Work Text:
Sam loved the fall weather, the way the leaves smelled after they fell to the ground, and the warm days cooled by a relaxing breeze. He loved the pumpkin patches and candy apples, Thanksgiving and Halloween; the part he would miss the most, when going off to college next year, would be the County Fair. He and Castiel had bummed a ride from Dean to the fairgrounds earlier that day, which had become a tradition for them. Dean would grumble about being too busy to chauffer two teenage boys around and Sam would just look at him with his big hazel eyes and remind him of their father’s constant state of intoxication. He wouldn’t dare take his dad’s car, mostly because he still remembered what happened when Dean took it to meet friends when he was in high school. Dean of course would relent and moan dramatically while grabbing his keys.
He and Castiel jumped out of the Impala and headed for the gates. “Whoa buttercup! What time for pickup?” he shouted over the AC/DC that blared from his speakers.
“Closing time,” Sam yelled.
“What? That’s like… six hours from now.”
“Not like you’ll be sleep or something.” Sam turned and ran to catch up with Castiel.
“If I’m not here at midnight you two best start walkin’!”
Sam threw up a hand to Dean and kept moving, he had way more important things to do than worry about a ride home. They both got in free because Cas’ dad got free tickets every year, a perk of being a judge and all. As soon as they were through the gate Castiel spun around, fire in his eyes, “Okay, Step one: coaster and SuperLoop, Step two: Stuff ourselves silly, Step three: Games, my dad gave me ten dollars, Step four-” Sam was laughing uncontrollably at Castiel’s military like strategy for having fun.
“Cas, can’t we just… go with the flow?”
Castiel looked flustered but resigned “Well I guess… but we have to be on the Ferris wheel in time for the fireworks.”
“Okay. We’ll be there.” Sam had never wanted to wrap his arms around another person so badly.
Sam drug Castiel from ride to ride, ignoring the order in which they came. They ate an enormous amount of food, hotdogs, caramel apples, funnel cakes, and popcorn by the bag full. They played games and Cas even cheered him on when he shot the basketballs for a prize. Sam was tossing rings, hoping to win Castiel a cowboy hat as a prize. Castiel was distracted by the goldfish booth, squatted down with his face close to the bowls, as if he was communicating with the fish. Now was Sam’s only chance to make it a surprise. He tossed the last ring and made it over the bottle. He resisted the urge to celebrate, knowing that it would draw Cas’ attention. He slapped he cowboy hat on and sauntered over to his friend. “Howdy.” Castiel stood up and raised an eyebrow.
“Well… now all you need is a pair of boots and you’d be fit for a rodeo.”
“Well, sir I am glad to inform you that it wouldn’t be my first.” Sam replied in a slow southern drawl, tipping his hat.
“I’m betting it would be,” Cas said softly, leaning towards Sam to prevent unwanted ears from hearing. He winked and turned away. “Come on it’s time to go to the Ferris wheel, it’s not far from here.”
Sam’s eyes widened as Castiel’s words slowly sunk in and started to make sense. He had told Cas that he wanted to wait on taking their relationship to that level because all of this was new to him. Castiel was accepting of it and respected Sam’s choice. Honestly, he and Cas both wanted more but he was nervous about it. He had never desired someone so completely, that when he was alone with Cas it felt like he was on fire. He was still worried about what would happen after they went there. He found himself in line behind Castiel waiting to board the Ferris wheel, each seat was caged in and rocked back and forth whenever the passenger leaned forward. Cas was fidgeting with his watch impatiently and looking up at the sky as if they would miss the fireworks.
Finally seated, they put on their safety belts and the conductor closed the caged door. They moved half way up the side of the wheel as more patrons boarded to popular ride. Sam looked over at Castiel and saw that he was studying Sam in a strange way. “Can I kiss you Sam?” the question fell from his lips in a deep wavering tone. The cage was completely enclosed and the back of the seat was solid, no one could see them. Sam nodded, Cas’ cowboy hat sitting forgotten atop his head. Castiel leaned in and stopped millimeters from his lips. Sam breathed deeply, taking in all of Cas’ smell. Instead of making lip contact Cas grazed his lips along Sam’s jawline and stopped below his ear. The sensation made Sam clinch his hands against his own legs. Castiel placed a hand on Sam’s arm and pulled it around his waist. The wheel started moving. Cas opened his mouth and kissed up and down Sam’s neck at a torturously slow pace causing the taller boy to tighten his grip on Cas’ jacket.
He pulled back suddenly and Sam was set to protest until he saw them pass the boarding platform and the conductor. “Three more spins,” Castiel breathed, already back at his boyfriend’s neck. Sam tried to stifle a groan that ended up coming out as a growl when Cas sucked his earlobe into his mouth. The first exploding firework startled them both, they looked up just in time to see that they were coming up to the platform again too. “Two more,” Sam panted, ready this time. Cas grinned back devilishly. Their mouths met as more fireworks exploded above their heads in reds, blues, and gold. BOOM. He noticed Castiel had stopped, one leg was still over Sam’s as he watched the colors drip from the sky and disappear.
“Sam…” BOOM-boom-hisssss. “Mmmh?” Sam was still kissing at the corners of Castiel’s mouth trying to get his attention. “Look,” Sam looked up as Cas pointed at the marvelous spectacle before them. Sam turned his attention to the beautiful flashing colors. POP-hissss. They watched as they went past the platform for the last time. The wheel moved around bringing them higher and higher, closer to the radiance above them. Their cage came to a halt, swinging back and forth, as the first chair unloaded below. An enormous explosion unfolded above them and a rainbow of hues sailed down around them. “Sam,” he heard Castiel almost whispering his name. He reached over as he continued to watch the sky and entwined his hand with Castiel’s. “I love you Sammy.” Sam’s head snapped to look at Castiel who just stared up, the lights reflecting vibrantly on his eyes.
They were nearly to the other side. Say something Sam, he berated himself for his inability to speak. Castiel just watched the sky. I feel the same way. No, can’t say that, sounds insincere. But I do feel the same. “C—Cas,” Sam was choking on the words. Cas looked at him directly, waiting, possibly hoping for the answer he wanted. “I—I never thought I was worth much,” the seat dropped a little further “Not really… the only thing that has ever made me doubt that belief, made me believe I was worth anything, is you.” Was he really going to screw this up tonight? He attempted to recall Dean’s words “I like your lungs—NO-- your laugh, it’s like air… Um, and your smile makes my shitty days disappear.” Cas tilted his head trying to work through what he thought Sam was saying. “That sounded better in my head. Uh, I love you Cas.” Their eyes met again and Castiel smiled.
Sam squeezed his hand once and let go, they had reached the platform and were next to unload. They made it back to the gate silently only to find that Dean really wasn’t there. He was probably passed out in some busty babe’s room for the night and in no shape to drive. Sam agreed to crash at Castiel’s place that night and they started on the three mile walk to the Other Side.
Along the way they were mostly silent but Sam found he couldn't keep his hands off of Cas. They were rarely able to touch each other in public so Sam took full advantage of their long walk to the Novak’s home in the dark. Castiel was just past giddy beneath his affections. He ran his fingers through Cas’ hair and stole small kisses on his cheeks and neck. He put his long arm around Castiel’s shoulder pulling him in close and touched their foreheads together. Their bodies warming each other against the cool breeze that blew through the dark streets. They didn't bother looking out for cars or nosy neighbors, the two only looked at each other, and they were free. Whenever they passed a building they stopped in the shadows and kissed, deeply, memorizing every taste and sensation. Sam could feel the cool brick against his back and the heat rising from beneath Castiel's jacket. He could feel the gravel beneath his sneakers and Cas' hips pressing against his thighs.
They would pull away and start walking again when they felt the tremors in their bodies begin, like the building itself might crumble around them. They would inevitably find another shadow to fade into. They were as bright as sparkling sun-rays and glowing moonbeams to each other, yet completely unseen to the world. Sam, reluctantly, kept moving them on toward their destination but never lost contact with Castiel's body. Castiel was the opposite, he would linger in this moment until the sun rose, the whole world meant nothing. Finally, they found the doorstep of Cas’ home and they were forced to pull apart. That is until he wrapped his arms around the warm body that was his boyfriend and held him as they slept. Sam didn't want to let go that night and as long as Castiel kept calling him back, he would never let go.