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Why did Dean think befriending a nerdy red head was a good idea?
Dean often finds himself asking this question whenever he’s been dragged to yet another one of Charlie’s conventions, which is where he finds himself today at the LARP Convention in the UK. He is so grateful Sam decided to tag along this time, because Sam is actually interested in talking about it and he’s a nerd, Charlie and Sam can be nerdy together while Dean just follows along.
Dean doesn’t think Charlie realises just how much of a sacrifice he’s made flying over to the UK from his comfort of being home in Texas, where he doesn’t have to fly on a plane. They went over the tiniest bit of turbulence, and he thought he was going to have a heart attack, never mind that he also had to shut his garage for a week to even attend this convention in the first place.
Why he agrees to do it, you may ask? Well, Charlie is like a little sister to him, and when he originally told her no, she told him she’d just come alone, and he wouldn’t let her travel across the country alone. Call him paranoid, but he would feel way to guilty if anything did happen to her, she’s a literal ball of sunshine and he would hate for someone to dull that spark.
Dean had met Charlie five years ago, when he was just opening his garage up. He needed someone to make websites for him and really just a tech guru, he came across her name on Facebook through a post saying she’s looking for work and sent her a quick message, detailing what he was looking for in potential candidates, and they hit it off from the very first meeting.
“Dean! Keep up!” Charlie demands him, a giddy smile on her face as she grabs his arm pulling him to be side by side with her, Sam on the other side. “Look at us three, the three musketeers.”
Dean rolls his eyes but looks at her fondly. “Charls, how long are we going to be here for now? I’m hungry. I want me some pie.”
“Lighten up Dee. Charlie’s having fun. There’s a vending machine over there, go get a chocolate bar or something.” Sam rolls his eyes at Dean, food before anything. Dean grumbles as he walks away from them, pulling a face and he looks at the vending machine, thanking the heavens he was sensible enough to exchange dollars to pounds before they travelled over. Re-joining them once he has a snickers bar, he stays quiet.
“We’ll be another two hours before we can leave today, be back tomorrow for more.” Charlie tells Dean, a smile on her face. “Then we can go and find a diner for you to get your pie.”
Dean bites his chocolate bar, feigning annoyance but he’s happy that she’s happy, but he doesn’t want to let down his act, he has a reputation to upkeep. He walks alongside them, listening as they ramble on about the latest LARPING event that’s going on.
“…Would you and Dean be interested?” Dean zones back in hearing his name being mentioned, he had been too focussed on watching all the stalls and people dressed up. He must admit that it’s pretty cool. Although, it’s not something he would be seen dead doing. Dean looks at Charlie, raising his eyebrows and she lets out an exasperated sigh. “I said, I’ve been wanting to host my own Dungeons and Dragon’s campaign, but I have my group of people but I’m two down from having enough, would you and Sam be interested?”
“I would be,” Sam butts in, the little shit.
“Uhm no Charlie, I don’t like dungeons and dragons or all this LARPING shit.” He tells her, Sam hits the back of his head, and she rolls her eyes, knowing what he’s like every time she’s invited him to one.
“Yeah, right, I forgot you’re too old and too cool for this.” She mocks him, and he puts his heart on his chest and makes a face as if he’s offended. He’s not, and she knows him all too well to know this.
“Dean, come on do it for Charlie, do it for me.” Sam pouts, giving him the puppy dog eyes he’s given him since he was old enough to know that Dean will usually give him what he wants. Or is Dean just that great of a big brother?
“No Sammy, don’t you do those eyes.” Dean looks away, avoiding the eye contact, rolling his eyes as he hears Sam whispering to Charlie that he’ll get him involved. “No, you won’t Sammy, I’ve found my rock and I’m staying on it.”
They turn to look at him, confusion in their faces. “You’ve found your what?”
“It’s a saying! I’ve found my rock, I’ve told you I’m not getting involved, and I’m staying on it, you won’t change my decision.” Maybe he sounds ridiculous, maybe he made it up, does he care? No.
“That’s not a saying.” Sam says, and Dean scoffs. “You just made it up, old man.” Sam rubs the back of his head as Dean hits him, in the same place Sam had hit him.
“Not nice is it Sammy?” Dean smirks at him.
~.~
Two hours went quick, and they find themselves in a café, unable to find a diner in the stretch of road from the convention centre and their hotel, and none of them felt like getting a taxi. Looking at the menu, Dean’s pulling a face and Sam raises his eyebrow kicking him.
“What’s wrong with you now?” Sam says. “They got pie, surprisingly this café even has beer. I thought that would be a win for you.”
“Yeah Sammy, corned beef pie or minced beef and onion pie? I wanted the good old apple pie we get back home.” Dean complains, and he realises, he’s complained a lot on this trip, he makes a note to apologise to Charlie about it after, but at the moment, he’s too hungry to care.
“Corned beef, you like meat. Just have a corned beef pie.” Sam says. “And stop complaining.”
Dean gives up and orders a slice of corned beef pie. Brits are weird, he comments in his head. They don’t seem to talk much when serving, whereas back in the States all servers make a conversation with them. Their food comes quick, and he sighs. Finding that he does, in fact like a corned beef pie.
Once they’ve eaten, they make their way back to their hotel and Sam bids farewell to Charlie before heading to his and Dean’s room, not bothered about sharing with each other.
“Hey Charls,” Dean says. “I’m sorry for complaining so much.”
She laughs. “Dean, I know you, I know you’re enjoying yourself; you just won’t admit it to anyone. Night Dean.”
Dean watches as she walks back into her room and smiles, “night Charls.”
Entering his and Sam’s room, he sees Sam kicked back on his bed, laptop on his chest. “Dean. Look, you’ll enjoy this game. Come on, join in with Charlie’s campaign, please.”
“Roleplaying, Sammy? Not my thing… Unless it includes a hot guy in a suit? Yeah no.” Sam cringes and throws a pillow at him.
“Ew Dee! I did not need to know that.” Sam whines, Dean chuckles kicking off his shoes and sits on Sam’s bed. “You know Charlie would do it for you. Come on Dean, I’ll buy you a year supply of pies, anytime and whenever you want them. I’ll wash baby for you.”
Charlie definitely wouldn’t do it for him, but he doesn’t argue with Sam about it. “Tell me what it includes, and I’ll think about it.”
Sam grins, pulling photos and videos up on his laptop. “So basically, it’s a series of intertwined adventures set in the same world, there is a Dungeon Master who creates the backstories, settings that could be cities or forest and they even create non-player characters, NPC’s, to help with the progression of the story.”
Sam talks excitedly about it, and Dean huffs. “Fine. Okay, I’ll join in, but you will be buying me all the pies I want and cleaning Baby as soon as we land back in Texas.”
Sam’s face lights up and he rushes out of the room to inform Charlie. Dean rubs his face, what has he just agreed to?
The four of them arrived back in Texas the following Tuesday, and Dean is very grateful when the plane touches the ground, he opens his eyes seeing Charlie and Sam looking at him, concerned looks on their faces but he shrugs it off, insisting that he’s fine and that he wasn’t scared, he was just… sleeping, yeah, that’s right he was sleeping. They don’t buy it, but they don’t call him up on his lie.
Exiting the plane, the heat hits Dean in the face immediately and he squints to get the sun out of his eyes. Oh, its so good to be home and away from the dreary UK. They make their way through the airport, showing their passports when needed and arriving at baggage claim, watching for their suitcases on the conveyor. Dean finds himself being the one to pull them off, and he gives Sam a look who just smiles innocently at him.
They make their way out of the airport through the ‘Nothing to Declare’ gate and walk through the car park, a grin on his face as he spots Baby. He rushes to the car, looking like he’s running like a penguin with his bowlegs, but he doesn’t care. Arriving at the impala he taps the roof. “It’s so good to see you again, baby. I missed you.”
Sam rolls his eyes putting their suitcases in the boot, the older brother too occupied with greeting his beloved car. “Dean, it’s just a car.”
Dean’s face goes dead straight, and if looks could kill Sam would be dead already. “Sammy you did not just say that. My baby has been stuck here alone with no one to drive her for a week, and you dare say she is just a car? Baby is the love of my life.”
“I think you need a life, and a man.” Sam comments, sliding into the passenger seat and Charlie into the back. Charlie having the sense to stay out of it and not talk about Dean’s love of the Impala. Dean gets in the driver’s seat, a big grin on his face as he starts Baby’s engine. He leaves the radio on, mouthing along to ‘All Out of Love’ as he pulls off.
Sam and Charlie start a conversation about her DND campaign, Dean too busy singing to himself to pay attention. They discuss when the event should be, and she checks her calendar. “Hey boss,” she looks at Dean who as predicted, doesn’t pay attention.
Sam slaps the back of his brother’s head and Dean glares at him, rubbing the back of his head with a pout. Sam nods his head back to Charlie and Dean catches her eyes in the rear-view mirror. “So boss, we were discussing the event and I wanted to know if we can do it Thursday?”
“Is that your way of asking me to shut the garage for the day?” He raises his eyebrows, she nods, and he shakes his head. “You want me to shut the garage again? I’ve just shut it for a week, there’s no way in hell that I’m losing another day’s profit for some event.”
Charlie’s face drops, and Dean instantly feels guilty, but he can’t afford to keep closing his shop, and he’s sure he’s got cars booked in for that day, and there is no way he’s cancelling their appointments, he’ll lose clients, and his reputation will go down. He sighs rubbing his face. “You can have the day off; I’ll head over after I finish work.”
“You’re the best!” Charlie’s face lights up and Dean nods, smugly looking at Sam knowing he was going to lecture him about not shutting shop if he didn’t give her the day off. Sam pokes his tongue out and Dean hits his head as pay back. “You’re both like a pair of kids.”
They don’t dignify that with an answer, Sam crossing his arms and watching out the window and Dean focusing on driving them home. They drop Charlie off, and she waves them off with a grin, the promise of seeing them the next day to go costume shopping, well she’d see Dean in work, which he took great delight in telling her she will have to work the Wednesday instead of the Thursday.
They make it back to their flat and Dean helps Sam carry his bags up to their floor. Sam grins as they open the door, dumping all the bags on the floor next to the door and he collapses onto the sofa. Dean watches with a smile, knowing Sam is happy they get to come back to a home after a long trip and not stay in motels, not like they had to when they were following dad around the country.
John Winchester wasn’t the worst parent in the world, but he wasn’t a good parent either. Dragging his sons across the whole of America, trying to hunt down his wife’s murderer wasn’t exactly ideal for growing up. Sam was the only one who had a decent education, which Dean knew he’d get far in, seeing as now he’s studying law in university. Dean’s own goals was to just have a garage which he succeeded in, with the help of their Uncle Bobby. Now, had Mary Winchester been alive, John would probably have been a good father, a great one even, and Dean for four years of his life experienced that side of him, whereas Sam never did. It’s not like Dean is sad for his lost childhood, he couldn’t give a damn about his but Sam’s. He grieves that kid’s childhood every day, of course he had done his best to help him have a good childhood, but it wasn’t near enough what other kids are like. But Sam never seemed to care, only caring that he had his older brother with him, looking out for him and protecting him. Something Dean had vowed to do for the rest of his life.
After work the next day, Charlie is dragging Dean and Sam to many costumes shop ready for the event on Thursday. After their day at work, Dean just wants to get home with a bottle of whiskey, but he never breaks a promise to friends. Dean’s in a sour mood, as much as he’s trying to hide it, Sam catches on as soon as he got in the car. Charlie also doesn’t seem in the best of moods, but her excitement over costume shopping is also showing.
“What’s wrong with you?” Sam raises his eyebrow as he looks at his brother.
“Some sexist pig but definitely not homophobic, said I couldn’t do my job because I’m a girl and then grabbed Dean, told him he should be on his knees for other reasons than fixing cars and tried to manhandle him into his car.” Anger seeps through Charlie’s voice and its then that Sam realises Dean’s knuckles are bloody. “Dean clocked him one, told him to get out of the garage and to never show his face there again.”
“I wanted to pull parts out of his car but if he complained to trading standards, I’d get shut down.” Dean says, his eyes glaring at the road ahead. “If I wanted to be manhandled, I’d find myself a dude to take me to bed.”
Sam grimaces in disgust, but he looks at Dean. “Are you okay though Dee? You should maybe report it, it’s assault?”
“Not really though Sammy, doubt the police would do anything for something someone said, and he didn’t get to touch me.” Dean says, Sam goes to argue but Dean gives him a look, one that he knows not to argue with.
They arrive at the costume store and Dean parks the car, getting out and follows Charlie and Sam inside. He tries to pay attention to what Charlie’s telling him, but his mind is elsewhere. Looking around the shop is filled with all types of costumes, from Harley Quinn to the Joker, to the Annabelle doll dress, even a Santa Claus. Charlie takes them to the far right, and he sees a bunch of outfits that look like they could be Viking outfits.
Looking through the outfits, he decides on getting a pair of brown trousers, a brown shirt for underneath, white shirt for on top of the brown shirt and finally a rusty coloured shirt jacket for on top, each with different arm length, he picks out a black and white cloth to go over his shoulders, not entirely sure what it’s called but sure it’ll make him look amazing, he grabs a pair of knee-high pirates looking boots before grabbing a black belt a sword and a gold shield. He also picks up a blonde wig and small brown plaited headband and some red and white face paint.
Showing Charlie his pick, she nods in approval, showing him her outfit, which looks very similar, a long grey sleeve top, rust coloured waistcoat to go on top, black belt and same trousers and boots, except without the shoulder cloth. Looking for Sam, they find he’s got the same trousers and boots, brown shirts and a brown cape, he eyes Dean’s face paint and decides they’ll wear the same.
“Look at us! We’ll all be like triplets!” Charlie grins in excitement. Dean watches her and her excitement warms his heart. Suddenly, he doesn’t feel all miserable about getting involved, instead he gets excited himself. Maybe, this will make up for his lost childhood, getting to roleplay as different people with a bunch of nerds.
Arriving home, he finds he can’t wait for Thursday to arrive.
Thursday came by like a flash and Dean found himself wishing he wasn’t so stubborn and that he insisted on not closing shop for another day. He knew he was doing the right thing for his business, but as he drives to work he feels the excitedness for the campaign start kicking in. His outfit in the backseats of the impala, Sam had taken the face paint, promising to keep him some.
Parking the impala, Dean sees one of his most awkward customers and sighs. He gets out and walks over. He doesn’t know how many times he can tell them that he needs to set the garage up, well, most customers listen except Alastair Rolston. “Mr Rolston, I’ll be ready to look at your car in ten minutes, I need to set stuff up.”
“But I need my car ready as soon as possible,” Alastair says, unimpressed and Dean rolls his eyes after making sure he was out of his view.
“And as I’ve told you many times, as soon as possible will be when I can start working on it.” Dean says, getting the doors open and walking in. He ignores the man’s complaints as he sets up, feeling like being petty and making him wait but deciding against it, for the sake of getting the annoying man away. Motioning him in, Dean gets him to park the car on the ramp. “So, what seems to be the problem this time?”
“There’s a loud squeaking noise coming from around here.” Alastair motions to the left back wheel. Dean nods, offering him the chance to go down to the café but Alastair shakes his head. “I want to stay. Watch you under the car.”
Alastair makes it no secret that he’s admiring Dean’s ass, and Dean squirms disgusted. What a pervert. Dean ignores his stare and looks for the problem. Finally, he finds what’s the problem. “Ah, so the wheel bearing is completely gone. You’re lucky the wheel hasn’t come off while you was driving. You won’t be able to drive this home today. I need to order a part and it’ll be here tomorrow at the earliest or Monday at the latest.”
“Well, what the hell am I supposed to do on the weekend?” Alastair snaps, sounding frustrated. “I need the damn thing!”
“Hey dude, it’s not my fault you have a car that needs parts ordered! I only have certain parts here and this isn’t one of them. I don’t know what you’re going to do but I can’t leave you drive this death trap out of this garage.” Dean so wishes he could. Especially seeing how intimidating the man is trying to be. “I won’t be charging you until it’s done, I don’t know how much the part is going to be.”
Alastair huffs, and Dean almost expects him to argue, shout at him but he doesn’t. Instead, the man leaves the garage. Dean breathes out in relief, getting in the car and moves it out of the way.
Work goes by so slowly; Dean finds as he sits alone. The doors locked as he enjoys a lunch break. He checks his phone, seeing selfies from Sam and Charlie getting ready and he smiles, sending a selfie of him looking bored back and he kicks his feet up on the desk. He takes a bite out of his burger, and he smiles. Nothing beats the burger van on the corner, he finds. The greasier the better.
Dean sees to a few more cars before he can finally lock up the garage, getting into the impala and he leans his head on the headrest. He didn’t realise how much he relied on Charlie to help, and considering he had given his other worker, Balthazar the week off, he was alone.
Arriving at Charlie’s, Dean sees cars are already there and he grabs his outfit and walks in. He looks around for his brother or Charlie but to no avail. Walking up to a random guy, he takes his appearance in, and he tries to keep from drooling. The man is in the same outfit as him, except without the wig, his face paint also done different to the way Dean intends to do it. But the face paint brings out the blue of his eyes. The man is beautiful. The man coughs, giving him, a strange look and he realises he was staring too much and he shakes his head slightly.
“Sorry uh- you just look beautiful.” Shit, great going Winchester. Dean blushes avoiding eye contact. “I was just uh wondering if you know where Charlie or uh Sam? A tall, lanky man, needs a haircut?”
“They’ve just gone out the back.” The man chuckles, pointing towards the backdoor. “But thank you, for the much-appreciated compliment, I must say you’re not too bad yourself.”
Dean blushes slightly, embarrassed for how he reacted but also at the compliment. He smiles, thanking the man before walking out the back, spotting his little brother and he red head.
“Hey, just letting you know I’m here.” Dean says to them. “Also, just made a fool out of myself in front of a real hot guy.”
“So, like normal then?” Sam raises his eyebrow to which Dean just responds with bitch. “Jerk. Go get dressed then come back to us. This is unacceptable Dean.”
Dean huffs at him, before making his way back inside and going to Charlie’s spare room. He changes into his outfit, putting his wig on and doesn’t want to admit how long he took in front of Charlie’s mirror, perfecting his face paint. Once he’s satisfied, he puts his oily clothes on the dresser, before walking out.
Going back downstairs, he has all intentions to go back to Charlie and Sam, but he finds himself stood in front of the beautiful man again, who had approached him this time.
“So uh, I think there’s another half an hour for the game to start, I was wondering if you would like to get to know each other… over a drink? It’s totally fine if not, I uh, I don’t mind if you say no- you have your boyfriend and friend to be with. Don’t mind me.” The man rambles on, and Dean can’t help but laugh. He can’t believe the man thought Sam was his boyfriend. Sam of all people! The man gives him a strange look. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand what I said was funny?”
“Oh, dude no, Sammy’s my little brother.” Dean tells him, the man looks embarrassed and Dean’s quick to jump in. “Don’t worry, we get it a lot, for some reason. I’d be delighted to get to know you over some drinks. The names Dean by the way.”
“Castiel, I am so sorry Dean for the mix up.” Castiel, such a different and unique name. Like its fit for an angel. And Dean can see it. Castiel does look like an angel. They walk out to the kitchen, and Dean grabs himself and Castiel a bottle of beer.
They sit at the table and talk for a good while before Charlie walks in. “It’s time to start, bitches!”
They follow her out into the garden, and Charlie looks at them all. “Okay so this campaign is called Against the Giants. You are all recruited to discover why various giant clans have begun working together and raiding the nearby human kingdoms, good luck!”
Dean decides to name his character Jefferson Starship. The three of them listened intently to the dungeon master’s (Charlie’s) instructions before they begun the adventure. Dean finds himself talking to Castiel more throughout the game as they roleplay. Getting to know both the real guy and the character Castiel had created; Ezekiel, deciding to go for themes of angels. Sam for some reason chose Lucifer.
They roleplay for what seems like hours and despite the fact that Dean was adamant he wasn’t going to attend, boy is he glad he did. He actually finds himself enjoying and is considering telling Charlie he will attend each one she puts on, providing the pretty boy with blue eyes is there.
“Victory is ours!” Charlie cries, holding up her sword. The three of them cheer along with her before throwing their swords down onto the ground and hugging. “Thank you guys so much for coming today. I appreciate it.”
They go back into the house and Dean goes to change back into his normal clothes and he washes the face paint off his face. Walking back out he sees Castiel leaning opposite him on the wall. “Dude, you scared the hell out of me.”
“I apologise, Dean.” Castiel says, and smiles at him. He to has wiped the face paint off and his face is beautiful, without it. “I realised I haven’t given you my number and I wanted to keep in contact with you, if that’s okay?”
“Of course, Cas.” Dean opens his phone and hands it to him. The light of the screen lighting up his face. “I enjoyed hanging out with you and I would love to spend more time with you. If you’d want me, that is.”
“Of course, I do,” Castiel smiles at him, a loud ding interrupting them, and Dean realises Castiel had messaged himself. “Well, I better head off. Dog won’t feed itself.”
Dean walks him downstairs, waving him off with a smile and he watches as Castiel drives away. Walking back in to collect Sam, he sees both Sam and Charlie looking at him with a dopey grin. He ignores them, walking over and hugging Charlie.
“Thank you for today, it was great.” Dean kisses her forehead. “We better get home, I think. Gotta be up early in the morning, see you at work tomorrow Charlie.”
~.~
Dean won’t admit it, but he hasn’t stopped talking to Castiel since the night they met. It’s been two months now and they’ve met up and had some coffees together, never once going on a date though and Dean can’t help but feel disappointed by it. Until one day, he’s at work and he had been complaining to Castiel about how slow it’s been, Balthazar and Charlie had gone on break, and he has no cars to look at.
Castiel turns up, flowers in hand and a lunch bag in the other. They sit and talk whilst eating the contents of Castiel’s lunch bag and Castiel looks nervous all of a sudden. “Dean, I have enjoyed our time together greatly, and I was wondering if you would want to go on an official date with me?”
“I thought you’d never ask! Of course, I would.” Castiel’s face turns out into a big grin and Dean grins back at him. Dean knows he could ask Castiel out himself, but he knows he’d just mess it up, end up scaring him off somehow.
They end up going to an escape room for their first date. The escape room was set in World War Two in Germany. They worked hard to try and escape and they’re not sure how close they were to actually escaping. One of the locks really confused them, none of them could get the answer to it for a good ten to twenty minutes.
They were eventually left out and they’re sat in Castiel’s car after he’s dropping Dean back home. “I had an amazing time today Dean. Thank you.” They kiss for the first time that day, and to say Dean is giddy after it is an understatement.
They go on a few more dates, before they finally attend another one of Charlie’s campaigns together, this time she had enlisted Balthazar and some Gadreel into it. They’re in some forest this time and Castiel and Dean find themselves lost. They both decide to ditch the game, sitting at the trunk of a tree doing some kissing and Castiel looks at Dean.
“Dean, I have loved every moment with you so far, and I would be very grateful if I could get to call you mine. Will you be my boyfriend?” Castiel asks him, Dean doesn’t even answer, instead he throws himself at Castiel and kisses him, giving him the answer he wanted. Yes.
The others find them kissing under the tree and they’re forced to join in the rest of the game. But they shower them with compliments and comments about how happy they are to get together.
For their first-year anniversary, Castiel treats Dean to another escape room, they actually escape this one. For their second anniversary they do another one, they don’t escape. The third escape room is the most important one for them. Dean watches as Castiel goes into a box. “Cas, the lady told us not to open that box.”
“She told you not to open it,” Castiel says, and Dean watches him in confusion. Castiel turns around and Dean sees he’s got a little black box in his hand. Castiel soon stands in front of him before going down to one knee. “Dean Michael Winchester. This is our third year together now and I know you are the one who I want to spend the rest of my life with. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, Cas! Of course!” Dean gasps. Castiel slips the ring on his finger before kissing him. And if they end up crying in the escape room, who has to know?
That night, Dean twirls the ring around his finger as he lays in bed with the love of his life, Dean thinks he’ll never complain about Charlie and her roleplaying anymore, finding a newfound love for the act. Oh, and for who it brought him to.