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“So, Uncle Dean? Tell us how you and Uncle Cas met,” Jack says with a small smile. He is such a bright kid, too positive for how life has treated him. Dean has to constantly remind himself that Cas’ brother Lucifer is gone and that he can't hurt Jack anymore. Especially not now that they have custody over him.
“Awe, man, I don’t know,” Dean replies with an exaggerated groan. “We met in college, and then we were together… I mean, it's all kind of a blur, you know. It's been a long ass time.” His antics get Jack to giggle, while Claire rolls her eyes, trying to hide the amused smile on her face.
“Don’t tell me you're that old that you started forgetting things?” she says, making Dean gasp dramatically. She's only a year older than Jack, but she acts so much more mature. It must be Jimmy's influence, her dad is too serious sometimes.
“I am not old!” He exclaims, then adds with a lowered voice “I just wasn't very sober at the time.”
“Oh, please,” his husband chips in. “You make it sound like you were drunk the entire time you were in college.”
“Well, I– it’s just– you know what? Why don't you tell the story then, Mr Valedictorian?”
“I was not– Never mind. It's actually no wonder you don't remember, you were asleep half of the time,” Cas teases, but there is that smile again. That adorable smile he gets whenever he remembers all those little moments.
“See. I knew there was a reason I didn't remember how it went. You tell it.”
Truth is, even if Dean might not remember some parts, Cas has told the story a hundred times before that he is able to fill in the gaps. He can retell it, sure. There is just something in the way Cas tells it, though, that makes him feel those same butterflies he felt nearly twenty years ago.
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Castiel sits on a couch, sipping his drink and trying to ignore the loud music that is threatening to pierce his eardrums. His brother Jimmy made him come, saying it would be good for him to loosen up a little. Only, Castiel was well aware that his twin also wanted to mess with some people.
Still, it is interesting watching people interact during an event like this. Castiel had no idea when he agreed to come that it would turn into such a good social experiment, perfect for his psychological studies. So he sits on the couch, sipping his drink, ignoring the music and observing.
There are two people in the corner making out. Castiel can't tell if the shorter one is a girl or a boy, but it doesn't really matter. They are unabashedly enjoying themselves. There is a guy going wild around the dim lit living room, dancing to the music like a man possessed. He shoves a girl by accident and though she slaps him in the face and throws her drink in his face, the guy is completely unphased.
Over on the other side of the room, there are two guys, shoving at each other. It seems like they are gearing up for a fight, but a short brunette is standing between them, keeping them apart. The guy on the left seems very upset, yelling at both of them, but Castiel cannot make out the words. He does however see the moment the woman's lips mouth a stern ‘no’, and she pushes the guy on the left slightly. He huffs and looks away, but holds his ground as the two walk away.
Several moments tick by, then the guy just sort of slumps, the anger slowly turning into defeat. He turns, scanning around before his eyes fall on the couch. Castiel quickly looks away, not wanting to be caught staring, but soon feels the couch dip next to him.
“This seat taken?!” The guy shouts in his ear, making him frown, but he shakes his head. Even if it was, the guy had already sat down.
Castiel tries his best to ignore him as he continues people watching, but he is curious. He can see the guy move in his peripheral vision, like he is about to say something but stopping before any words come. He can feel him sigh a couple of times, like he too knows it would be pointless to attempt any conversation with the loud music blaring from the speakers.
Suddenly, Castiel feels something warm on his shoulder. When he chances a glance, he finds the guy firmly asleep, his head leaning on Castiel. They were both leaning back on the couch, their arms and shoulders touching, so it was no wonder the guy ended up in this position.
Now, anyone in Castiel’s shoes would have pushed the man away, maybe even gotten up and left, but there was just something vulnerable written all over his face. Castiel simply doesn’t have the heart to do it. So he lets the man sleep on his shoulder for a little bit.
Before he knows it, it’s dawn, the party’s over and Jimmy, half drunk as he is, is staring at him like Castiel was the one that was inebriated. After a few moments, he shakes his head like he always does when he thinks Castiel is doing something ridiculous then grabs his hand and starts pulling.
The action jostled the sleepy man and his eyes snap open, staring at Castiel who can only throw him one apologetic look before his twin yanks him away.
He might or might not dream about those green eyes for the next couple of days.
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The next time Castiel sees the green eyed guy, it's in a large study group. They are all in a small classroom the professor had offered for their use, seated around the long tables. Charlie stands at the front, preparing to run them through some basic computer skills and huffing about the absence of actual computers to help them. The seat next to Castiel remains vacant as everyone settles down, only to be filled at the last minute by the very same man who has invaded Castiel’s dreams.
“Wooh! Looks like I got in just in time!” he says, sounding a little winded. “Hi, I'm Dean.”
“Hello. My name is Castiel,” he replies, definitely not feeling giddy to finally have a name to go with that face.
“Well, Cas, looks like we're in for a disaster,” Dean says, motioning at Charlie who seems to be growing more irritated by the minute. All Castiel could think about, however, is the nickname Dean has given him.
Everyone has always called him Castiel – except for his older brother Lucifer, who loves to tease him and call him Cassandra or Cassie. Being given a somewhat “cool” nickname by someone like Dean feels like a big achievement.
Castiel spends the next half an hour trying and failing to focus on Charlie's explanations, mind constraints going back to the man sitting beside him, even if he doesn't dare a single glance. Not until he suddenly feels a familiar kind of warmth and finds Dean sound asleep on his shoulder.
He wants to laugh, but there are also butterflies doing somersaults in his belly, tickling him, while he is trying to stay silent and not disturb neither Charlie nor Dean. The man is adorable when he sleeps.
The angle is a little awkward and Castiel can't get a good look at his face, but he does see plush lips, and catches a glimpse of tiny freckles scattered across the bridge of Dean’s nose. He can also smell the shampoo in his hair and feels a deep urge to bury his face in the soft hairs that are tickling his jaw.
They are both startled back to reality by Charlie slamming a book on their table. Some of the students laugh at them as they pack up to leave, some ignore them completely, and Castiel feels a blush creeping on his cheeks.
“Dean, what are you doing, are you crazy? Come in, we got engineering in ten,” Charlie yells at him, pulling at his arm until Dean gets the message and gets up.
He throws a smile in Castiel’s direction and says “I'll see you around Cas.”
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He doesn't see him around for a while. But just when he least suspects it, he spots Dean and those butterflies soar higher than ever before.
Ash is the tech guru of this little fraternity club and he managed to rig a very big TV to a very high tech surround system in their fraternity house. Jimmy, being in said club, was of course invited and he asked Cas if he wanted to tag along.
The thing is, Cas has never seen a movie in the theater, only plays. He has barely seen movies at all, so he thinks it will be a good experience for him. If he happens to come across Dean? Well…it would be just an added bonus. He follows Jimmy into the room.
Lo and behold, there is Dean and, more importantly, there is an empty seat next to him on one of the couches. Cas abandons his brother, who is talking to someone else anyway, and walks over to Dean, feeling bolder than ever before.
“Is this seat taken?” he asks, and barely contains the butterflies from exploding out of him when Dean beams up at him.
“It is now!” he replies and pats the seat which Cas gladly takes. They smile at each other, but before either can say more, Ash steps up and announces they will be watching a movie called Roadtrip. Someone throws out a joke that one of the characters looks like their friend Garth, but they are quickly shushed when the actual movie starts.
Dean offers Cas some of the popcorn he brought.
Their hands brush frequently and Cas feels like they are in their own little bubble; he is so focused on every point of contact between him and Dean that he is startled when everyone else shouts. On screen, there is a guy running around breaking furniture and he has a snake on his hand. The very same one he suddenly throws at a blind guy. Huh.
Dean chooses that moment to cuddle up closer; leaning on Cas as he raises his feet onto the far side and sort of tucks them in. He seems immersed in the movie, so Cas tries to pay attention even if his thoughts are all directed at Dean.
He wants to talk to him. Wants to look at him, wants to see him smile. Wants to make him laugh. He wants so much , but he doesn't know how to get it. Where to even begin to attempt to get closer to Dean.
But then there is that familiar warmth on his shoulder and Cas can’t help the smile even before he glances at Dean to see him asleep. The darkness of the room makes him bold enough to move a little closer too, catching once again the smell of that shampoo in Dean’s hair. He leans his head on top of Dean’s, feeling more content than ever and just stares at the TV as the images on the screen pass by.
There is a press of lips on his cheek that brings him back from dreamland. He smiles, immediately knowing that he too managed to fall asleep this time, and that, when he opens his eyes, there will be two glittering flecks of emerald green watching him.
“Morning, sleepy head,” Dean tells him, looking good all rumpled up. Somehow they are completely alone in the fraternity living room, the moonlight providing the only illumination. Dean is somehow on top of him and they appear to be covered by a blanket.
“It's still night,” Cas says for the lack of anything else better to say, feeling silly even though the statement is true. Still, it elicits a smile from Dean which in return rouses those sleepy butterflies within him.
“Man, you are hilarious, you know that?” Dean says, and for a moment, there is uncertainty in his eyes, one that Cas wants to eliminate right away. So he takes a deep breath and finally asks what he wanted since the first time Dean has fallen asleep on him.
“Kiss me.”
Cas thought he liked the way Dean smiled, but up until now, he has never seen a more radiant expression on the man's face. It suits him.
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“Then what happened, Uncle Cas?” Jack asks. Dean fights the smile creeping up on his face. Not just because he loves hearing that story, loves how Cas talks about those butterflies and when he was feeling them back then. Not once does he reveal how insecure Dean felt, and how he was trying to get closer to him too, just didn't know how.
There is also another reason, though, for why he is trying so hard to hold his smile. He is currently pretending to be asleep on his husband’s shoulder.
Cas shoves him and finally, Dean's carefully crafted exterior mask slips, a laugh bubbling from within him.
“What do you think, dweeb? They kissed and then lived happily ever after,” Claire answers for them and Cas sends her a stern look about calling her cousin a dweeb.
“Okay, it’s getting late. Why don't you three clear the living room while I go wash these few dishes?” Cas says, hauling himself off the couch. Jack, who had been sitting on the floor shuffles a little so he can pass, then gets up to tidy up, Claire getting off the armchair to help. She is staying with them while Jimmy is on a business trip, and Dean is glad the two of them seem to be getting along more.
Just as Cas disappears out of sight, Claire turns to him and smirks. “Admit it. All those times, you were just pretending to fall asleep on my uncle, right?”
Dean pfft-s at her, looking towards the direction Cas has walked away in. “No. That’s not true,” he says, then lowers his voice and smirks. “Not the first time, anyway.”