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It turned out, judging by Castiel’s goofy expression, that the apple cider Ellen stocked for the autumn was stronger than anticipated. He was kind of dazed, pupils dilated as he glanced at Dean from across the table. They were out with Benny, Charlie, Dorothy and Gabriel having a Friday night chill out after long weeks at college and work.
The fact that Castiel was incredibly drunk was a miracle in itself seeing as he had the highest tolerance to alcohol in their group.
Ellen came over to check on them.
“You broke Cas,” Dean slurred looking over at Cas who was swaying slightly as he sat. Dean hadn’t missed the stolen glances in his direction, he wasn’t the subtlest person, let alone when he was drunk.
“I think the two o’ ya need to drink some water or those googly eyes you’re pulling at each other are gonna fall out.” She stated with a chuckle, prompting the rest of the group to begin laughing.
“I.. I don ‘ave goo… google eyes.” Dean scowled, crossing his arms and focussing on the ring of condensation on the wooden table.
“I ‘ave gooey eyes!” Cas practically shouted.
Ellen was doing her best to keep a straight face but was failing, she hooked a finger under Dean’s chin and looked at him thoughtfully. Some kind of conversation passed between them, not that any of the others noticed.
“Two glasses of water comin’ up, then I gotta throw you out so I can close up.”
“Thank you, Ellen,” Benny chimed in, scooting closer to Gabriel and shuffling him out of the circular booth.
They all stood, gathering their coats and bags before heading out the bar. They gathered outside, shoulders hunched, loud-mouthing each other.
“Dororortheee and I are leavin’ your asses ‘ere.” Charlie yelled louder than was necessary and took hold of a much less drunk Dorothy’s hand and strode away.
“Wait!” Cas called after them. “I didn’t get my hug!” He whined. Of course, Cas wanted hug from everyone before they left even though they’d see each other the next Friday. Dean chuckles to himself, or at least he thought it was to himself until Benny and Gabriel gave him an odd look and nudged his in the ribs with a smirk. He shrugged his shoulders at them and watched as Castiel practically squeezed the life out of Charlie and then Dorothy before swiftly moving on to Benny and giving Gabriel a pat on the head because “you’re not that pretty, Gabe.”.
He turned to Dean next and Dean felt suddenly sober with the look Cas gave him. It was indescribable.
“No need for a hug, buddy, I’m walkin’ ya home.” His speech was still slurred by the pint of water Ellen had given him seemed to have helped a little.
Castiel grinned at him then, before thrusting his hand through the gap between Dean’s arm and body where he had his hands in his pocket and linked arms with him.
Dean simply sighed and shouted his goodbyes to the rest of their group before walking in the opposite direction. It was lucky that they only had a fifteen minute walk or this could have been a long walk home.
Castiel did not stop chatting, Dean zoning in and out of the slurred one-sided conversation. Something about the protection of bees and sales at the Gas ‘n’ Sip he worked at.
They eventually rounded the corner to their street. They lived five doors from each other – a happy convenience.
“Dean?”
“Yeah, Cas.”
“Your dad’s not home is he?” Cas asked, stopping them outside of Dean’s house. Dean shook his head.
“Dad’s been outta town most this week, dunno when he’ll be back.”
“… and you said that Sam was at his friend’s house?”
Dean nodded again, suspicious of where this was going.
“Can I sleep over for the night?”
“You live less than a minute away.” Dean explained, shaking his head with a chuckle.
“But what if I wanna spend it with you?” He whispered harshly into Dean’s ear. Dean flushed and was thankful it was dark.
A drunk man’s words are a sober man’s thoughts, Dean reminded himself and smirked. He wished he’d known this beforehand, hell, he’d been thinking of Cas far too much in the last few months.
Before he even allowed it, Dean was pulling Cas towards his front door and searching for his keys.
He laughed raucously as they stumbled up the stairs and into Dean’s bedroom. Cas was smiling, his huge goofy smile that only seemed to appear when he was drunk because in sober life he was stubbornly stoic. Not that Dean minded because he was still beau…
Dean stilled, shirt half off. He shook that thought from his mind and carried on undressing, it was only when he wandered across the room in just his boxers did he notice Cas staring at him, eyebrow quirked.
“Wha’?” Dean startled, pulling out a shirt from the drawer.
Cas just smirked and holy shit does Dean know that smirk. He’d seen it before when Cas was in college enticing Balthazar into their dorm room, and Dean had never moved so fast in his life.
Then, though, Dean felt glued to the floor, shirt dangling from his hand.
Cas beckoned him over, swaying a little on his feet; how Dean was ever going to deny that – well…