Chapter 2
It's actually a couple of days before Dean sees Cas again properly. They might live together, but Dean's job has fairly antisocial hours, and Cas is finishing college and working a part time job at a local diner. He doesn't need the money, and Dean's always been too nervous about offending Cas to ask why he does it. He inherited a shit ton of money when he turned 21 and it threw a massive spanner into their frien- relationship when each thought the other would be heading for the exit.
So Dean heads to work each day with little more than a few smiles exchanged over the rim of coffee cups. Sometimes it's just like before they kissed in that parking lot; he can pretend everything is simple. They orbit each other from a safe distance.
He's still not told Sam or Cas he's taking extra courses to upgrade to paramedic. It's stupid, but it's also nice to have something no one else knows about about. If it goes wrong, it's only himself he let down. It feels like everyone and their mother has something to say about his relationship with Cas, waiting for it to fail or be the next big thing, depending on which side the peanut gallery is rooting for. He also knows that the extra time spent away from home is going to need explaining eventually; he was aware of that before Sam accused him of hooking up with Charlie behind their backs, but thankfully another storm blew in to cover his proverbial tracks. He won't get so lucky twice.
When he barrels into Cas' diner with Charlie, it's empty of the morning rush because they're both coming off a long-ass night shift. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't exactly a cake walk either. So instead of hustling the waitstaff for attention or side stepping the suited and booted business men with their grab-and-go breakfasts, they're treated to the fine dining experience of being sat almost instantly by a dark haired girl Dean thinks he might recognise. He knows pretty much all the staff here, but he's drawing a blank on her name. He just hopes to god he hasn't slept with her, because after their last conversation, night shift or not, Cas will try to castrate him. Publicly. Probably with a teaspoon.
As Dean removes some of his outer layers, he cranes his head to see if he can catch sight of the man in question - these situations are usually easier to deflect if Cas stakes his claim nice and early. And marvellous, now Dean is looking to hide behind his boyfriend in order to avoid a girl he might or might not have slept with. Just how far down the rabbit hole has he fallen recently?
Thankfully, Cas appears behind the counter on the other side of the diner, sliding a plate of something warm and comforting at an old guy in a beige sweater. He nods politely when his offering is acknowledged and then as he sweeps the room, his eyes land on Dean. Ever since he's known him, Cas has always managed to look equal parts pleased and mortified whenever he sees Dean when he's not expecting to. He breaks eye contact pretty quickly, but he doesn't stifle his smile quickly enough before he turns around and Dean has a moment to feel pretty smug about catching him off guard until he turns back to his redundant menu and Charlie.
While he's been making eyes at Cas across with sparsely populated diner, it's pretty clear she's been contemplating him just as intensely.
"So," she asks, apropos of all the staring, he supposes, "how goes it between you two?" She's channeling nonchalant about as effectively as she is High Inquisitor at this point in time.
"It goes," he quips back.
She hums in acknowledgement, but manages to make it sound disbelieving at the same time. He's about to question her when he gets the prickly feeling of someone standing at his shoulder.
Charlie's greeting is probably a little too enthusiastic for the non-conversation they were just having, but he turns to greet Cas, (who else) with a genuine smile.
"Hey," he feels a little breathy and off kilter, like he's not sure if they're fighting or he should apologise or even if Cas is going to make a move to touch him, kiss him, drawn some public attention to their relationship.
"Hello, Dean." He smiles, so that's something. "Charlie." Again with the smile - could have just been professional courtesy, but he and Charlie do seem to have been in text communication since that fateful meeting in the bar. He would worry about what they find to talk about, but he suspects it's him and some things he prefers to be in the dark about.
"Have you just finished?" Cas lifts his hand as if to brush something from Dean's hairline but hesitates as if realising they're in public and at his place of work, so he makes a pretty clumsy attempt at negating the movement and reaching for the order pad he never uses. Dean's always been impressed by how freakishly good Cas' memory is.
"Yeah, long night," Dean tries to keep the exhaustion from his voice, but Cas gets it anyway. He nods to Missouri who has appeared behind the counter and then tells them he'll be right back with coffees.
"Did I pass out and miss the part where we order?" asks Charlie as Cas heads back across the diner.
"Dude, you know Cas and Missouri have that freaky ability to suss out your order before you even know what you want. Plus," Dean continues, "you'll have pancakes. You always have pancakes."
"Maybe I only ever have pancakes because they always Jedi Mind Trick me into thinking I want pancakes. Ever thought of that?" Her voice begins to take on that edge of hysteria that can only come from working hours that no sane human should be awake for. "Perhaps I wanted oatmeal today!"
Her tirade is cut short by Missouri herself delivering the coffee. Dean tries to be furtive when he casts his eye around to see where Cas went, but he meets Missouri's knowing eye regardless.
"He's showing Hannah how to take a delivery," Missouri answers despite his lack of question. At his blank look, she continues, "that sweet girl that showed you to your seat."
"Oh, right. Sweet girl, yeah," says Dean, for want of anything better.
Missouri makes a discontented humming sound as if he's said completely the wrong thing. Jesus, maybe he has slept with her - Hannah, not Missouri, that would be wrong on so many levels - but then how does Missouri know if he doesn't?
"You better be good to that boy, Dean Winchester." The way she says it makes it sound like she knows he's stringing Cas along. Which he's not. Well, at least he's not trying to. Hell, he's far too tired for any of this to be fair right now and Cas is so far away.
Except for the part where he's not. He appears out of thin air expertly balancing a tray of breakfast for both of them: eggs, biscuit, sausage and bacon for Dean; blueberry pancakes for Charlie.
Cas smiles widely and leans in to audaciously peck Dean on the mouth. He stays bent double to turn to both Charlie and Dean in turn as he raises one hand and says with the most perfectly straight face and Alec Guinness voice, "These are not the droids you are searching for." And with that he sweeps away from the table all sexy and impressive.
Dean, however, is not ready to let him go. "Hey dork," he calls as several eyes in the diner turn their way. Cas pauses and raises an eyebrow at him over his shoulder in a manner that is criminally attractive. "Looking for," Dean supplies. Cas arches his eyebrow and becomes even hotter by default. "The line," presses Dean, "is 'these are not the droids you're looking for'," and he sits back smugly to tuck into his well deserved breakfast/dinner/who knows what meal his body thinks it's getting.
Missouri refills their drinks and wanders away muttering something that sounds suspiciously like she hopes Dean knows what he's looking for. Charlie's look says much the same. Dean just puts his head down and eats to fill the sudden void in his stomach.