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“Why do I even hang out with you?” Castiel grumbles, kicking his shoes off and closing the door behind himself. Dean shrugs.
“Must be my devilish good looks,” he jokes. Castiel turns, reaches forwards, feels his chest, and whacks him in the leg with his cane.
“Don’t be a douchebag,” he snaps, feeling the wall until he reaches what he knows is the entrance to the living room. He takes three steps forwards, two steps to the side, moves around the coffee table, and sits on the couch. Dean sits beside him, snapping open a pop can.
“Thanks for doing this, man,” Dean says, lightly touching his arm.
“God I hate you,” Castiel groans, running his hands down his face.
“Nah, you know you love me. Best friends and all?”
“Says who?” Castiel huffs. He flinches when he hears thumping footsteps.
“They’re here,” Dean whispers right next to Castiel’s ear.
“FUCK!” he yells, jumping half out of his seat. Dean’s laughing, and the whole couch is moving, the bastard. “Not funny, Dean!”
“Dean!” Sam whines, his footsteps coming closer to the couch. “We’re hungry!”
“Go out back and shoot a deer,” Dean breathes. Castiel whacks him with the cane again.
“Don’t be rude, Dean. I’m hungry too. Get on it,” Castiel insists. He hears Dean sigh and knows he’s throwing his hands in the air. Dean lightly touches Castiel’s knee and Castiel moves it back from the coffee table so that Dean can pass. Two more sets of footsteps come running down the stairs.
“What now?” Dean moans.
“Is supper almost ready?” Adam asks, drawing out the ready in his high pitched voice.
“Dude, I haven’t even started yet, calm down!”
“Who’s that?” Castiel hears, turning his head towards the voice.
“My friend Cas. Don’t bug him, he sees everything.”
“Asshole!” Castiel yells to the now distant footfalls.
“Why do you have that stick?” he hears, much closer.
“Shut up, Andy, don’t be stupid,” Sam snaps. “Sorry, Cas.”
“Nah, it’s fine. This here is my beating stick,” Castiel tells him. He hears a small gasp. “That’s right. Anytime someone pisses me off I hit them right on the head with it.” Castiel raises his cane a little and hears scrambling footsteps and yelling.
“Andy, wait!” Sam calls, but Castiel can hear him and Adam on the stairs already. “Thanks a bunch, Castiel.”
“Hey! Don’t be using that tone. I’m crippled, I demand respect.”
“Yeah right,” Sam says, and God, Castiel can just hear the eye roll that went along with that. Castiel knows he’s alone when Sam’s footsteps are finally distant enough to be near the stairs. He stands, working his way around and alongside the coffee table, grabbing the wall and walking back into the front hall before winding through the dining room and into the kitchen.
“Would you look what the cat dragged in.” Castiel frowns.
“I can’t see. And when did you get a cat?”
“It’s a sayi- you know what, never mind. Come ‘ere and mash this meat up while I get the fries out.” Castiel moves forwards, Dean continuing to talk so he’ll know where to go. “I really hope that stupid little Andy kid isn’t vegan or anything, ‘cause I ain’t makin’ him anything else.” Castiel reaches out and feels the side of Dean. Dean moves towards the fridge, pulling Castiel into the spot he had been in and grabbing his hands, putting them into the hamburger meat. Castiel’s face scrunches up.
“This is disgusting.”
“Yeah, well, squish or burn yourself, you pick.”
“I’d rather burn myself,” he mumbles.
“I’m sorry, what was that?”
“Nothing, you over-sensitive baby,” Castiel shoots back.
“Yeah, keep talking big and we’ll just see where that cane ends up.”
“You’re right, Dean. It might just end up in your ass.” Castiel could have sworn he heard him say ‘not the only thing I want in my ass’ but before he can comment Dean is behind him, lightly touching his back as he moves past to the oven.
“You don’t really mind being here, right? I mean, I can drive you home real quick if you want. I know it can be tough, you’re just so good with kids-”
“Dean. It’s fine. I really don’t mind them. Plus, I can’t let you watch them alone, you might sit on one until it stops breathing.”
“Hey! That only happened once!”
“Wait, seriously?” Castiel questions, eyebrows high.
“...maybe.”
“It was Sam, wasn’t it?”
“...maybe.”
“Oh my God, Dean.” Dean laughs, hip bumping Castiel out of the way. When he stumbles, Dean immediately grabs his arm to keep him from falling, but doesn’t mention it further. Castiel turns and leans against the counter, trying to keep his face at least close to looking in the direction Dean is in.
“Hey, Cas?” he asks, and it’s quiet, barely audible.
“Yes?”
He pauses.
“Nothing.”
“Are you sure? You know you can talk to me about anything, I’ve said it a hundred times.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s nothing, really.”
“...okay. Let me know if you change your mind.”
“Will do.” They fall into silence again, Castiel closing his lids and putting his head back while still leaning on the counter. The meat stops squishing a few minutes later and Castiel raises his head. He hears Dean take a big step back and a crash on the ground. “Shit!”
“Dean- you okay? Where are you?” Castiel asks, putting his hand out. He feels Dean grab it and helps to haul him to his feet. They’re close, nearly chest to chest, and Castiel can smell mint gum on Dean’s breath, feel it blowing on his face. Dean coughs and steps back- Castiel is almost certain he’s doing that thing where he rubs the back of his neck.
“Sorry, sorry, I tripped. It’s fine, don’t worry about.” Castiel frowns.
“If you say so.”
“I’ll be right back, I just need to pop these burgers on the barbeque.” Castiel hears Dean grab a tray, cross the kitchen, and make his way out the back door. Castiel chooses not to move, to just listen as Dean flicks on the barbeque, get it heated, and place the burgers on. He left the back door open like always, and after a moment Castiel crosses the room carefully before heading out onto the back deck. He moves to the railing and leans against it, taking a deep breath. They stand in companionable silence. “Hey Cas?”
“Yes Dean?”
“I… I wanna ask you something, but… I don’t know how.”
“We’ve been friends, what, four years now? I think you can just ask,” Castiel chuckles.
“How’d you lose your eyes?” Dean breathes. Castiel reaches up to his face, taking his sunglasses off carefully and moving his fingers to the scarred tissue where his eyes used to be. He sighs.
“I’m surprised you allowed me this long to keep the secret.” Dean shrugs.
“I wanted to wait until you were ready to tell it,” he mumbles.
“I guess now’s as good a time as any. It was when I was little, when I was five. I fell out of my bedroom window, there was a big gnarly thorn bush below, and I went in head first. There was no saving them. It’s why Gabriel calls me ‘Prince Charming’, referring to the story of Rapunzel.” Dean is quiet. “Have I scared you off?” he asks.
“Dean!” Sam yells from inside. He hears Dean take a deep breath. Castiel puts his glasses back on, feeling his heart clench.
“Coming, buddy!” Dean yells back. His fingers are on Castiel’s elbow. “I’ll be back for the burgers in a minute, okay?” Before Castiel can respond, Dean’s gone.
The rest of the evening is pleasant enough. They eat dinner and laugh at the table; Dean helps Castiel put condiments on his burger and Castiel huffs about it. By the end of the meal, Sam, Adam, and Andy have run off, leaving Dean and Castiel with the dishes. Castiel feels a sense of dread circling around them, feeling as if he really has lost the only friend who seemed to have accepted him for who he is. He’s standing next to Dean, hands out and waiting for the next dish to dry, trying to decide between asking him what the fuck his problem is and just leaving and never coming back.
Dean hums while he washes; he always has. Castiel nods his head along as he dries. He carefully places the dishes next to himself, as there are very few, and soon Dean’s put them all away.
“Can I take your arm?” Dean asks. Castiel simply nods; usually Dean does this when he wants to go to his room, he knows that Castiel has a tough time on his stairs as there’s no railing on the stairs to the basement and the steps are steep. Castiel is too proud to ask for help, so Dean always offers it.
Soon the two have reached the basement. Castiel taps his way to Dean’s doorway behind his friend and hears him flick on the light. “Is it dark already?” Castiel asks.
“No,” Dean says, “but my curtains are closed.” Castiel nods. He hears the springs on Dean’s bed as he sits, making his way over and sitting next to him. They remain quiet.
“Gabriel calls you Prince Charming, huh?” Dean asks tentatively.
“Yes,” Castiel responds, blunt as always.
“Maybe… maybe that should…” Dean coughs, Castiel patiently waiting for his response. “Maybe that should make me, y’know, Rapunzel.” The words are so quiet Castiel barely hears them. He raises an eyebrow.
“I didn’t know Prince Charming was Rapunzel’s best friend,” he chuckles. He hears a squeak on the bed, and Dean’s hand is on his arm.
“Cas,” Dean mumbles. “Just. Shut up for a second, okay?” Castiel nods slowly. Dean’s hand moves up his arm to touch his face. He can feel the heat of Dean’s body as he moves closer, his heart beating wildly. Dean’s breath is on his face. “Tell me to stop.” Castiel remains silent. Dean’s lips are soft and he tastes like mustard and fries. Castiel is very still, unsure how to deal with this, unsure how to move. He is, however, sure that he doesn’t want Dean to stop. When he does, Castiel sucks in a quick breath. “Was that… is that… okay? With you?”
“Dean,” Castiel breathes, “that was… that was wonderful.” He can almost see Dean blushing.
“Are you sure? I mean, we could just pretend nothing ever happened, I would never say another word, I swear, it could just be-” Castiel silences his by reaching out and finding his mouth with his hand, then replacing it with his lips. One hand goes to Dean’s shoulder and he feels the tension leave them.
“I’ve never seen your face, but to me you’re the most beautiful soul I have ever met, Dean Winchester. And I also really like kissing your face.” Dean huffs out a laugh.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”
“Hopefully we can keep doing it for a long time.”
He may not be able to see, but Castiel is fairly certain that Dean is smiling.