Chapter 4: when you came to me


Dean reasons that the only reason 'Hot Guy' knew his name was probably because Lisa had told him. Too bad Lisa couldn't remember 'Hot Guy's' name so he could stop calling him 'Hot Guy' in his head. It's starting to get a little ridiculous honestly.

Dean sighs heavily and sprays on a few squirts of cologne Lisa had gotten him last Christmas. She had somehow convinced him to go to a local scent shop and they had found him a scent that enhanced his own natural one. Well, technically they had to create one which ended up being far more money than Dean would even think to spend on fucking perfume but whatever, it wasn't his money. Plus, it did smell really good.

He glances at himself in the mirror and runs his fingers down his jawline, he should have probably shaved but it was too late now, he had put off showing up as late as he could so that maybe the party would be too busy for anyone to notice him. Lisa had called him about ten minutes ago though asking him 'just when in the sweet fuck he was going to get here?'

"I'm comin', I'm comin'." He had snipped at her and then promptly hung up. Once he got there, he would just tell her flat out that he had absolutely zero interest in being set up, introduced, or even looking at 'Hot Guy'. She would listen to him if he laid it out for her. She might be pushy as shit but she meant well and could respect boundaries.

So, he's just gotta get through tonight. He adjusts the flannel he's wearing and contemplates changing it, for the 17th time, before shaking his head.

"This is as good as it's gonna get." He tells his reflection, and he gives himself a nod before making his way out of the bathroom and across the house to his front door. He lets himself sigh again before he steps outside into the late afternoon air and makes his way across both their lawns before entering the backyard through the side gate that is currently propped open with an ice chest.

The party is in full swing, and he can see everyone from the neighborhood talking and laughing; Snacking on the various appetizers he and Lisa had made yesterday. Sure, it was mostly just deviled eggs and pigs in a blanket but still. He'd put hard work into popping those stupid little crescent roll cans. He had no idea who came up with the idea of putting them in there, but it scared the shit out of him every time he pressed the spoon to that stupid seal. He assumed, naturally, that that was exactly how people who disarmed bombs felt. He laughed to himself and snatched a water bottle out of the ice chest.

"You're here!" A voice shrieks and Dean rolls his eyes, here it comes. Lisa makes her way over to him and punches his arm as soon as she's within reach of him. "You were supposed to be here an hour ago."

"Ok one, Ow. And two, there was no time specified on your e-vite, which is kinda outdated don't cha think Lis?"

"Shut it, Winchester, I am both cool and hip."

Dean laughs and shakes his head. "I dunno about that."

Lisa punches his arm again and takes a swig of whatever alcoholic seltzer she's currently hooked on. Dean had tried a few but spicy water isn't really his thing. Also, he got pretty fucked up on a few of them at the start of the summer. Those frilly little cans were very fucking misleading.

"Anyway, so look, my neighbor, the runner-"

"Hold on," Dean stops her with a hand in the air. "I know you wanna introduce me to 'Hot Guy', but I have no interest in him Lis. Really. I'm asking you to not do this. I wanna avoid this. Please just …please just respect me on this, yeah?"

Lisa blinks, "Dean," she hisses, face tight; "Why didn't you say all this on the phone twenty minutes ago?"

Dean pulls back slightly, "Well excuse me but sometimes you're not so good with the hearing me out part."

Lisa at least has the decency to look contrite before conceding to his point with a head waggle. "Still, you should have said something because he's on his way over here right now."

Dean blanches, "What?" he whisper-yells between gritted teeth, should he run away? He could run away.

No.

Fuck.

No, he can't run away, he's a 36-year-old adult man for fuck's sake. He's just gotta deal with this.

"Yeah, 'm sorry Dean." She peers over his shoulder and kinda waves. Dean sighs, again. He's doing a lot of that tonight. "Oh, I figured out his name by the way." She manages quickly. "Don't shorten it, he really seems to hate that."

What? He thinks to himself and Lisa waves again, this time a little more enthusiastically. "Hi, Castiel!"

And Dean's entire world just tilts.