Chapter Text
Dean was used to being the new kid at school. Every couple of months at the longest John would pack them up and move on to another hunt. Usually, it was only a few weeks at max they would stay, but a few places John left them long enough to get comfortable only to rip them up.
Sammy hated it, he still cared about his grades; meanwhile, Dean was waiting to turn sixteen and drop out of school. He was a year away from his sixteenth birthday. He hadn’t told Sam yet, that he was going to take them away from John, get them out of the abuse and out of hunting, at least long enough for Sam to finish schooling.
Sam would protest, he believed that Dean also needed an education, but Dean knew that as soon as Sammy turned thirteen, he wouldn’t be able to protect him from John’s anger. Sam barely ever hunted, only with his brother and dad as backup, but when Dean had turned thirteen, John had sent Dean on his first solo hunt. Dean almost didn’t make it back from that hunt. He was seriously injured, but Sam never knew. John had berated Dean about allowing himself to get hurt and told him to ‘man up’ and never show his hurt to anyone.
Dean had promised John the night his mom died that he would protect Sammy with his life. At the time, he didn’t realize that he would soon have to protect Sammy from John himself. Dean knew there were things that Sam didn’t need to know. Dean hated hunting on his own, yet John kept forcing him to take solo hunts. Sam always thought Dean pushed for hunting solo himself, he didn’t need to know otherwise.
Sam also didn’t need to know that when John left them for weeks on their own John never left enough money. Dean had learned to hustle pool and pickpocket quickly, otherwise they wouldn’t have enough food to eat. Dean always made sure that Sammy’s birthday and Christmas were never forgotten, even making sure to make it look like John had given them presents. It was exhausting, yet Dean could never drop the ball. If he failed, his brother would suffer, and he needed to make sure Sammy was good. Nothing was more important than Sammy.
Dean shakes all of these thoughts from his head as he pulls out of the motel parking lot. Both brothers knew this would not be a long stay, as John said it was a single vampire lurking around. They would be here maybe a week or two. Thankfully John left Baby with them, so they would not be walking to school. His excuse was something was wrong with the car so he didn’t have to time make sure it wouldn’t fail. It was simply out of gas. John may be a great hunter, but he wasn’t the most observant.
Dean glances over at Sam, who is tightly holding his new backpack to his chest, a look of excitement in his eyes. They had been out of school for nearly a month while John moved them from motel to motel looking for a case. Sammy had complained but Dean made sure John was never around while Sammy was in one of his moods over school. Dean kept up on Sammy’s schoolwork the best he could, sneaking out at night and stealing textbooks from the local libraries always telling Sam that he could read them only when John was out and make sure to hide them and leave them behind. He can’t risk John finding out what he was doing.
“Don’t get too excited, we won’t be here long.” Dean hates being the reason Sammy’s excitement dimmed, but he also can’t risk Sam getting too attached. This was a short hunt, no point making friends or trying hard.
“I won’t. Jerk.” Sammy pushes his hair out of his eyes and looks out the window.
“I could cut that for you. Bitch.” Sam looks at him and rolls his eyes. He doesn't respond because Dean pulls up to the front of the middle school. Sam didn’t waste a moment before bolting out of the car with a smile. Dean let his head drop to the steering wheel for a moment before peeling out of the lot and making his way to the local high school. It was pointless, but if John found out he was skipping he would be in for a world of hurt. He had tried that one already and didn’t feel like repeating that.
Dean walks into the main office, with nothing in his hands and no backpack on his back. He wasn’t planning on participating. Just showing up.
“Dean Winchester,” he mumbles out the second he reaches the woman at the front desk. She looks up at him over her glasses.
“What?” She asks.
“I’m a new student. My dad called a few days ago about enrolling me. Dean Winchester,” he states. The lady nods and types on her computer for a minute. She spins in her chair and grabs a freshly printed piece of paper, his class list. When she offers it to him, he reaches out to take it, but she pulls it back, squinting at him.
“I am going to get someone to show you around school.” She looks him over as she says this and Dean groans internally. This only happens when they care, when they think he is going to be a troublemaker who falls between the cracks and drops out or something. And they aren’t wrong, Dean just hates it when they care.
The lady squints at him again before slowly turning in her chair and making a phone call. Dean leans on the desk and pretends not to listen.
“Hello Mrs. Murray, would you send Castiel Novak to the office? And excuse him from homeroom, he will be showing a new student around. Thank you.” Dean rolls his eyes as the woman hangs up the phone and turns back to him.
“Your new friend will be here in just a minute to show you around,” Dean plasters on a fake smile and thanks her. She smiles and turns back to her work.
A minute later a boy his age walks into the office, looking annoyed. Dean isn’t sure why, but he is positive this is the boy who is being forced to show him around. Dean watches as the boy walks up to the secretary and watches her turn and point at him. The boy narrows his eyes and nods before he comes over.
The boy does not look threatening at all. He has wide blue eyes and wild black hair, and he is wearing an oversized trench coat over his t-shirt and jeans. He comes right up to Dean and sticks his hand out. Dean tentatively takes it.
“I’m Castiel,” the boy says in a voice way too gravelly for a fifteen-year-old.
“Dean Winchester,” Dean says. The boy turns around and quickly starts walking out of the office, Dean pauses for a minute before following after him.
“What class do you have first?” Castiel asks. Dean looks down at the paper in his hand.
“Uhm math, with Mr. Lloyd,” he answers. Castiel nods and turns down a hallway, bringing him toward the math room. Castiel continues to show him around while asking questions about Dean every once in a while.
“So, where are you from?” Castiel asks. Dean pauses for a minute, not really knowing what to answer. Should he say Kansas? Or should he say Oregon, where they were last? Dean knows he is taking too long to answer when Castiel turns his head to the side and squints at him.
“Oh, um Oregon,” Dean blurts out. He hates this school is throwing him off. He needs to get himself back under control.
“Wow, that’s a long way from here,” Castiel says. Dean was not happy when John said they were packing up and going to Illinois. It was a long drive and with nothing cool to look at along the way.
“Uh yeah,” Dean responds lamely. Castiel doesn’t seem to notice.
“Is it weird moving that far?” Castiel asks.
“Nah, I can’t even count how many schools I’ve attended.” Dean wishes he could take back the words the second they leave his mouth. He never talks about how many schools he was been to. People find it strange. Castiel turns to look at him.
“What do you mean?” His head is tilted again, and he is staring up at Dean with those wide blue eyes. Dean knows they aren’t going to be here long-term. He will never see this kid again. And the next time John is in town will be to pack them up and hit the road.
“I think in this year alone, I’ve been to like five schools.” It feels good to talk to someone Dean realizes. He can’t remember the last time he let anyone into his life, like really told them something that wasn’t a lie. Castiel’s eyes narrow at Dean’s confession.
“School has only been in session for like three months,” Castiel says. Dean nods, he is aware, that John had been moving them around a lot this year and they missed a month in the three months school has been in session.
“That’s unusual,” Castiel says when Dean doesn’t say anything else.
“The next classroom is English with Mrs. Murray,” Dean says instead of answering Castiel. The boy nods and slowly looks away from Dean, bringing him down another hallway.
Dean drags himself through the rest of the tour noting the classes Castiel mentions sharing with him. He doesn’t want a friend, but he told the boy more than he should have and Dean knows that means he needs to avoid him. It feels like ages before the final bell rings and Dean can leave to pick up Sammy. As he walks across the parking lot, he can feel eyes watching him. He looks around and sees Castiel standing at a door watching him walk to his car. Castiel doesn’t stop watching until Dean slides into the front seat of Baby. Dean opens his wallet and counts how much cash he has left. Luckily, the motel John left them at required payment upfront, so that was taken care of. Dean has about fifty bucks left. He would have to get more cash soon.
Dean pulls up to the front of the middle school, concerned when Sam drops into the front seat and doesn’t look at him.
“Sammy?” Dean asks. Sam doesn’t turn to look at him but the sniffles give away that Sammy is crying. Dean looks out at who is left around but doesn’t see anyone. Sammy still won’t turn and look at him. Dean sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He checks in his wallet one more time before leaving the parking lot. Instead of going back to the motel, Dean takes them to a diner. Sammy looks up when Dean parks the car.
“Dean?” Sammy asks, looking over at him with red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Dean half-smiles at him.
“I had a rough day at school, so I could really use a milkshake. Whatcha think?” Dean lies. Sammy wipes his eyes and smiles wide at Dean. It crushes Dean to see his brother sad but watching him light up makes it all okay. The brothers go inside, and Dean feels eyes on him again. He turns and sees Castiel from school standing behind the counter wearing a red and white striped shirt. The boy blushes when Dean catches his eye. The boys slide into a red booth.
“Order whatever you want Sammy,” Dean says with a smile. Sammy looks at the menu and picks a milkshake, timidly asking for fries to go with it.
“No problem, jerk.”