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Dean's eyes opened at exactly six o'clock in the morning, without a blink or a gentle flutter of his eyelashes. It was a mechanical awakening. The noise outside helped him wake up. They always manage to be very noisy for hunters who need to hide to survive. It's not that it's bad that they're here, but sometimes he misses it being just him, Sam, Cas, and Jack in the bunker. Having them here is a constant reminder of the powerful archangel who dominated his mind and body.
The robe was behind the door, the slippers next to the dresser. He puts them on and waits a few minutes behind the door just to make sure there's no one in the hallways. What's worse? Looks of pity or looks of fear?
Walking down the hallway toward the kitchen, the sound of voices terrifies him, but his body relaxes as soon as he sees only Jack and Sam in the kitchen.
“Good morning!” Jack says, smiling.
"Good morning, Dean. I left a cup of coffee for you in the pot," says Sam, sitting down across from Jack at the table.
After grabbing a mug, he sits down at the table next to Jack, joining the conversation. After drinking all his coffee, he starts to make some more. “I thought about making pancakes. Would you like some?” Sam nods affirmatively.
“Yes!” agrees Jack. “Sam tried to make pancakes when you were away,” he looks at Sam.
“And how did they turn out?” he asks smugly, already imagining the answer.
“They weren't as good as yours,” Jack puts his cup in the sink.
Dean looks at Sam with a smug look on his face and continues to make pancakes in silence. He's not quite sure how many pancakes he should make. Is it just for Jack, Sam, and him? Do the other hunters eat here? Should he make a ton of pancakes for the others to eat too? How many of them live here?
He decides to make them just for themselves.
He's been back at the Bunker for a few weeks and still doesn't quite know how to behave. He had rescued those people and they had lived together for a short time before he was possessed by Michael, but having a psychotic angel in your head makes you forget certain things, like how many people you're going to have to live with.
It was kind of hard to get a case because there was a line of hunters who were eager to get moving. Sam was a kind of “leader” for these new hunters. Cas went out to help with the hunts and did some on his own without telling anyone. Jack was human then, so he trained, helped with research, and sometimes went on hunts.
“It's delicious,” Sam says, taking one last bite. “Mine didn't even come close to this,” he laughs.
“Are you going today, Dean?” Jack asks with his mouth full.
“Going where?” Dean says, finishing his second plate.
Sam stands up. “Valentine's Day, man. We planned to go to a bar with the hunters today. I've been telling you this for weeks.”
“I'll go. I don't know if I still like beer, but Sam said there will be burgers and soda. You're going, right?”
“Well... I won't be able to go,” Dean gets up and starts putting the dishes in the sink. “I forgot and already made another commitment.”
“There will be women at the bar too, Dean,” Sam starts washing the dishes. "You just don't want to go because the other hunters are going too. They like you, Dean, give them a chance."
Dean pours himself more coffee. “I know that,” he lies. “I can't go because I have a date.”
“WHAT?!” Sam and Jack shout in unison.
"You're going on a date?! With who?!" Sam says exasperatedly, dropping the dishes. “Are you dating?” Jack asks with a smile on his face.
Finishing his coffee, he puts the cup in the sink. “That's why I didn't want to tell you guys, I thought you'd keep asking questions, like you are now.”
“You don't go on dates, you only have casual relationships, you're not a dating guy, come on man.”
How can they be so curious? Okay, it's been a while since he's been on a date, especially a romantic date with the intention of a relationship, but it's not like it's something out of this world. He is capable of being in a relationship that isn't just sex, it's not like he has an aversion to dating, but in this life it's very difficult to have something when you don't know if you'll be alive at the end of the day. But having someone already in this world makes things totally different.
~~
Sam is in his room, restless, thinking, ‘Since when has Dean been dating?’ Not that it's a bad thing, but he's known Dean his whole life and Dean has always said he doesn't want a serious relationship, that the life we lead doesn't allow us the freedom to have a relationship. Why didn't he say anything? Is it someone he knows? Was she one of the hunters from the other world? But the real bother is not knowing why he didn't tell him. Maybe he didn't tell him because he knew he would ask a lot of questions, but Dean dating isn't something that happens often. But maybe he doesn't have contact with his best friend...
It seemed wrong to meddle in his brother's life, but sometimes he just doesn't know how to say it. Which is strange, because he likes to brag about his sex life, but if it's a serious relationship, he'll definitely try to be discreet and respect those boundaries, who knows?
So he picks up his phone and starts calling Cas.
On the second ring, he answers. “Hi, Cas?!”
“Hello, Sam. Did something happen?”
“No, no, everything's fine,” and they remain silent. Is this a cue for him to speak, or was it strange for him to call? With a monotonous and suspicious tone, he says, “Okay, then,” and it seems like he's going to hang up. “I know you're hunting, but I wanted to ask you out today,” Sam says nervously. The silence gets even worse. It seems like he's asking him out on a date. “I-I think...” Sam interrupts him.
“Not a date!” he laughs nervously. “With the other hunters!” he hastens to add. “We set this up a few weeks ago. Jack's going, Larry, Rob, and a few others. I just wanted to know if you were around and if you could make it. I talked to you about it a few weeks ago, didn't I?”
He is silent again. “Sure, yeah.”
“So you're going?” If he was, it would be much easier to ask more discreetly who Dean was dating.
“No,” he says dryly. “I remember you mentioning it before. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it. I'm on a case in Wyoming, and I probably won't be back until the day after tomorrow. But I hope you guys have a great time today, you, Dean, Jack, and the others. Have fun!”
“It's going to be really cool. But Dean isn't going.” Finally!
“Is he okay? Did something happen?” You could hear the concern in his voice.
“Actually, that's what I was going to ask you. Dean isn't going because he has a date.”
Cas was silent, all I could hear was the sound of his breathing—which was strange, since he didn't have any— “Cas? I wanted to know if you know who it is. You guys are really close, maybe he told you who he was going out with...?”
More silence. “N-no, Sam, I shouldn't...” More silence. “I think—”
“But you know who it is? You said you shouldn't tell, you know—” Cas cuts him off.
“I have to go, Sam. I'll talk to you later.” And he hangs up.
He knows who Dean is going out with, so it's probably a woman he knows.
~~
It was already 5:30 p.m. and Dean was still at the bunker. He had to leave by 6 p.m. at the latest; he didn't want to be late. He had already changed his clothes about four times. It seems ridiculous to get dressed up for a date that has happened several times before, but he wants to look good today. Should he wear a suit? But the place is more casual, so he opts for something simple: a moss green Halley T-shirt, black jeans, and his usual boots. It took him a while to arrive at the obvious, but that's a good thing, right?
He finally arrives at Baby. He managed to leave without attracting attention, without Sam noticing and wanting to ask more questions.
~~
After driving for over thirty minutes, his phone rings.
“Hello.”
“Dean.”
“Hey Cas, how's it going?”
“I'm fine. I called to let you know, to inform you, Sam called earlier.”
He laughs. “He called you? That nosy little shit.” He laughs some more. “Why did he call you?”
“He wanted to know who you were going on a date with... I didn't tell him, obviously.”
They remain silent, the only things you can hear are the soft music playing on the radio, the car engine, the air conditioning on low, the occasional tick of the hazard lights. “You know, if you had told me, I wouldn't even have called.”
“Right...”
“I've been driving for over thirty minutes and the only thing I can think about is that if we were closer, I'd have thirty more minutes for my date,” and he starts talking nonstop, "it's just that for the first time in my life, I'm getting exactly what I want. Because this date I'm going on now is the only thing stopping me from going out right now to hunt down that bastard who got into my fucking head. Because for the first time, I can imagine a future where there's not just hunting.“ He laughs. ”Not that I'm going to leave her forever, take on stupid, easy cases, stop with the apocalypses, be like Bobby, you know? Except being a little less drunk, I hope.“ He laughs, then stops. ”I-I just think there are enough hunters already, so if two leave... maybe it's not so bad, right?"
“Dean...” a weak voice sounds on the phone. “I...”
“I think I'm talking too much.” He turns off the car. “I'm already here, it would be weird if I arrived on the phone, so I'm going to go now. Bye, Cas.” And he hangs up.
Dean starts to get out of the car, a little nervous, a little happy, but he keeps going. He tells the receptionist his room number and continues on, takes the elevator, and as soon as he arrives at the door, without even knocking, the door opens by itself.
“Dean,” Cas smiles.
“Cas... Happy Valentine's Day...” Castiel pulls him inside, kissing his lips.
Cas closes the door and presses himself against Dean. “I missed you,” he kisses his neck. “I missed you so much,” he looks into Dean's eyes.
“I missed you too,” they continue to look at each other, that look where they can't pay attention to anything else.
"I want the same thing... I want exactly the same thing." Dean pulls him in for a kiss.
They begin to kiss more and more intensely. Without realizing it, his legs are already around Cas's waist and he is being laid down on the bed with Cas between his legs. “Cas...” he whispers, “Cas.”
“Mmm,” he moves down to his neck.
“Cas... dinner,” he sighs, “weren't we going to have dinner?”
Unbuttoning Dean's pants, he says, “Dinner can wait.”