Chapter Text
Dean
It was nearly perfect. Almost to the point of brainless movement, no longer a mind with complicated thoughts about friends and school and a little brother back home with big ideas and a growth spurt and taking three jobs to get Sammy clothes and food and maybe someday college… Dean cleared his head by forcing himself faster, becoming a collection of muscles slicing through the cold water. Being a lifeguard sucked ass. Long tedious hours, stupid kids who decided it was fun to float unmoving in the water, a collection of blushing preteens and old ladies that tried to flirt with him. But there were some perks. Unlimited pool access, for one. Jo was nice enough to take the last hour before closing in exchange for helping to lock up. The final hour was generally pretty lax, a few lazy teens that didn’t want to go home, but mostly the hard-core swimmers getting in few hours of practice when they could. It was usually the highlight of his day, as pathetic as that sounds, just being able to get away from it all.
It also stopped Sammy from bitching to him about eating healthier.
Okay, no more chick-flick moments, just swim. Dean loses himself to the water, but could feel the exhaustion aching through him. It hard been a late night at the Roadhouse, then up early Saturday to get a jumpstart on his workload at the garage, and then booking it to the pool. 30 more minutes, he chanted, 30 more and then you can stop. His eyes latched on the end of his lane, trying to keep his pace steady. Just because he swam faster, time did not pass faster. Dean was maybe 3 yards away when two feet entered the water, complete with pink wriggling toes.
Dick move, asshole. You don’t fuck with someone lane, especially when they are actually using it. His swam quickly towards the end, flipping and shoving off as violently as possible, sending the inevitable spray of water onto whoever was hanging their stupid feet in his lane. Jo’s quirked smile greeted him as he took a fast breath going the opposite direction. Hopefully the person had taken the hint and had fucked off.
Another breath. Another hit and flip.
And the feet were still there. Dean’s anger sparked low in his chest, his hour was just not something you messed with. He broke the plane of the water, taking in oxygen and hazarding a fast glance at stranger sitting at the end of the pool. Male. Dark hair. Again, he was crashing into the water, fast and efficient. Hit, flip, less splash this time, but still. Dick move, dude.
Glance at Jo, amusement in her eyes. Swim, hit, flip. Fast look at the boy and a half breath. Who the fuck wears a white button down and, admittedly rolled up, dark slacks to a pool? Hit flip, baby splash. Faster, faster, don’t look at Jo. Hit, flip, another look. Sleeves pushed up to his forearms,not really skinny but…slender.
Fuck, Dean thought, he’s probably hot. Hit, flip, no splash, no time. A gnawing sense of dread caught up to him. Hit, flip, go. Breathe, look. Longer this time. Young guy, probably 16, 17. Dean felt relieved, at 19 himself he wouldn’t be a complete creep then. Hit, flip.
Right, his internal monologue snarked, because a random stranger who doesn’t really know what you look like sat there on purpose because he was totally interested in you. This is not a fucking Lifetime movie.
Hit, flip, ignoring the glint in Jo’s eyes. Heading back to the boy. 20 minutes. Goddamn shirt was sticking to him, plastered to his body. Why was he all wet?
Oh right.
Hit, flip, little bit of a splash. Teasing. Dean thought he heard a faint laugh, but his head was all messed up and his legs and arms were aching.
Hit, flip, hit, flip, hit, flip.
Jawlines, faint stubble.
Chapped pink lips.
Fucking piercing blue eyes.
The eyes were killer. Dean wondered if they were naturally that deep or it was some trick of light reflecting off the blue of the water. Someone could drown in those eyes.
Dean was so screwed it was not even funny. The worst part was the eye contact, brief and blinding even covered by goggles and waterdrops running down his face. Hit, flip. 10 minutes.
At the next fast gasp of air and a quick snapshot, Dean thought something looked wrong with the picture. Off. Hit, flip, diving low and away. What was it, what was different. He struggled to recall and remembered.
The top two buttons had been undone.
Okay. It’s hot and humid and he is getting splashed with water. Yeah. That. Dean’s rational mind was slipping, not enough oxygen was getting to his brain.
Hit. Flip.
It was three now, a pale hand hovering on his rib cage, a faint twist to his lips.
Fuck. Hit, flip, faster. Breathe more, three on the way back. Jo had disappeared. Hit, flip.
Five buttons down, only two left. The hand traced up and down lazily, but it was the close-eyed blissed look on his face that speed up Dean’s heartbeat. 4 minutes. Hit. Flip. Faster, faster. Had to leave, had to close down, had to sit and fucking breathe for awhile.
Hit.
Flip.
2 minutes.
Dean gasped in a burning lungful of air, taking a long smouldering gaze. One hand raked through the dark hair, mussing it up. Definite sex hair. His shirt was completely open at the front, the other hand brushed sharp hipbones, a thumb crooking itself under the waistband and-
Back into the water, muscles screaming, heat pooling low in his stomach. No, this is not happened here.Dean thought briskly. 1 minute. Hit, flip, a fucking tidal wave of splash, the fucking tease. Fast, fast, lungs empty and aching. Almost enough time, one more double back, enough time to grab those offending feet and yank him into the water and-
Jo blew her whistle, the signal that they would be closing and that everyone had to leave. Dean surfaced at the end closest to her. He ripped off his goggles and throwing them to the side, trying to calm his breathing. He ran a hand through his hair to try and get out the water, but also clear his head. Then, and only then, Dean looked to the other end of the pool.
He sat there with his dark pants rolled up, but otherwise meticulously neat and orderly clothes. He lounged with a calm dispassionate look on his face, as if nothing had happened. Not even looking this direction. Dean’s mouth fell open, it was like he had imagined the whole thing.
A light female voice called out, “Castiel, let’s go.” The dark-haired boy glanced towards a willowy red-head in a bikini standing with a guy who had an arm possessively wrapped around her. Not a girlfriend then, Dean thought, and then regretted it. The boy stood slowly, stretching, exposing a pale stripe of flesh that did questionable things to Dean’s slowly recovering heartbeat.
“Be right there, Anna.” A deep gravely voice sounded from the boy. Castiel. Dean tried not to shiver.
Fuck this. Fuck him, fuck Castiel. Asshole. Fuck everything. Dean hauled himself out of the water on only slightly shaking arms, anger mostly fueled by frustration and exhaustion. Jo was looking peeved from the corner, trying to figure out the pool cleaning robot. She was going to start yelling at him soon to start turning off lights and locking up.
Fuck this. But he looked back again, letting himself have that. Castiel paused by the door as he held it open for the redhead, Anna, and her boyfriend. Their eyes met for a long second.
Then the fucker winked and breezed out the door.
Jo yelled at him, locking up took forever, Sammy was watching scary movies when he got home and had to be cajoled into sleeping, and Dean finally crashed into his own bed.
His dreams started with the rush of water and the thud of his legs hitting the walls of the pool. It ended with a boy with dark hair, blue eyes, and a grin on his face.
I am so fucked.
Castiel
It started with a door slamming. That wasn’t uncommon in the Novak household, especially with Gabriel back, but Castiel jumped anyway. His sister’s voice echoed from around the corner.
“I’m seventeen! I don’t have to tell you where I am going!”
“I am your brother and your guardian. I am responsible for you, Anna.” Michael’s deep tenor intoned, dead calm. Castiel stood quietly from his position on the couch, clutching his book in his hand.
“This is ridiculous. Castiel is younger than me, and you never say no to him!”
“That is because Castiel makes reasonable requests. Asking to go out at 10 on a school night, and refusing to answer where you are going is not a reasonable request.” A break was starting in Michael’s tone, warning Anna to not press her luck.
“Fine! Fine! I’m going to the gym. Okay? I wanted to work out a bit.”
Castiel started to edge around the hall the two were standing in, hoping to not get any more caught in the crossfire.
“Was that so difficult?” Michael sounded more resigned than happy.
“It’s the principle of the matter…” Anna hissed under her breath, far too loudly.
“What?” The fast fury was evident on Michael’s face as Castiel tried to get past.
“Nothing!” Anna insisted.
Michael’s eyes landed on Castiel, a dark glint flickering to life. Castiel froze.
Caught.
“Anna, you have permission to go, but you must also bring Castiel.”
“What? No!” Anna cried, “Castiel doesn’t want to go, that’s unfair to make him! Right Castiel?”
Castiel ducked his head and glanced slightly at Michael. The look on his face told him not to do anything stupid. The face told him to be a good little soldier. Castiel scuffed his shoe on the carpet.
“I’ll go with you Anna.” He said softly.
Anna made a disgusted sound, “Learn to grow some balls little brother.” She stormed out of the house. The runner on the floor tried to trip him, but he made it out the door. Michael’s gazed burned into the back of his head.
“Sit in the back” Anna threw her door open and pressed her phone to her ear. Castiel quietly slipped into the back seat and placed his book on his lap. He had forgotten to set it down.
“Are we actually going to the gym?” He asked, hesitantly
“I wasn’t going to, but now I have to. At least they have a pool.”Anna looked angrily at her phone and dialled another number as she clicked her seatbelt and started the car.
“I wouldn’t tell.” Castiel mumbled.
Anna’s eyes met his in the reflection of the mirror, anger obvious, “Yeah, but if Michael or Luc asked you directly?”
Castiel shrunk against the cold window, the answer apparent to both of them. His stomach felt all twisted.
“Babe? Change of plans. Michael decided to be his usual almighty-dick self. Pool? I’ll pick you up. Kay. Bye.” Anna talked into the phone and tossed it into the empty seat beside her. She fixed Castiel with another long look in the mirror. “You need to learn to stand up to them. You can’t let them push you around forever, stick up for yourself. Rebel a bit. Gabriel is still allowed in the house, right?”
“Gabriel wasn’t a sinner. Just a trickster.” Castiel closed his eyes, weary against the cool glass. He heard Anna’s soft sigh.
“You’re not a sinner Castiel.”
He made a noncommittal noise.
“At the very least, don’t throw me under the bus next time.”
Castiel flashed open his eyes to see Anna’s faint grin. He huffed and settled back down.
“It’s not my fault you can’t find more clever ways to fornicate with your boyfriend.”
Anna just laughed.
They showed up at the pool an hour before closing. Which was ridiculous in Castiel’s book. And he didn’t have a swim suit. Not that he would swim anyway.
“Anna.”
“Castiel.” She wasn’t even looking, both arms were wrapped around the mound of a boyfriend. They had already committed several acts of public affection which was making Castiel uncomfortable.
Castiel cleared his throat as they dove for another lip lock. “Where are we going?”
“Well, I am going to make out with my boyfriend in a hot tub. You can find something else to keep you occupied. Go read somewhere. Figure it out.” With a laugh they were both off to a corner of the indoor pool. Castiel glanced around the room, looking for a bench or a deserted corner. There were not many people there, with good reason, it was late. His eyes scanned and settled on a muscular back slicing through the water. It was an unconscious decision. Castiel might be shy, but he never lied to himself. He liked what he liked. And he definitely liked the way the muscles bunched and stretched as the swimmer tore through vicious laps. There was a passion to the way he swam, a determination. He looked in control and comfortable. He looked like he knew who he was and what he wanted. Castiel tried to shove down the little aches in his chest.
So maybe it was Anna yelling at him that made him walk over there. Maybe it was the sparks of rebellion that made him dip in his feet. But it was the passion in the swimmers eyes that made him stay. It was his eyes, a colour Castiel wasn’t quite sure of (maybe brown maybe green), and the challenge they held that made him do it.
With a pounding heart he teased and stripped and covered it all with a mask of calm he had practiced for years. And when it was over, when the swimmer stopped and stood, Castiel had to keep his jaw from dropping. He was gorgeous. Tall, tanned, pretty, unfairly glistening with dripping water. Castiel instantly felt small. Young. Unworthy. A sinner for looking, for coveting.
He turned and left when his sister called. The dutiful brother. The good little soldier.
One last look.
That was all he would give himself.
Castiel had to once again reign in his heart as he caught the gaze full of brash interest and dark-burning lust. And he felt large. Old. Worthy. Normal.
So he winked. So he kept up the act that felt less and less like an act and more and more like his quiet rebellious inner voice.
And as he walked out he heard Anna ask, “How was the book?”
He just turned and smiled at her, “I think it’s getting much better.”
Castiel
“Castiel you will do this. You have a responsibility to your family.” Michael’s expression made it very clear that this point was not up for negotiation.
“But…” Castiel began, noticing Anna’s eyes widening at his protest. He could not do this. He could not.
“Castiel. Now. And not another word on this subject.” Michael forcefully placed the keys in Castiel’s hand and swept out of the room.
“Damn bro, I almost thought you were going to stick up for yourself.” Gabriel leaned against a wall, sucking on an ever present lollipop. Anna just laughed.
“I hope your teeth rot.” Castiel hissed.
“That’s not nice Casss.” A little voice called. Castiel looked down at the mop of blond hair.
“Yeah Cassie,” Gabriel teased, “aren’t you gonna apologize?”
Castiel crouched so he was lower to the ground. “Do I have to apologize Samandriel? If I apologize to Gabriel we are probably going to be late. Which one are you going to pick?”
Samandriel bit his lip, but then raised his little fists in the air and held up the green floaties. “Swim lessons!”
Castiel smiled and led his little brother out to the car, but cursed himself internally. It had been months ago, a single weird night, a random run in. No way would the green-eyed boy be there.
God didn’t hate him that much.
Dean
Swim lessons were always a fun break from lifeguarding. Not that he liked admitting it, but teaching the little kids was always a riot. They still found swimming and water an amazing experience so it was refreshing to see someone really enjoy the pool. Sammy used to come with on those days, just to play around and help the really struggling ones. But now Sammy was ‘Sam’ and ‘too old for that kid stuff’ so Dean would have to meet the new class all by himself.
They looked like a pretty good group so far, an awkward kid named Garth would wouldn’t stop talking, a quiet boy named Andy, a toothy grinned girl named Madison, a hyper kid named Ash who Dean had already had to pluck out of the air before he went careening into the water, and a very unhappy looking little girl named Meg who was glaring at the pool like it had personally insulted her. Meg had already cracked under Dean’s easy humor, but her scary parent, Alistair, was a different matter. He looked…hungry. Thankfully after the first lesson most parents go read in the lobby or work out on their own.
There were supposed to be seven in this class, and after a very brisk handshake with an enthusiastic parent and a deep scowl from a tiny girl named Bela, Dean was wondering where the seventh was. A glance at the clock told him they were ten minutes behind schedule. He clapped his hands together to draw their attention.
“Alright kids, which of you have gone swimming before?” All the hands raised, good.
“Well, even if you have been in the water before, you probably didn’t think about the mechanics of swimming.” Dean smiled as the well worn spiel set in and he could see the kids getting excited.
Well, one short but it would have to do.
Castiel
“Castiel, we’re late.” Samandriel complained, tugging on his hand.
“I know, I know.” Castiel felt frazzled, shoving the car keys into his pocket then running the hand through the hair. A nervous habit. Traffic had been awful, there had been an accident and it took forever to get past.
“Castiellll.” Samandriel’s lip budged out in a pout and he looked a second from a meltdown.
“Samandriel, we’re right here. We are only fifteen minutes late, they had to do introductions and everything. It will be like missing the previews to a movie.”
“Fine.” His voice was small and pitiful.
The second they entered the pool area Samandriel dropped Castiel’s hand and bolted over to the group of parents and kids lined up on the pool edge, dipping their feet into the water. As he neared he heard Samandriel talking to he presumed was the instructor, hidden by the gaggle of parents.
“Samandriel, huh? Cool name.” A voice intoned.
“It’s an angel name. We’re all angels.” Samandriel answered, basking in the attention. Castiel felt awkward as he ‘sorry’-ed and ‘excuse me’-ed his way through the group.
“Who all are angels?” The voice again.
“My family. All my brother’s and sisters, we are all angels. Even though my brother doesn’t talk like one when we get stuck in traffic.”
“Where is this brother of yours, I need someone to sign paperwork.”
Castiel pushed past the final parent, and stopped dead. The guy looked up from where he was crouched to talk to Samandriel. His green eyes lit up.
“So this is the brother with the name but not the mouth of an angel?” Green-eyed boy said, grinning as he stood. His eyes flicked down to Castiel’s mouth and Castiel started to feel very uncomfortable.
Castiel swallowed nervously before answering, “Castiel Novak. I have a tendency to use profanities in a very limited set of situations. Stupid drivers fall in that category.”
“Dean Winchester. Well, hopefully paperwork is in the clear.” He handed Castiel a clip board.
Castiel nodded awkwardly and walked to the side to fill out form and let the class continue. It was going to be a long half hour.
Dean
The kids went through the drill quickly, eager to learn. They went through kicking, front crawl, and backstroke. Dean couldn’t help but tease a bit when it was time to get in the water. He stripped his shirt slowly, tensing the muscles in his back and letting Cas get an eyeful. When he drove in the pool and surfaced he could see Cas glaring at the clipboard like it was the most important thing in the world.
The class went too quickly. Dean would have liked to get Castiel back for that night some months ago, but not with all the students there. After they wrapped up, the parents started escorting their children to get changed and go. Dean treaded water for a second, wracking his brain for a reason to keep Castiel behind for some reason. Inspiration hit.
“Hey Castiel, there is a problem with your paperwork.”
Castiel’s eyes flashed to his, but his attention was diverted by an insistent Samandriel.
“Castiel, I wanna go home. I’m tired.”
“Why don’t you go get changed and Cas can fix this in the meantime.” Dean suggested, fighting a grin.
Before Castiel could protest, Samandriel had grabbed his bag and was making his way to the locker room.
The two spent a long second staring at eachother. Dean watched as a slow smile spread across the other boy’s face. Castiel slipped off his shoes and socks and obstinately sat down on the poolside and dangled his feet in the water.
“Oh yes, tell me about this problem.” The sarcasm was thick in his voice.
Dean pushed himself slightly out of the water to grab the clip board. He tapped the blank line. “See? No phone number. Do you not have a phone or just don’t want me to have your number?”
Castiel blushed slightly, “I do not own a mobile phone.”
“Really?” he tried to keep his tone light, “No electronic devices at all?”
“No. Why?” Cas narrowed his eyes and tilted his head to the side. Thoroughly adorable.
“So I can do…this.” Dean lunged and grabbed a leg and an arm around the other boy’s back before quickly dumping them both into the water.
Castiel surfaced kicking and sputtering and making a mess of his hair as he tried to wipe water out of his hair. Dean laughed, keeping an arm around him to make sure he was still breathing.
“Dean! I can’t swim, I could have drowned! You could have killed me!” Castiel glared at him but Dean couldn’t take it seriously as the boy stood waist deep and dripping.
“I would have brought you back to life. I know mouth-to-mouth.” Dean placed the other hand on Cas’s hip, drawing him closer.
“Do you?” Cas stared at his lips.
“It was quite awhile ago. I might need a refresher.” Their head were close together, breaths intermingling.
“Uh huh.” Cas’s voice had dropped to a whisper. Dean leaned forward, closing the distance. Abruptly Cas leaned back.
“I’m pretty sure they have CPR dummies for that.”
“You’re a dummy.” Dean shot back lamely, disappointment colouring his voice.
“Wow, nice comeback. I really trust you with my life now.” But Cas was laughing and he was laughing at Dean and that just wouldn’t do. So Dean lunged forward and cut Cas’s laughter with a kiss and unceremoniously dunked them both underwater.
Because it’s a lot harder to laugh underwater.
A lot easier just to kiss.
Castiel
“Why are you all wet?”
“Because, Samandriel, Dean Winchester is a dick.”
“What situation is this? He wasn’t driving, why did you swear?”
“He gave me his phone number.”