edge of the casing. "Jesus, Cas, ever heard of a tune-up?"

Cas turns his head to the side and looks at Dean over the hood of the car, clearly confused. "I get oil changes regularly."

"Yeah, but that taillight's cracked and the rust. Dude, I don't like Fords, but you need to take care of your car."

"It runs. I don't know what to do about the rest."

"I'll help you, if you want."

Cas' mouth twitches upwards. "I would like that." He unlocks the car and gets in before reaching over to unlock Dean's side.

Dean slips inside, eyes on the upholstery, then the dash. "So, where are we going?" he asks.

"To my house. You looked as though you could use a day off."

"Yeah, I guess. You didn't have to skip out, though. I know school means a lot to you."

"Not as much as friendship. And you are my friend, Dean. I know you don't like making lasting connections with your… traveling whatever," he makes a flippant hand gesture as he turns the car on, frowning over at Dean, "and just… being you. But I care about you, and that's not changing, so get used to it."

They're quiet for the rest of the ride to the Novak residence, Dean plucking at the worn threads around the hole in his jeans and thinking about Amanda and what she'd said. He wasn't a little boy. He knew how to take care of himself and his little brother in ways she could never comprehend. And he wasn't scared. He'd killed things she didn't even have names for and that would make her run screaming into the night. He is a hero, even if they'd laughed at him. He hopes one day they face a werewolf or ghost with only him to save them. Then, they'd see.

Cas' voice breaks through his thoughts. "Come on, we're here."

Dean looks up to find them parked in front of a farm house with nothing much around for miles except empty fields. Dean doesn't even remember them leaving town. "This is your house? Kind of a far drive to school, isn't it?"

"Yes. I was homeschooled for my primary school education, but I wanted more social interaction when I reached high school than just the co-op on Fridays. It took a lot of convincing to get my parents to agree to my going to public school, but they eventually consented. I like it."

"Homeschooled, huh? I'm not walking into the Brady Bunch, am I?"

Cas hesitates, half-way between unsure and concerned. "Just… watch your language around my parents. And don't use the Lord's name in vein. Mother will not like you if you do."

Dean gives Cas a long look, lip turning up at one side. "I didn't know you were a Bible-thumper, Cas. That's kind of hot."

Cas rolls his eyes. "I would never disrespect the Bible by hitting it in any manner. My parents are devout Catholics. I have faith, though not to the degree that they do."

Dean shrugs. "Whatever floats your boat, Captain Trenchcoat. We gonna hang out in the car all day or what?"

Cas narrows his eyes and crooks his head to look at Dean as though he cannot fathom him. "You have no faith?"

"Not at all, but to each his own, right?"

"Right." Cas doesn't look convinced.

Dean rubs his hands on his thighs and raises his eyebrows. "So, are we going in or what? Don't get me wrong, I'm cool with sitting here and making out for a couple hours, but your parents might get suspicious."

Cas rolls his eyes and pushes his door open. "You're a pervert. Come on."

They head into the house, where Dean is instructed to take his shoes off as a small blonde girl pokes her head around a corner. "Cassie, yous home! Mommy, Cassie's home!" she shouts, rushing towards them and wrapping herself around Cas' legs with a grin. The grin quickly fades when she notices Dean, and she edges around to Cas' other side, peeking at him behind Cas' knee.

"Hello, Claire. I have a friend I would like you to meet." Cas picks the little girl up and turns to Dean, but the little girl hides her face in his shoulder before Dean can really look at her. Cas rolls his eyes. "Sorry, she's very shy. Claire, this is my friend, Dean. Dean, this is my little sister Claire. She's three."

"Three and a half," the little girl whispers into Cas' shoulder.

Dean smiles and leans over, trying to catch her eye. "Hi, there. It's very nice to meet you, Claire." She peeks at him from Cas' shoulder, but doesn't say anything. Dean's about to try again when footsteps approach from further down the hallway and a woman appears, as blonde as Claire and cautious as she lays eyes on Dean.

"Castiel, sweetie, why are you home? It's the middle of the day. And whom have you brought with you?"

Cas looks to Dean, hesitant. "Hello, Mother. This is my friend, Dean Winchester. A member of his family has died, and I offered to take him home as a… distraction. We will only be missing Physical Education and study hall. Dean, this is my mother, Amelia Novak." Dean would be impressed with the smooth lie rolling off Cas' tongue if he weren't so nervous in the face of meeting his mother.

"Hey," Dean says, shuffling his feet.

Amelia steps up to them, face morphing into a more compassionate expression. "Hello, Dean. I'm sorry to hear about the death. Who was it, if I might ask?"

"My grandma on my dad's side. She'd been sick for a while, but she was awesome and it just kind of… sucks." He shrugs, trying to act like he's holding back his unhappiness. In all honesty, he doesn't really need to reach far for it.

"I'm sorry to hear it. We'll be praying for your family."

"Uh, thanks."

"If you don't mind, Mom, I thought we might go down to the basement and play board games," Cas says, setting Claire on her feet.

"Can I play, too?" Claire asks, tugging at Cas' trench coat.

"I don't…" Cas starts to say, but Dean's already leaning down to her level.

"Sure, sweetheart. You can be on my team," he tells her, smiling warmly. Claire hides behind Cas' coat again, but she's smiling this time.

"That's very nice of you, Dean, but it isn't necessary. Claire can stay up here and help Mommy bake bread for dinner, can't she?" Amelia says, looking down at Claire. Claire turns her eyes to her mother and nods, but she looks sad about it.

"It's okay Mrs. Novak; I love kids. If Cas is cool with her hanging out with us, then I am," Dean says.

Castiel nods his ascent and points down the hall. "We'll be in the basement, Mom." He picks Claire up and follows Dean down the hall, pointing to a door at the end. Dean hesitates at the door, waving awkwardly at Mrs. Novak before escaping down the dark stairs. Fuck, he hates parents.

The light flickers on, revealing a finished basement full of couches, toys, a kitchen table, and more books than a small library could hold. "Were you going to turn the lights on? How can you walk down the stairs without seeing them?"

Dean blinks up at Cas, not understanding. He walks into dark basements all the time. He shrugs and collapses onto one of the couches. "What's with the table? You eat dinner down here?"

"Mom teaches down here. Our house was built in 1897. None of the rooms upstairs are large enough for the space we need when all of us are studying at once."

"All of you? There are more than just you two?"

Cas sets Claire on her feet and goes to a tall bookshelf stuffed full with board games. Claire sits on the couch near Dean, but not within touching distance. She watches him quietly as he watches Cas. "I have six siblings," Cas explains as he joins them a minute later with a board game. Dean had thought Cas was kidding. He hasn't played a board game since Sam was eight. This one they definitely never played, even though half the shitty motels they stay in have it. "Candyland?"

Cas gives Dean a death look that brooks no argument. "I honestly didn't think you would care, and Claire likes this game. Don't you, Claire?"

She's perked up in her seat and is grinning from ear to ear. "I want to be the wed person!" she squeals, sliding off the couch to kneel across the coffee table from Cas. Dean follows suit, because really, what else can he do in the face of Cas' glare and the over-exuberant look on his little sister's face?

"Well, alright. I've never played before, though," he offers, turning to Claire. "Think you could teach me, Claire?"

She clams up, slinking closer to Cas, excitement fading. Dean looks over at Cas. "Well, someone's going to have to teach me." Cas does, smiling a tiny smile to himself. They make it through two games before Claire is bored and demands they play Go Fish. By now, she has gotten comfortable enough to worm her way into Dean's lap and has been picking his cards and moving his game piece for him for the last-half of the game while Dean asks her questions about her favorite picture books and blatantly ignores Cas' surprised looks when he can name all the Richard Scarry characters.

Cas gets the Go Fish cards and starts dealing. Go Fish Dean knows, although he's never played with actual Go Fish cards before, just an old deck of poker cards his dad kept in his duffle. He picks his cards up and pairs up the two matches, then helps Claire pick up hers and tries to show her how to match hers up, too. She's less successful. They are about to play when the basement door creeks open and footsteps hurry down the stairs. A blond boy a few years older than Claire appears, but stops when he lays eyes on Dean.

"Mom said you were home from school. I didn't believe her when she said you had a friend over."

"Very funny, Thomas. This is my friend, Dean Winchester. Dean, this is my brother Thomas."

Dean nods at him, unable to wave with both his and Claire's cards in his hands. "Hey."

"Hi," Thomas says hesitantly. Dean watches him walk slowly closer, trying to get a glance at what they're playing. "Go Fish?"

"Yeah, you wanna join us?" Dean asks because why not? Claire takes her cards from him and compresses them in her little hands until she can only see the top card, making him smile. Sammy used to do that.

Thomas kneels at the table, looking at Dean like he might be an alien. "You're really Castiel's friend?"

"I am, indeed."

"But, I didn't think you had any friends, Cas." Thomas turns to Cas, who gives him the same death glare he'd already served to Dean.

"In case you were wondering, Dean, Thomas is seven years old and still sucks his thumb. Can we play the game, now, or should I reshuffle to include the thumb-sucker?"

Dean grins. Bitchy Cas is definitely his favorite Cas. Thomas shoves Cas' shoulder and pouts for a minute, but he quickly gets over it once Claire starts asking Cas if he has a purple puffer fish. "So, there are seven of your guys?" Dean asks as he hands over his hammerhead to Cas.

"Yep! Claire's the youngest, then Phillip, then me, then Jacob, then Elizabeth, then Castiel, then Christine," Thomas informs him, bouncing on his heels.

"Your parents know how that happens, right?" Dean asks, giving Cas a meaningful look.

Cas rolls his eyes, but Thomas answers before he can. "Yep! God came down and put His hands on Mommy's tummy and made each one of us. Isn't that neat?"

"Neat." Dean looks at Cas, who looks back without saying anything. Dean knows they've been staring too long when Claire shoves her cards in his face.

"Do you have any goldfish?"

"I do in fact have a goldfish. How did you know?" He slides the card from his hand and tucks it into hers.

"I guessed!" They continue playing until half-way through round three, Claire gets bored and wanders off to play kitchen, coming back with 'tea' for everyone just as Cas is setting up Monopoly and another set of footsteps descend the stairs.

"Mom wants to know if Dean is staying for dinner. Who's Dean?" an older girls asks, peering at them from under the ceiling. She's got Cas' blue eyes and dark hair, but she's still too awkward-looking to be gorgeous yet.

"Dean is my friend, Elizabeth. Come down, and I will introduce you."

Elizabeth takes one look at Dean, and her eyes get as wide as coasters. Dean winks at her, enjoying the flush it causes. "Oh, um… I need to tell Mom…"

"Dean, would you like to stay for dinner?"

Dean freezes, not having realized until just then that it's late enough for dinner to be had. "I uh… I gotta call Sammy. We didn't tell him we were leaving. He might be wondering where I am."

Cas' brows furrow. "Do you think he was able to get home all right? Do we need to go pick him up?"

"No, I'm sure he figured it out. He knows how to catch the bus. I'll just call him though, okay?"

"He could come to dinner, as well, if you like. We can go get him at the motel."

"The motel?" asks Thomas, clearly confused.

"This isn't your conversation, Thomas."

"No, I think he'll be fine. Let me go… call him. I'll be right back." Dean gets up and takes the stairs two at a time, sliding past Elizabeth with a sly smile. "Tell your mom I would love to stay for dinner," he tells her, already fishing his phone out of his pocket. He pulls the antenna up, frowns when he can't get a signal, wanders closer to the front door, but still no. "Hey, can I borrow your phone? Mine doesn't have any bars," he asks as Elizabeth walks past. She stares at him, nods, and points to the phone sitting on the side table across the hall. Dean smiles his most winning smile and picks the phone up and starts dialing Sam's number.

"Hello?" Sam's voice picks up.

"Hey Sammy, you okay? Cas and I left school early, and I forgot to tell you."

"Dean? Yeah, I'm fine. Barry saw you guys leave and told me. Are you coming back soon?"

"I'm sort of at Cas' house. They want me to stay for dinner. You'll be okay by yourself, right?"

"Wait, you're having dinner at Cas'? With his family? But I thought you didn't do parents."

Dean feels the sudden urge to stick his hand through the phone line and smack his brother upside the head. "Shuddup. It's Cas."

"What are you guys doing over there? Did you meet his brothers and sisters yet? Are there crosses all over the house?" Dean looks around the hallway. He hadn't noticed before, but yeah, there are a lot of crosses. There's a crucifix practically staring him in the face, and a framed picture of Jesus with a quote from the New Testament next to the phone base. Huh. Cas wasn't lying about the religious thing, then.

"Yeah, but it's fine. We've been playing board games in the basement."

"Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

"Watch it, short stack." He glances up and sees Elizabeth watching him from one of the doorways. She has that weird glassy eyed look freshmen girls get when they look at him, but he doesn't think she's old enough to be in high school yet. He grins at her and turns his back on her, lowering his voice a little. "Listen, Sammy, I gotta go. There's still a couple burritos in the fridge if you're hungry. I don't know when I'll get back, so don't wait up."

"Okay, Dean. Have fun."

"You, too. I'll see you later." He waits until Sammy says goodbye before hanging up. Elizabeth is still staring, but she goes wide-eyed when he catches her and disappears behind the doorframe. From the smells that are coming his way, he guesses it's the kitchen. He slips back into the basement to find another younger boy sitting in his spot. This one is blond and Dean guesses a year or two older than Thomas.

"Jacob has been playing in your stead. I hope you don't mind," Cas tells him, scooting over so that Dean can sit next to him. The new boy hands Dean a stack of Monopoly money and points to the iron 'just visiting' the jail. Dean tries not to lament not getting to be the car.

"Thanks, Jacob. I'm Dean."

"Hey," Jacob says without looking at him. Dean settles into the game, enjoying himself despite being the lame-ass iron, because now he gets to touch Cas whenever he wants and no one else can see. He has his hand curled over Cas' knee under the table when Elizabeth comes back down and announces dinner. He pulls away as they all get up, but Cas brushes fingers across his lower back as they ascend the stairs, so there's that.

Cas gets his eyes and hair from Roger Novak, but that is where the resemblance stops. Roger Novak is stiff and stern, both like and unlike Dean's own father, his stiffness born of a belief of moral superiority and judgment upon others rather than military service and personal tragedy. He questions Dean about everything from his family to his living arrangement to his grades to which church he attends. For the most part, Dean lies through his teeth where he can and tries to give one-word answers while Cas brushes his thigh under the table and smiles encouragingly at him.

When he starts in on colleges, Dean has to correct him. He can lie about a lot of things, but a college boy he is not. "I'm not going to college, sir. I'm going to be a mechanic like my father."

"You're comfortable with blue-collar work, then?"

"Absolutely, sir. This country was built on blue-collar work. I don't see anything wrong with it. Besides, I love cars, and I'm real good at fixing them. And it's steady work, no matter where you live. Everyone's car breaks down eventually. I'd say Cas' car's maybe 10,000 miles from needing new breaks, and his tires are less than that from needing to be replaced."

"How do you know that?" Cas asks, face morphing into concern.

"I could tell driving here. I told you you need to take care of your car, dude."

Cas frowns, but doesn't disagree. Roger is looking hard at Dean, a look that might have intimidated Dean if his own father wasn't John Winchester. "We will have to take Castiel's car in for service soon, then. Thank you." He turns to Elizabeth and asks how her studies are going, a welcome subject change. Dean survives the rest of dinner, and he and Cas escape downstairs quickly after. None of the younger Novak's follow, all being forced to clean up and get ready for bed.

"You're dad's a piece of work, Cas."

"Father can be stern, but he means well. And I think he approves of you, so that's good."

"Does he know about you being…" Dean trails off, not sure for the first time if Cas even is gay. Yeah, he's touched Dean and implied that Dean would be allowed to kiss him now that he was unattached, but he could be reading the situation wrong.

"Gay?" Cas finishes for him, voice soft as his eyes dart up to the closed basement door.

"Yeah, that."

"No. None of my family know except Christine, my older sister. She goes to Georgetown University. What about your family?"

A small ball of panic appears in Dean's throat. "No, definitely not. Dad's old-school military. I… yeah, no, that's not a conversation we're ever having."

"My parents are deeply religious and believe homosexuality is a sin, which is why I am confident they would not accept me if I were to tell them. What makes you believe that you father would not accept you?"

Dean picks at the arm of the couch, mulling his answer over. There are a lot of factors that contribute to his knowing his father is homophobic. But there was the first time… "Ryan Thompson, third grade. He had dark hair like yours, and he liked to wrestle during recess. One day, he pulled me behind the jungle gym and kissed me. It wasn't my first kiss or anything, but it was… better than all the other kisses I'd gotten. I really liked him, like liked him liked him. I went home and told my dad about it. I remember being really excited because Ryan was cute, and he knew about hunting and guns because he went hunting with his dad like I did, and he was just all around cool, and I was excited. It never occurred to me that there might be something wrong with liking a boy. But my dad…" He shakes his head, flashes of the fight John had put up, the feel of his palm forcing itself into Dean's cheek for the first time. "He didn't react well, let's just say that. We moved towns immediately, and I tried to stop thinking about Ryan."

"And did you?"

"What, stop thinking about him? Not really. I didn't talk about it, though, and I didn't mention any crushes on boys after that. I even started making an effort to pursue girls more than I probably would have. I mean, I like girls just as much as guys, but I don't know. Dad gets off my ass with the queer comments if he sees me making out with a chic as often as possible."

"Is that why you were seeing Amanda Heckerling?"

"Amanda? No, she's hot. And she wears the best-tasting lip gloss I've ever tasted. I didn't expect us to be here this long, though. Even if I hadn't met you, I probably would have dumped her. Commitment doesn't really… work with my life. She started asking too many questions. Dad wouldn't have liked it. Not that he's going to like this, if he ever finds out about us."

"I wasn't aware that there was an 'us', but I understand what you mean. I do not believe my family would appreciate a relationship outside of friendship between you and I either."

"So you're never coming out?"

Cas shakes his head, his body gravitating closer to Dean's. They both look to the basement stairs as he settles into the crook of Dean's arm and pulls his knees up to his chest. "I do not believe that would be wise. While I've never told my parents about my… interests, I have always known they would not accept the news of my orientation easily."

"How'd you figure it out?"

"I think I always knew I was different. I chased the little boys around the way the other little boys chased the little girls around at Sunday school. I tried to kiss Michael Rathborne at a church picnic when we were seven. Thankfully, he told our parents I hit him instead."

"Have you ever had a boyfriend?" Dean asks, not sure why he even wants to know.

Cas looks up at Dean with a mischievous smile. "Why do you want to know?"

"Curiousity. Also, I'd like to know who I need to glare at at school tomorrow."

"Jealous?"

"Very." Dean is close to kissing him, already leaning in, but Cas' hand presses to his chest to hold him off.

"You said that you do not like commitment. If I were to permit you to… touch me, I would need you to commit to me, even if only in private."

Dean deflates a little. "Cas, I can't. I don't even know how long I'll be in town for. Dad's close to finishing up his job, and we always move on after the job's done."

"You would not wish to maintain contact after you leave?"

"Of course, Cas, but I don't know when I'd be able to get back to see you. And I can't just… not sleep around. Dad'll start…" He clenches his jaw, trying not to think about what John would do.

Castiel studies him for a lot longer than is normal. Eventually, he settles his head on Dean's shoulder and lays a hand on his knee. "I understand. Perhaps we could compromise?"

"Yeah, sure. What kind of compromise?"

Cas traces designs on Dean's knee. "We stay in contact. We try to see each other when we can. While we're physically together, we are monogamous. When we are apart, we may see other people, but we cannot talk about it to each other. You do not tell me about the girls you sleep with. I do not tell you if I start dating. And nothing we do outside of each other is allowed to get serious."

"That works for me. That sounds awesome, actually. Let's do that."

"Okay."

"So, can I kiss you, then?" Dean asks, running his fingers through Cas' hair. It's as soft as he had thought it would be.

"No."

"What?" Dean frowns, fingers pausing.

"Not in my parents' house."

Dean nods and gets back to combing through Cas' hair. They're quiet for a while, and Dean tries to ignore the fact that he's cuddling with a dude in a basement while the dude's super-religious family gets ready for bed upstairs.

"It's getting late. I should take you home before my parents start asking if you're spending the night."

"I could," Dean wheedles, smirking.

Cas crinkles his forehead in a frown. "No, you cannot."

"Dude, I was kidding."

"Well, either way, I should be taking you home. Come on." He stands, pulling Dean up with him by the hand. Dean goes reluctantly. Despite himself, he thinks he might have liked to stay curled up with Cas on the couch until the world ends. Mrs. Novak meets them at the door, a book Dean recognizes as one of those Bible scripture books for moms bookmarked in her hand.

"It was nice to meet you, Dean. Please tell your family that we will pray for them." They had already prayed for them at dinner, much to Dean's discomfort. He nodded, smiling awkwardly.

"Thanks, Mrs. Novak. It was nice to meet Cas' family. You all are really great."

"Thank you, Dean." She smiles warmly at him and squeezes his arm. Cas turns the doorknob, but Mrs. Novak looks momentarily surprised and stops them. "Wait, I almost forgot. I have cookies for your family. Let me go get them." She disappears into the kitchen only to come back a second later with a paper plate piled high with chocolate chip cookies and covered in shrink wrap. Dean grins and takes it gratefully. Sammy loves homemade cookies.

"Thanks, Mrs. Novak. You really didn't need to do that. My brother will love these."

"It's the least we could do. Take care of yourself, Dean. We hope to see you back soon." She squeezed his arm again and went back into the living room. Cas tugged his jacket arm until he followed him outside to the Fairmont. The drive back into town was quiet, Dean fiddling with the radio dial to find an acceptable station. Dean directs him to the right parking space at the motel, but he only gets out when Cas does.

"You coming with, then?"

"No, but hugging inside a car is uncomfortable," Cas answers, meeting him at the front of the car and standing on tip-toe to wrap his arms around Dean's neck. Dean sinks into the hug, pressing his face into Cas' shoulder, fingers clenching Cas' stupid too-big trench coat. Cas turns his head and kisses him, soft and chaste and way too brief before he pulls away. "I'll see you before class tomorrow?"

"Yeah, of course. Tell your mom thanks for the cookies." Dean picks them up from where he left them on the hood of the car, still a little unbalanced from Cas' touch.

"Tell Sam I said hello. I'll see you tomorrow." He reaches up again and kisses Dean's cheek before heading back to the car. Dean watches him pull away, his heart thumping harder than it had since he bagged his first werewolf two years ago. He turns to the motel door once the Fairmont is out of sight. Thankfully, Sammy's already asleep and not up asking a million and four questions like usual. He sets the cookies on top of Sam's books on the table and falls into bed, head full of nothing but Cas.

Dean is walking to class with Cas, clenching his fist at every snicker as they pass. Cas doesn't appear to have noticed anything. He is just turning to say something to him when Dean's phone starts ringing. Dean grabs the phone from his back pocket and flips it open. "Dad? Hey, yeah. All right, we'll be ready." He flips it closed again and shoves it back into his pocket. The bell has already rung, but Cas is watching him, not moving towards the classroom.

"Was that your father?"

"Yeah, Dad's uh… done, with his job. We're heading out today after school. I gotta find Sammy to tell him."

"He is in chemistry. We will see him at lunch. We should go to class."

"Why would I bother going to class? I'm leaving at the end of the day."

Cas doesn't appear to hear him as he grabs Dean's sleeve and pulls him to the classroom door, giving him no choice but to follow. Dean can do nothing but hiss 'Cas!' and allow himself to be dragged. The teacher gives them a glare, but doesn't comment on the tardiness.

Sam is waiting on the curb, pouting and looking up at his squirrelly friend, Barry, watching from an upstairs window. Dean turns to look down at Castiel, upset for the first time that he's having to leave. He hates this school, but Cas… Cas is looking up at him with an extra-serious face. "Well, Dad's going to be here any minute…"

"You are going to call me. And email me. And when you can, you are going to come here and see me. This is not negotiable." Cas shoves a piece of paper in Dean's shirt pocket, pushing him up against the brick archway and reaching up on his toes to shove his mouth against Dean's. Dean groans in surprise and reaches for Cas, trying to pull him in the way he's used to, but Cas bites his lip and pulls at his hair, forcing him to submit. His tongue is hot against Dean's, and he tastes like the most delicious piece of pie Dean has ever had. By the time Cas pulls away, Dean's wobbly kneed and breathing way too hard from just a kiss.

"Damn, Cas, kiss me like that again, and you'll need to make an honest man of me." Cas looks inordinately pleased with himself.

"Dean—Dad," Sam calls from the curb.

Dean and Cas both turn to see the Impala turning the corner. Cas glares up at Dean. "Call me."

"Yeah, Cas. I'll call. Later." Dean wants to kiss him again, but Dad's pulled up to the curb, and he doesn't need to know about Dean's… other interest. Cas pokes him like he understands and points to the car. Dean walks away, glancing at Cas over the hood when he gets to the passenger side. He can't do much else but wave before he gets in.

Amanda Heckerling has never willingly spoken to Castiel in her life, despite having shared CCD classes with him—and once a desk—since the age of six. The day after Dean and Sam Winchester leave Sioux City, she is waiting for him at his locker. Castiel had not even been aware that she knew where his locker was.

"Hello, Amanda," he says warily.

"Hey, Castiel. Jenny said she saw Dean and Sam leave with their dad. Is he really gone?" she asks, causing Castiel to frown.

"You verbally attacked him and broke up with him. Why would it matter to you whether or not he has left the school?"

She blows air through her nose and shuffles against the lockers. "It just does, okay? Is he gone or not?"

"Yes, his father has completed his job, and they have gone. I do not expect them to return. Why?"

Amanda frowns and looks down at her shoes. "Jenny also said she saw you kissing him right before he left."

"That is true. Again, why is this of import to you? You broke up with him."

"He cheated on me."

"With Jennifer Wolfe, your friend, if I understand the situation correctly."

"Yeah, well, I just… was he hooking up with you, too? Jenny is… Jenny, but you're… a guy. Dean didn't really strike me as gay."

"He isn't. He is bisexual. No, he was not kissing me at the same time as he was kissing you. He tried, but I would not permit him to touch me while he also touched you. I still do not understand why you consider this necessary for discussion. You are no longer seeing him, and he has moved away."

"I just wanted to know. Sorry I asked." She walks away, glaring at him over her shoulder. Castiel has a feeling she will never willingly speak to him again. He is not upset over the loss.