Work Text:
Dean blew on his hands to try and warm them up as he looked around. Where the hell was everyone? He looked at his watch, 11:30. He’d give them another 10 minutes. If they weren’t there in 10 minutes he was leaving. There was no way he was going to let them make him look like an idiot. He’d risked getting grounded for this. He hadn’t wanted to wake anybody up, so instead of taking the car, he’d snuck out the window and walked the 15 minutes, in freezing cold, to get here. And nobody was even waiting. He was starting to get annoyed when he heard a yell from behind him.
“So you decided to show?”
Dean turned around and nodded. “A bet’s a bet right?”
He saw Meg and Castiel walking toward him and he calmed down a bit. At least they hadn’t ditched him. As they got closer, Cas waved and offered Dean a smile.
“Hey.” He said and Dean nodded.
“Hey.”
“Alright girls that’s enough. We all know why we’re here.” Meg said and held up the camera she was holding. “You two have to go into the graveyard and take a picture of yourselves in front of the old clock tower at midnight.”
Dean snatched the camera from her hand scowled. “How did you even think of this stupid dare?”
“Don’t worry about it.” She said and pulled her phone out and started tying quickly.
“And why does it have to be just me and Cas? Why aren’t you coming?”
She flipped her hair and grinned. “Because I’m not the one who has something to prove to Crowley.”
Dean looked to Cas who just shrugged. He looked back at Meg. “You sure you’re Cas’ best friend and not Crowley’s? You seem all too happy to mess with Cas when it suits you.”
Meg snapped her phone closed and glared at him. “Mess with him how? I came with him didn’t I? I’m not going to let Crowley call him a coward when I know he’s not one. This will prove it. You could have stayed out of this, but noooooo. This whole dare thing is your fault. You’re the one who said that Cas was just as brave as you. So now you BOTH have to prove how brave you are. And just because you two are stupid doesn’t mean I have to freeze. I’ll be in the car when you’re done just come get me.”
She turned to walk back the way she came when she paused and turned back and pinned Dean with a stare. “If security comes, you better not ditch him. You’ll have more to worry about than trespassing if you do.”
Dean glared right back at her. “Like I would ever do something like that. Go sit in your heated car and get out of our way.”
She locked eyes with him for a minute. Neither of them backed down. After a minute of the standoff she nodded and leaned over and kissed Cas’ cheek.
“Try not to trip on anyone’s grave.”
Cas pushed her shoulder gently. “Go, we’ll be fine.”
She nodded again and walked off, leaving them behind. Dean stared after her and shook his head.
“She is such a bitch.”
Cas frowned at him but didn’t disagree. “She means well.”
“Whatever. Let’s get this over with.” Dean said shoving the camera and his frozen hands into his pockets and started walking toward the gate of the cemetery. Cas followed and pulled his beanie down over his ears. It really was freezing out here. They’d be lucky if they made it to midnight, not because of ghosts or security, but because they might get frostbite first. They approached the gate and Dean bent down and slide underneath the chain lock. It was holding the doors shut, but not tightly. They could easily slip through the bars, and they did. He held the chain up for Cas as he slipped in behind him. Cas looked around and tapped his shoulder to get his attention.
“The clock tower is on this side, toward the back of the plots. I also heard that they had a couple fresh graves, so we should be careful not to step on any new soil, out of respect.”
Dean nodded, “Also don’t want anyone besides Crowley to know we were actually here. Which reminds me, after we show him the picture, we delete it. I’m not giving him something to hold over our heads.”
“Good idea. I brought a flashlight.” Cas said pulling a flashlight out of his jacket and handing it to Dean. It was heavier than it looked. Could probably knock a man out, which was exactly why Cas had brought it. Cas may look docile and innocent, but he was no idiot. He knew the real risks of walking around at night by themselves.
Dean flipped the thing on and tried to keep it pointed mostly at the ground, so they could see where they were going, and so they didn’t draw extra attention to themselves.
They walked in silence for a few minutes before Cas came up beside him. “Thanks, you know, for coming with me.”
Dean’s felt his ears going a little red and he was thankful it was dark and cold outside, so if Cas did see it he wouldn’t think anything about it. He coughed, “No problem.”
“No really. You stood up for me. I really appreciate that. You didn’t have to.”
“I hate bullies. And Crowley’s a real jerk. Thinks he’s king of the school or something.”
Cas was quiet next to him for a minute before he blew on his hands. “You know he has a huge crush on your right? It probably kills him that you not only stood up for me, but agreed to come here with me alone.”
Dean scoffed and almost tripped over a stick. He righted himself and glanced over to Cas daring him to comment. He didn’t. “That prick does not have a crush on me.”
Cas walked ahead of him and shrugged. “Deny it all you want, but it’s the truth.”
Dean pointed the flashlight in front of Cas’ feet so he could see but still shook his head. “No way that self-important jerk likes anyone besides himself.”
“Meg was right. You really have no idea how people feel about you do you?” Cas turned around and Dean stopped walking.
“People? I thought we were talking about Crowley?” He asked but could feel a knot in his stomach.
Cas took a step toward him and it took great effort for Dean to not take a step back. Cas tilted his head as if trying to understand him.
“Everyone loves you. You’re popular without even trying, but instead of being a dick about it, you act like you don’t even notice. You hang out with nerds and social outcasts, but that still somehow just makes you even cooler. You stand up for people you barely know, you love your brother and actually look out for him, and you’re genuine. It would be so easy for you to be exactly like Crowley, because in many ways you’re just like him. Both loved, but he KNOWS it. You both have status and standing in the school hierarchy, but you don’t wield it as a way to make people adore you. You can both get people to do anything you want, but you don’t abuse it. I really admire you Dean, and if nothing else, I’m glad we have tonight together so I can tell you that.”
Dean knew his face was on fire at this point. He was never good with compliments. And coming from Cas, so heartfelt and honest? Dean felt like he might burst into flames at any moment. He was saved from saying anything when Cas turned back around and pointed a few feet in front of them.
“There’s the clock.” He said and started off toward it again. Dean followed much slower. Cas really thought that highly of him? But he’d said it as if he was a nobody and Dean was some sort of untouchable deity.
“Hey Cas.”
“Yeah?”
“You know people love you too right?”
Cas nodded and reached the clock tower and ran his hands over it. “Meg does and I think your brother has a soft spot for me.”
“Not just them.”
Cas dropped his hand and looked at him. Dean kicked the ground and looked away embarrassed.
“I mean, you may not be in the public eye as much as me, but people still talk about you all the time. Every girl in our chemistry class is acting like its potions and trying to figure out a real love potion to give you. You’re smart, and loyal, having Meg as your best friend proves that, you’re funny and gorgeous.”
Cas’ eyes widened and Dean almost choked. Shit. He hadn’t meant to actually say that last part. He rubbed his face.
“I mean, you know, all the girls talk about how pretty you are all the time.”
“I don’t care what the girls say.” Cas took a step toward him and then another until he was right in front of him. “But I’ll admit, I do care what you think.”
“I, ah, think…” He started to say it, but chickened out at the last second. “We should take this picture before we freeze.”
Cas’ face was full of disappointment, but he nodded and held out his hand for the camera.
“I’ll take a picture of you first and then you can take one of me.”
Dean pulled the camera out but shook his head. He turned around so he was facing the same way as Cas and held the camera up to take a picture of both of them. He had a sudden idea, and acted on it before he could chicken out. He leaned over and kissed Cas’ cheek as he snapped the picture.
“Dean.”
Dean coughed again. “I told you. People other than Meg and Sammy love you too.”
Cas grinned and bumped his shoulder against Dean’s and left it there. “And when I said everyone loves you, I was including myself in that too.”
Dean’s heart skipped a beat and he glanced over. “Really?”
“Really. I never thought you’d think of me as anything other than a friend.”
“I, ah, well, I’ve actually had kind of a crush on you since last year.” Dean admitted and didn’t know where he was getting the bravery to admit it out loud but hoped it held out.
Cas eyes widened again. “Are you kidding me? Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
“Well for a while I thought you and Meg were, you know, a thing.”
“That’s insane. Truthfully? Meg set this whole thing up, not because of Crowley, but because she was trying to force me to be alone with you. She wanted me to admit my feeling for you.”
Dean looked at Cas and they both burst out laughing. They were idiots. “Would you, maybe, want to go somewhere that’s not a graveyard with me tomorrow?”
“I’d love too.” Cas grinned and put his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Now let’s get out of here. This place is kind of freaking me out.”
“Wait, let’s look at the picture. Make sure it got the clock tower in it.”
“You know Crowley is gonna flip when he sees that picture.”
Dean grinned. “Good.” He clicked the camera on and pressed the button to view the pictures. His grin slipped and he shoved the camera toward cas. “What is that?” He asked and Cas frowned at the picture.
“Probably just a reflection of something metal.” He said but he didn’t sound convinced.
There was a giant flash in the picture next to Dean. Dean looked back to the tower, it was made of bricks and stone. There was no metal to reflect.
“I think that’s good enough. Let’s get out of here.”
Dean started walking and Cas was right beside him.
“Are you scared?” Cas asked, but seemed to have a tone that suggested that maybe he was the one who was freaked out. Dean felt a hand slip into his and he squeezed.
“I’m not scared Cas. You don’t have to hold my hand.” He teased. It was a second before he realized that Cas had stopped walking beside him. He looked back and Cas’ eyes were wide.
“I’m not holding your hand Dean.”
Dean didn’t even bother looking. He lunged forward, grabbed Cas’ hand and ran them the hell out of the cemetery. He pushed Cas through the gate first and followed him a second later. They were panting, the cold air hitting their lungs in harsh bursts. Cas suddenly grabbed his arm tight.
“Dean.”
Dean looked back at the cemetery and he saw an outline of….something and it was staring directly at them. It seemed to look at Cas holding onto Dean then back at Dean and turned around and floated away. Dean looked to Cas with wide eyes and Cas’ face mirrored his expression. He knew they were having the same thought. Nobody was ever going to believe them.