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Dean knows every sound the Impala does.
When she has runned out of fuel, when the brakes are not working properly, when one of the tyres got flat, even when some goddamn huge insect has crashed into the windshield. He is used to these sounds since forever, he learned all of them beside his dad all those years ago, "Connecticut to Wisconsin can't be that bad, right Dean-o?" John said, and they ended up beside the road without signal to call for help. She has been taken apart multiple times, her chasis, her black shiny paint, but in the end she has been always the same significant car. "Classic cars are forever, man" and yes, she was quite something.
Though, there's one sound that Dean has not been able to get used to yet. One sound that he hears and makes him startle from the driver's seat, loosing control of his hands on the wheel.
And that's Castiel and his angelic zap.
"Jesus Christ!" is all he manages to say when he turns to the shotgun seat to see that is no longer empty, but occupied with the angel.
"Cas, I swear.. I.. warn a guy!".
He is focused now, he can do this, he can drive and try not to yell at Castiel every time the idiot finds pleasant to scare the shit out of him.
"I apologize, I should have made my presence known".
Through his words Castiel sounds sincere, but - after all this years - Dean realises that there's something off about him. Yeah, maybe his blue eyes are not shinning as always but hey, maybe it's just because it's dark and really late. A quick glance to his wristwatch... shit, nearly 5 am. Sammy will be up soon with all his morning-bird attitude. He just needed an hour off. Well, two hours but nevermind. He loves Sammy more than anything, but the gigantor can be a little dick sometimes. Or maybe the dick is Dean and he is too stubborn to admit it.
"You seem concerned" Castiel suddenly breaks, Dean -who almost forgot his nerdy friend was there- snaps out of his own thoughts and turns his sight to him. "Yeah, no, kind of. Whayya doing here anyway?".
As soon as the words leave his mouth he can see through the corner of his eye Cas shifting in his seat, setting his head upright, focusing his sight on the road ahead.
"Sam thought it would be a good idea if I came looking for you. He said you wouldn't listen to him."
Oh this is just great. Very mature Sam, sending a guy to man up in your place? The guy who has nothing to do with the whole deal?. Dean grits his teeth together, pressing his fingers hard against the wheel.
"Well, I would damn listen to him if he apologizes, no one takes my things without my permission. "
The whole thing started with Sam obsessed with a Rugaru near Pennsylvannia, the bastard was kidnapping teenagers like a stamp collector and erasing his tracks pretty damn well. It was a filthy creature. Sam's computer is old as Betty White and its screen had been turning blue and then green. Time to get a new one. Dean laughed at his brother, showing off that his own was perfectly fine. "I have tons of information Dean, you only preserve porn and God knows what else". Well, maybe that's true but Sam would never now. There's no way he'll admit that he downloaded every existing season of Dr. Sexy. And that's why he panicked, 'cause after grabbing some food -food being some suspicious sandwiches and a six-pack of beers in the nearest gas station-, he entered the room with the sight of his brother, sitting cross-legged with a computer in his lap that didn't belonged to him.
From his side, Castiel lets out a exasperate sigh.
"Dean, do you realise that your childish manner won't make any better the coexistence with you brother?".
Now he feels like he is twelve and Sammy stole his popsicle. "I'm not being a kid, I'm just saying he should ask before going through my stuff." He feels defensibly and stupid at the same time.
There are worse things to be concerned about, worse things to fight Sammy about, but when he is off the slightest bad joke can make him go all sensitive. Dean turns to watch Castiel with his head tilted down.
"You okay Cas?"
The sun is rising now, it's time to get back.
"Yes, I was just... thinking about all this matter that you find to discord about, while in my experience the disputes between my brothers have never been so simple"
Dean lets out a snort. "Yeah, I guess fighting the odds with a feathery army can be pretty messy. Don't want to know about your family dinners". Dean smiles at Castiel but there's no answer on his face. Dude is depressed, here we go.
"I also wondered about having... things" The words sound strange on Castiel's mouth, like he is saying something in a completely different language. "Having belongings and a place to preserve them".
Well shit, at Dean's impression Cas is going all emo on him.
"If it makes you feel better we don't have where to put them either, we carry them around." After getting no response again and not even a glance, Dean continues. "Besides you've got your trench coat... and tie"
Is he smirking? Why is he smirking saying a word such ordiary as "tie". Castiel seems to notice and tilts his head, staring right at Dean with his right profile covered in soft light.
"My clothing amuses you?" He doesn't sound offended, just curious. "No, I mean it gives you this look.. ya know". Castiel face is blank so he continues "I mean it's hard not to think about you on a daily basis. Every time I see a guy with a long coat I think, hey, just like Cas. Same with the blue tie, but still haven't seen anyone with it backwards" He talks to freely and too fresh through all his words but then his chest sinks into place.
"You think about me often?" the angel asks, staring at him and squinting his eyes just a little bit.
Dean checks the pannel. Nope, the heat is off so it just his own damn embarrassment that is making him pleading for air. "No I... I didn't say that. I just said that they remind me of you, that's it." Castiel's lips curl into an "o" shape and why in heavens is Dean staring. Road ahead. Yes.
"I do think about you often." says the angel suddenly.
What. The. Hell. Are they turning a car ride into an Oprah moment? Where's the goddamn motel anyway? Dean feels like he has been driving forever. He clears his throat awkwardly and continues."You do?". It came out more like a whisper but whatever. His friend doesn't seem to notice. "Yes. After being unable to hear the Voices from Heaven my mind has been available for other thoughts. Even with my powers, as you may say, I get bored."
You don't even have to be human to recognise that this is not a comfortable conversation. A guy who appears at 5 am in your car, saying he thinks about you a lot, yeah, that's no zone for anybody. And what if he thinks a lot about Castiel too? When his eyes change to another shade of blue, or when his impossible lips seem too dry to keep and he licks them in a blink of an eye, or when he tilts his head clearly not understaning what he is being told, or when every guy in a coat or a stupid tie reminds him of-
"Dean?" He is there. Get a grip, he is right there. "Yeah? Oh... well I'm glad that I... entertain you" Well done Winchester, you sounded like a hooker.
"Dean, why are we in a clearing?" He has been driving for an hour without no direction. The sun is rising and the dawn bathes everything with orange and yellow light. Even Castiel.
"C'mon" he says as he gets out of the car and walks on the pavement. Castiel doesn't zap next to him, he just opens the door and leaves the car like a normal person. Dean sits on the hood of the Impala and in an awkward movement, Castiel sits next to him.
"Y'know, you shouldn't be here so regularly. I'm not saying that I don't want you here man, believe me I do, but you seem to have bigger problems up there and I feel like I... Sammy and I, are in your way. You deserve to have things Cas, you.. deserve to "discord" with your brothers and if we are keeping you here you should.."
"No." He is not looking at Dean but the word came out like a sharp cut. And then he adds softy "I do not desire that. Most of the time... I'd rather be here."
Dean swallows. What a great friend he has. Without holding his grin he looks at Castiel with fondness, to find him smiling right back at him. There's a sound of a car getting closer, which speed is over the limit and a group of drunken teenagers scream to them as they pass by. "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" It's late September. God bless the new generation.
"Sam might be awake by now, you should get back" Castiel puffs and he sees the sun getting bigger and brighter.
"Yeah, just a minute." Dean says as he smiles to himself, realizing that he can't stop staring.
"Is there something wrong?"
"No Cas, not at all".
And then he realises that maybe, just maybe, he likes having Castiel around. A lot.