AN: Like I said, I don't see this being very much longer. Maybe 4 more chapters. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

Castiel went over to Dean's house every day for the rest of the week, and the week after that, and the week after that. Dean continued to work on the Impala in between helping Cas with whatever they were working on in art. If they weren't in the mood to work on their respective projects, they'd simple sit and exchange notes for hours on end. One of these occasions, they got on the topic of their futures.

So, senior year, Dean wrote. What are your plans?

I want to go to Columbia.

What for?

Writing. Where you have pictures, I have words. Whether written or spoken, I think words are the most important asset a human being can possess.

Why? Dean's large green eyes were filled with curiosity.

Castiel frowned, wondering how to explain. Well, it's like with this. Even though I can't physically speak to you, we still have the ability to communicate, and that's all thanks to words. It goes beyond that, too. You could be the loneliest, most friendless person in the world. All you have to do is pick up a book to be transported to a world where your greatest friends lie waiting to have the most fantastic adventures. When you're a kid like me, that can make all the difference.

Dean read the note intently, a small smile lighting his eyes. That's where you and I are different, I guess, he responded. When I was down and had no one to turn to, I turned to art. It just felt so freeing. It's the best escape in the world. I must admit, though, you do have a way with words.

Cas blushed and glanced down abashedly. For some reason, he found himself becoming more and more affected by Dean's flirtatious behavior. But it wasn't in the way he expected. Instead of the foot-shuffling awkwardness Castiel anticipated accompanying the flattery, he found himself enjoying the attention. Sure, he still blushed- he was a humble guy, it was expected for him to be flustered. But he really enjoyed the affection Dean showed him, however suggestive it may be.

When Dean would guide Cas's hand across a sheet of paper, teaching him how do so and so properly, or do this technique correctly, Castiel's heart rate would pick up. He found his eyes constantly drawn to the contour of Dean's lips. He was becoming increasingly aware of how small the garage was, how close together he and Dean were, especially with the Impala taking up space. Every hour he spent with Dean, he found it harder to leave. On the odd day Castiel had something to do after school, he found himself wishing he was back in Dean's garage.

And on the rare instance he wasn't thinking about Dean, Castiel was missing Meg. The more time he spent with Dean, the less he saw of Meg. For some reason, she couldn't stand to be around the boy. The best excuse Castiel could come up with was that she was jealous that he had grown to make a new friend when they were so used to it being just the two of them.

Castiel missed her. Dean was a great friend, and Castiel knew he could to do him with any problem. Unfortunately, his problem was Dean. Ever since he was 12 and all his schoolmates started getting crushes on each other, Castiel knew he was different. This persisted all the way through middle school, and now through high school as well. Not once did he have any romantic feelings for any of them. To be honest, he didn't have platonic feelings for any of them either. Maybe that was the issue- it wasn't that he wasn't sexually attracted to people, he just wasn't sexually attracted to the people he knew because they were all entirely unappealing. Either way, he wished Meg were there to help him sort out his feelings.

But she wasn't there, and Cas knew better than to sit around and wish. He decided to take things as they came, and not over think things. After thinking about it, Castiel realized just how ridiculous of an idea that was, seeing as it was ingrained into his very existence to over think things. Regardless, when Cas went over to Dean's the next day, he just took a deep breath and behaved as normally as he possibly could.

In the end, it was much easier to behave regularly than Cas had anticipated. He and Dean quickly fell into their usual routine. They caught up on what had happened in the few hours they'd been apart. They told jokes, and they teased each other. The upbeat conversation continued for the entire visit. When Cas said he had to go, the conversation became a competition between the two to see who could write the most cliché, overly-romantic goodbye. If Castiel was being perfectly honest with himself, they flirted.

I never thought I'd see the day.

What? Dean furrowed his brow.

Castiel's eyes widened. He hadn't realized he'd written that last thought down.

Just… I don't know. I'm… flirting.I just never thought that'd ever happen.

Dean broke down into silent laughter, his entire body shaking.

What's so funny? Now it was Cas's turn to be confused.

You call this flirting? Oh, man, I'd hate to see you when you were trying to just be friendly.

Fine. You can come over this evening for dinner and show me what real flirting is like. Castiel didn't know where the sudden cocky confidence came from, but suddenly the note was in Dean's hand. Instantly, panic washed over Cas. Images of rejection and humiliation ran through his mind.

Really? You're asking me out on a date? And after everything you told me about your sexuality- or lack of sexuality, I guess.

Apparently, you're the exception.

Dean smirked. Wow. I really am unstoppable.

So is that a no or…? Cas was already so nervous he half-wished the answer was a no.

And pass up being little Cassie's first date? Not a chance. Write down your address. I'll be there at 6:30.

Cas nodded and smiled absent-mindedly, getting up to leave. He was stopped when he felt Dean's hand close around the sleeve of his jacket. Cas reached out, taking the note Dean held out for him.

Thanks, by the way. It's my first date, too, and I'm honestly really glad to say that it's going to be with you.

The hand around Cas's sleeve tightened, yanking him down for a bone-crushing hug. Before Castiel could even react, Dean had let go.

Castiel, still in a mind-numbing state of "crap-I-just-asked-someone-on-a-date-and-they-said -yes," jotted down his address, along with an invitation to walk right into the house- he often got distracted and didn't hear the doorbell. He left Dean's house, promising dinner would be ready by the time he arrived. When Cas got in his car, his brain finally started working again. He glanced at his watch, his panic increasing when he saw it was already four.

"I'm such an idiot," Cas muttered to himself. "I've never been on a date in my life, I've never even wanted to go on a date before, so of course the first thing I should do is ask Dean Winchester out. I'm a complete moron."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Before he was aware of even dialing, the phone was ringing against his ear.

"Hello?"

"Meg!" Castiel breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god you answered. I need your help."

"Cas, wha-"

"It's an emergency. Come over ASAP."

There was a moment of silence from Meg's end of the line.

"Alright," she said finally. "I'll be there in 15 minutes."

"You are a life saver, Meg. Honestly. I love you so much, and I owe you big."

"Yeah, well, be careful what you wish for."

Castiel was just putting the finishing touches on his and Dean's dinner when Meg finally walked into the room.

"Where have you been?! You agreed to meet me almost 2 hours ago!" Cas demanded furiously.

"I was having trouble convincing myself to come over here, honestly."

Even through his anger, Castiel couldn't help but be concerned. "Are you alright?"

Meg smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine. What's your crisis?"

"I'm a biggest idiot to ever grace this planet."

"Well, yeah, but we already knew that. So what's the real issue?"

Cas chewed on his lip, hesitant to tell Meg. She really didn't like Dean already, and Castiel felt like this would just make things worse. After all, he could only imagine how much it would hurt if Meg stopped hanging out with him to spend time with some boyfriend instead.

"I asked Dean Winchester to come over for dinner." The words slipped past Castiel's lips without his volition.

Meg's posture stiffened when she heard Dean's name. "What's the big deal?" She picked up a glass from the kitchen table, pretending to inspect it to avoid Cas's gaze.

"It's a date."

The glass slipped from Meg's fingers and landed on the wood flooring with a crash, shattering into dozens of pieces.

"I thought you didn't feel that way," she said through a clenched jaw. "About anyone."

"Well, apparently I was wrong," Castiel said, annoyed. "Why do you care so much, anyways?"

"You're my best friend."

"It wouldn't seem like it from the way you've been behaving lately. Honestly, I can't tell if you're more upset that I asked someone out, or that I asked out Dean Winchester."

"OF COURSE I'M UPSET!" The words exploded out of Meg as she rounded on them, anger igniting her eyes. "I had to sit there, day in and day out, while you two fawned over each other and your secret little love notes! I didn't even have to read them to know that he was flirting with you."

"I still don't see why it's such a big deal."

"Because you said you weren't attracted to anyone!"

"Well, now I am! And for the life of me, I can't figure out why that offends you so much."

Meg gripped her hair in her hands, both trying to shout something at him and hold it in at the same time. "BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE ME!" she screamed.

Instantly, the house was filled with silence, broken only by the sound of Meg breathing heavily.

Cas narrowed his eyes and titled his head to the side, trying to comprehend the situation. "I don't understand."

Meg laughed bitterly. "For someone who's such a genius, Cas, you sure can be a dumbass sometimes. I have feelings for you. Is it really that hard to grasp?"

Cas laughed once, hoping this was an elaborate joke. "No. No, you're being ridiculous. We're friends, Meg. Best friends. You must be messing with me, that's all."

"What, you're saying you don't see it?" Meg asked incredulously. "Cas, I've had feelings for you since sophomore year! I realized it that one night I came over in December. You'd been out of school for a week with the flu, and I'd been bringing over all your class work. But that night, for some reason, I brought you chicken noodle soup and a bedtime story. And even after you fell asleep, I sat there and kept reading, and when I was done you looked so peaceful that there was nothing I wanted more in the world than to wrap you up and take you somewhere safe. Somewhere you and I could be together, just the two of us, without any of those spastic morons we call our peers to bother us. I wanted that every day, but I pushed those feelings aside. I settled for being your best friend because that's all you needed and all you wanted, and I was ready to be anything for you."

Cas shook his head again, still in denial. "Exactly. You're my best friend. That's it. You don't mean this."

Meg all but growled in frustration at Cas's disbelief. "What do I have to do to make you believe me?!"

"Meg, I-" Cas was cut off as Meg yanked him forward by his blue tie, crashing their lips together. Immediately, he threaded his fingers tightly into her hair, wanting to pull her off of him, but afraid of hurting her. Suddenly, they heard the sound of something being dropped to the floor of the kitchen. Cas managed to push her away, turning to see Dean standing there, pain and betrayal written plainly across his face.

Dean's hand was clenched into a tight fist around a bouquet of flowers, wrapped in plastic. The other hand dangled loosely at his side, no doubt having held the chocolates that now littered the floor. Dean's eyes filled with tears as he threw the flowers down on top of the ruined candy. He turned and walked swiftly out the door, wiping his eyes on his arm as he went.

"Dean, wait! I can expla-" the plea died out on Cas's lips as he realized it didn't matter. Dean couldn't hear him. He turned around sharply, only to find Meg still standing in the kitchen.

"Get out." He said it quietly and menacingly.

"Cas, I'm really sor-"

"GET OUT!"

"No." Meg's jaw was set defiantly, though her eyes flickered with fear.

"All of this is your fault," Castiel spat out. "You've ruined everything!" Cas collapsed onto his knees as tears blurred his vision. Meg reached out to comfort him, but Cas jerked away violently before she even touched him.

"So go explain what happened, if this matters so much to you!"

Suddenly, all the fight went out of Cas, leaving him broken and lifeless.

"I can't. He'll never let me explain."

"Then make him listen to you."

"I. Can't." Cas put as much venom into each word as he possible could. "I can't make him hear me out. He can't listen to me."

After that, Meg couldn't get any coherent words out of Castiel that weren't "get out," "go away," or "I hate you." The only thing she could do was drag him to his room and tuck him into bed. As soon as she had pulled the covers around him, he turned onto his side, facing the wall. He refused to turn around, and eventually she left him there, deciding that sticking around was doing more harm than good.

All night, the only thing Castiel could think was that even if Dean could listen to him, he never would.

AN: I know this is twice the length of a usual chapter, but I felt like it all needed to go together. I'll probably be wrapping it up soon. Sorry if there were errors, it's 3 am right now and I just finished writing it. =.= 'Night all.