Chapter Text

All Our Own

-Chapter One: Prologue-

Three Years Ago

It’s often been said that males who present as Omega will experience a plethora of hardships in their lives, that it’s unfortunately inevitable. It’s also been argued by the conservative community that the reason behind such hardships is the result of Adam listening to his mate, Eve and partaking in the forbidden fruit offered to him. As punishment, God tossed them from the garden and cursed their sons with both the male and female reproductive system. Quite unfortunate really, as it poses certain health risks to both father and child.

Of course, Castiel Novak has never really subscribed to such a dramatic ‘origin story’, and despite being well aware of all the risks involved, he still wanted a family of his own. He wanted the whole experience of growing with child, of feeling those little flutters of movement to those intense little kicks. Besides, it’s not like every male omega is destined for a difficult pregnancy. There have been many medical advances over the decades. Castiel had faith that no matter what, he would be in the care of an amazing team of doctors and nurses.

So, when Castiel went into labor almost two months early, he and his mate Mathew weren’t entirely panicked. Okay, so maybe Castiel was panicked, but he was warned about this by his OBGYN and by his doctor. He had every faith in the world that he and his unborn child would be well taken care of.

“You’ll be just fine babe.” Mathew took Castiel’s hand in his and kissed his knuckles.

“We’ll get you set up in the OR as soon as possible.” The doctor began as he disposed of the gloves he used for the examination. “It should be a pretty routine C-section. We’ll get you numbed up real good and you’ll be able to meet your daughter soon.”

Castiel nodded in understanding before turning to his mate. “Mathew, I’m scared.” He nuzzled into the crook of his neck, scenting him and searching out the comforting scent of sandalwood and birch.

“It’s okay baby, I’m right here. I’ll even be with you through the whole procedure.” Mathew glanced over to the doctor then. “I am allowed in the room right?”

“Of course. We’ll get you fitted with scrubs and everything.” He smiled. “Alright Castiel, I’ll need you to turn onto your side for the epidural.”

Everything happened pretty quickly after that. He was rolled into the operating room with his mate following beside them; a sheet had been pulled up in front of him as soon as he was situated in the room. Thank God, he wasn’t sure how he would be able to handle seeing everything being performed on him no matter how strong the epidural was. Mathew stood by his side, dressed head to toe in those ridiculous scrubs that made Castiel laugh. It was all pretty routine, just as the doctor had said it would be.

Until it wasn’t.

“There she is.” One voice said which grabbed Castiel’s immediate attention. He waited with baited breath, waited for the little cries he so longed to hear. “D-do you have her?” He asked, but no one answered him.

“Oh, she’s not breathing.” Another voice said.

“N-not breathing..?” Castiel’s own breathing came in short rasps at the implication, a rising sense of dread filling his belly. He looked over at Mathew with a desperate searching look in his eyes, but all he found was the same look of fear. “Why isn’t she breathing?”

Everything around him quickly turned to chaos. The doctor and the attending nurses were scrambling to not only close up Castiel’s abdomen, but to also grab the equipment needed to get his daughter breathing. He caught a glimpse of his limp daughter being carried to the table and fuck…She was so tiny...Castiel lost it. He began begging and pleading for answers. “Please! Someone! Why isn’t she breathing!?”

“Babe-“

“No!” Tears spilled from Castiel’s eyes. “Give her to me! Please!”

“There’s no pulse.” A third nurse announced as they tried to get her to cry or to move; something! Castiel could see that they were trying their hardest to get her lucid and breathing, but he just wanted to help, that maybe if he held her it might stir her to life.

“Please, God, please!” Castiel cried as he slammed his fist on the bed, a wave of hopelessness overcoming him. All he wanted was to hear her cry, just once. He could deal with everything else later.

“She’s not responding.”

“No!” Castiel looked to Mathew in the hopes that he had some answers but all that he was met with was a silent, grief stricken expression on his face, his eyes red rimmed and full of tears he refused to let fall. “Mathew, please…Our baby...”

“We should call it.”

“No! She’s not gone!” He thrashed as much as he was able, sobbing as he watched the doctors and nurses cease their attempts to bring his daughter to life.

“Time of death, 4:32PM” As Castiel cried in disbelief, he watched a nurse gently swaddle his daughter just as she normally would have. He begged and begged, reaching out for her until she was finally brought to him.

“I’m sorry Mr. Novak…” The young nurse said, tears brimming in her eyes. Mathew helped her situate their daughter on Castiel’s chest, Mathew’s arms cradling her there. “There wasn’t any more we could have done.”

“Oh…God, C-Claire,” Castiel gazed tearfully down at their lifeless little girl. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this, it shouldn’t have happened like this. If he had been a female presenting omega then their pup would have been alive and well, kicking and screaming at the time of birth. “Please cry for Daddy and Papa…Please-!” But she wouldn’t. Her cheeks should have been pink and rosey, her eyes should have been squinting against the bright lights overhead, but no, she was absolutely still, pale and cold in his arms.

“Cas…Baby, she’s not...”

“No…” Castiel choked. “God…I’m so sorry Claire…Daddy’s sorry.” He bent to kiss the top of her head and sobbed when he felt just how cold she really was. This was it, his worst nightmare come to fruition. His dream of raising his own pup was completely shattered. He’d never be able to chase away the monsters in her closet or underneath her bed, or kiss her boo-boos better.

What sort of father was he really if he can’t even give birth to a healthy pup? A male presenting omega should never have been given the ability to conceive, no matter if it came from God or Mother Nature herself. It was a cruel fate.

“I’m sorry….Please forgive Daddy...”

When Claire was finally taken away, Castiel turned to his mate and sobbed into his chest, a vast, empty void filling his gut. He knew having a child was going to be a life changing experience, an ultimately rewarding experience he had been prepared for. But this…This was beyond anything he could have imagined. The pain he felt, the overwhelming sense of hopelessness, it was worse than a simple case of pining sickness.

And it was only the beginning.

Chapter Text

All Our Own

Present Day

Chapter One: It's a Match

Slamming the door behind him was probably a bit overkill, but it did have the desired effect. Castiel was beyond frustrated at this point and if slamming doors was effective enough to relieve some of that frustration then God damnit; he’ll slam ten more if he had to. 

The scent of concerned alpha mixed with the sweet scent of freshly baked goods wafted out into the foyer to greet Castiel. Such a mixture usually calmed him on any other given day, but today it barely scratched the surface. He kicked off his shoes and wandered through to the kitchen and plopped down on one of the bar stools at the island counter. He remained silent, all the while his brother Gabriel stared at him questioningly. His brother arched a curious brow, impatient. “You gonna share with the rest of the class as to why you reek of homicidal intentions?”

Castiel rolled his eyes, glaring as though it were obvious. “My doctor is a quack.” He reached over the counter and stole one of the homemade powdered donut holes Gabriel had cooling on a rack. He popped it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully while Gabriel waited for him to elaborate. 

“Well?” Gabe started. 

Castiel hummed. “These are good. New recipe?” He went to reach for a second but was instantly slapped away by a wooden spoon. “Ow! Gabe!”

Gabriel gave him a pointed look, even more impatient than he had been moment before. Damnit, okay, there wasn’t any way Castiel could avoid the conversation. It was pointless considering the subject matter. He sighed in defeat, ducking his head to gather his thoughts. “He told me it was about time I put a stop to my suppressants, consider going through a full heat or two to avoid potential damage from prolonged use.”

Gabriel blinked. “And you don’t think what he’s suggesting holds any weight?”

The omega rolled his eyes a second time that afternoon. “Of course I do. But you know my feelings on this. He suggested that unless I have a close alpha friend or mate to help, then I should check into a Heat Clinic. He warned me that since this is the first time I will have ever been taken off suppressants, it’s going to be a pretty intense heat and that I’m going to want someone there to help.”

“Well, if you don’t want to check into the clinic then I’ll help you. Whatever you need.”

“No.” Castiel shook his head vehemently. “There’s no way I’ll put you through that again.” The situation Castiel had found himself in all those years ago was far from ideal, but there was no one else he could have turned to in such short notice. The sense of loss was all consuming, but what was worse was how much he burned with a need to essentially breed all over again throughout the whole ordeal. He not only suffered from conflicting emotions and desires, but also the physical pain of rejection. And poor Gabe, he could only do so much to ease any discomfort, which wasn’t much at all. There was no way he’d allow his brother to see him in such a state again. 

Because of all that, Castiel had contemplated the idea of just remaining on the suppressants, medical advice be damned, but even he knew that that wasn’t an option. Anyone who wished to take the medication, regardless of reason, can be on them for a number of years before risking any lasting damage. In Castiel’s case, that meant going through a full heat cycle everything three years. And truth be told, despite what he had gone through three years ago, Castiel still wanted a chance at having a family one day, should he ever find himself lucky enough.

 
Right now however…”I don’t need an alpha.”

“Oh come now Cassie, you don’t mean that.”

“I do. I can handle it on my own.” Except even Castiel didn’t believe his own words. His doctor informed him that unsuppressed heats are usually pretty intense. Castiel wasn’t so naïve as to not believe his doctor – he has experienced full heats before – it’s just been so very long. He’d be lying if he said the last one wasn’t the least bit traumatizing.

 
Gabriel hummed with what sounded like sympathy. The subtle tones in his familiar scent changed to match, instantly soothing Castiel, at least for the moment. “I get it, I’m sure it’s not your preferred course of action. But you should at least check out the clinic, get all the information you need. I’m sure the alphas there are highly credentialed and well versed in the needs of omegas. Besides, I doubt you’d want me to hook you up with one of my alpha friends.”

Castiel snorted, shaking his head. “No, I’d rather you not. Especially since you’ve already slept with half of them.”

Gabriel laughed as he went to give Castiel a second donut hole. “What can I say? I’m an alpha with many tastes. I don’t discriminate…So you’ll at least check them out?”

Castiel nodded as he chewed on the bit of pastry, shoulder slumping a little. “Yeah I suppose so. It’s not like I have much of an option.”

Shortly after his conversation with Gabriel, Castiel mustered up the courage to call the Heat Clinic in question. Despite being riddled with anxiety over making the call, the woman on the phone was really helpful in giving a brief overview of the clinics amenities and their mission statement. She was even able to schedule him to meet with their lead Heat Coordinator in two days’ time. 

The level of anxiety he felt throughout those two days were ridiculous. It wasn’t like Castiel was completely decided on going through with everything. He only promised that he would at least talk to someone with all the information he would need to make said choice. He certainly wasn’t sure what he had been expecting when he did finally step foot in the clinic on the day of his appointment. He knew it wasn’t going to be anything like a brothel full of alphas waiting for the perfect omega to walk through the door, but nor did he expect it to look like an actual everyday clinic. 

Castiel walked up to the front desk to sign in for his appointment, the beta behind the counter smiling as she handed him a few sign in sheets he needed to initial, sign and date. The pen in his hand shook with unease as it hovered over the highlighted areas. “Uhm, I don’t have much experience with heat clinics, at all really. I don’t want to sign anything that I haven’t yet agreed to.”

“Oh!” The beta woman perked up. “That’s completely okay. You aren’t signing any consent forms today if you don’t wish to. This is just a formality letting the higher ups know that you’re checking in for a preliminary appointment. Your coordinator will have all the other important papers for you to sign if you wish to proceed.”

“Oh good. Okay, thank you.” He signed the papers quickly and took a seat in a corner chair in the adjacent waiting area, preferring to see the whole room in front of him. He waited for all of ten minutes before a woman dressed in a grey suit with her hair pulled back in a neat bun opened a side door and called for him. 

“Castiel?”

A wave of uncertainty flooded him as he stood up and made his way to greet the woman. “Hello.”

“Good afternoon. My name is Naomi; I’ll be the one going over everything with you.” She ushered him through the door and into a hallway and from there to what must be her personal office. It was welcoming in appearance, the scent pretty neutral as with the rest of the clinic. Naomi took a seat at her desk and indicated for him to sit in the chair on the other side of it. “It looks like this must be your first visit with us, so welcome.” She smiled.

“Yes. I uh, I really don’t know what I should expect.”

“That’s quite alright. I’m sure it’s a little bit overwhelming.”

“Yeah, actually, to be honest, I’m having a little trouble accepting the idea that a place like this isn’t anything like a brothel.”

Naomi laughed as though she hadn’t heard that one before. “That’s completely understandable; you’re not the first to be a bit apprehensive about it. Anyone whom you or anyone else may match with are generally volunteers. Most anyway. There are some who assist more or less full time and get paid for it. And, believe it or not, omegas aren’t the only ones who come here for help. There is the rare occasion where an alpha will come to us in need of a rut partner.”

“Oh! Interesting.”

“Yes. Everyone on our registry is pre-screened for the usual: background checks, sexual history, health checks. They are required to take a few classes before receiving their credentials and be given the green light to assist. We have many volunteers who work in the healthcare field and other public service positions so if there should ever be an emergency of any kind, you will be well taken care of.”

That sounded all well and good, but Castiel was still nervous. He was more than aware of what was required of the alpha he may or may not be partnered with, but what of him? Did he have much of a say in anything after agreeing to be matched with someone? Naomi beat him to it before he can voice any of his concerns. 

“I understand this is all very overwhelming for you.” She clasped her hands together atop her desk. “I can assure you that you have every say in the matter. How the process works is we set you up with an account on our site, you’ll give a brief description of yourself and from there we will give you the access code to the survey you will take. It’s pretty lengthy so you’ll want to get comfortable at home to complete it. From there you will receive a list of alpha’s you matched with. Each match will have a photo attached as well as a description of themselves in their bio. You’ll then choose which one you would like to set up a meeting with and from there it is up to you and the alpha on how you wish to proceed.”

Castiel nodded as he took everything in. “So, I’ll be able to set boundaries? I’m not certain I’m okay with, you know, sleeping with someone I don’t really know.”

“Of course. You and your alpha will spend the afternoon during your meeting discussing boundaries and what will be appropriate during your stay here. I also want to note that most who do come here like to arrange to go out on casual dates before its time to check in. I understand that it can be difficult to make a connection with someone if you keep it strictly business.”

“Strictly business.” Castiel hummed. This whole situation was indeed quite bazaar. “So, essentially, it’s like a dating site I’m signing up on.”

“More or less, yes.” An amused smile stretched across her face.

 
“I don’t know…It’s all…” He sighed, uncertain how to voice his thoughts and opinions. He really didn’t want to go through with any of this. He just wanted to stay home, curled up in his weighted blankets and munch on snacks between bouts of sexual frustration. 

“Castiel. I must level with you here. It’s indicated in your health chart and health history that you ah – for lack of better phrasing – went through something pretty traumatic three years ago. Your body was forced into a heat cycle by way of some serious medications and afterwards you were immediately put on heat suppressants. Your reproductive system has been more or less dormant for the past three years, unnaturally so.”

“But, no, I’ve had heats during these three years.” He countered.

 
“How long did they last?” 

Castiel rubbed his hands together in defeat, his argument lost when he saw the look on her face. It was one that screamed “I’ve heard this argument before.” “Well…Not long. Three days probably.”

“And they’re likely nowhere near as intense as a full heat, right?”

Castiel hung his head. “Right.” A casual fever to start, mild mood swings, haphazard nesting with zero finesse and the sexual bit was no more intense than when Castiel regularly felt the need to masturbate. A simple means to an end really. 

“It’s very important that we inform you how hard this may be for you if you decide to handle it on your own, especially considering what you went through. We’ve had a few patients who needed to undergo therapy for the emotional toll it took on them when they chose to go it alone. Your body needs to go through an entire flush before it can get back to what your body has naturally deemed normal.”

Jesus, she really knew how to sell it. He wrung his hands together, uncertainty and fear coursing through him at the thought of not only having to share such an intimate thing with a near stranger but also if he chose not to, he’d be doomed to severe emotional turmoil mixed with unsatisfied sexual frustration. He could recall just how it was three years ago, how terrifying everything was, the deep rooted longing he felt for a man who was never going to return to him, intense sexual desire that made him a needy, weeping mess. The sense of utter loss at the constant reminder that despite his biological needs, his body has already failed to produce a healthy child. The choice Castiel had to make was a heavy one.

“We have counselors here available should you ever need their assistance.”

“I…I know, I just…Okay. I mean, I suppose I don’t have much of a choice here.”

“You always have a choice Castiel.”

“It’s pretty clear which choice would be the smartest.” It all really came down to the terrifying idea that Castiel would be alone if he said no. He needed the companionship, the comfort an alpha could give him. Despite it making him sound weak, he needed to be held and taken care of.  “How do we get started?”

~*~*~*~*~

Gabriel peered over Castiel’s shoulder, reading a few of the survey questions on the screen of his laptop. How important is physical fitness to you? Not very important, somewhat important, important, very important. How important is Aftercare to you? Not very important, somewhat important, very important. How high would you say your libido is during Heat? Not very high, somewhat high, average, very high. How high would you say your libido is not during Heat? Not very high, somewhat high, average, very high. Those were just to name a few amongst the huge laundry list of questions Castiel had to answer.

 
“So, they essentially signed you up on a dating site through their clinic?” Gabriel sipped his coffee.

 
“Essentially. That’s what it feels like anyway. What I don’t get is how can they determine the best partner for me by the answers I give them? Like, take this question for example: How often would you say you masturbate?” Castiel laughed and shook his head. “What difference does that even make?”

Gabriel shrugged. “I don’t know Cassie, maybe some of the alpha’s there have a masturbation kink?”

“That’s just…Odd..” He answered a few more questions, his answer to the peculiar masturbation question being average.

“It’s not all that odd. Haven’t you ever dabbled in some mutual masturbation?” Gabe teased. 

Jesus Christ. Heat suffused Castiel’s cheeks at the thought. “Of course not!” Except that was a lie. He’s done it before a couple of times with Mathew and his feelings behind it were utterly indifferent. It wasn’t something he would ever go out of his way to do, and if anything, Mathew was always the one to suggest it. 

“Yeah, okay, you don’t have to lie to me.” He gave his brother a few teasing nudges on the shoulder.

 
“You’re not helping me.”

“Okay okay, sheesh. Anyways, I gotta get going to work. Do let me know how this all goes.” Gabriel poured the last bit of his coffee down the sink and grabbed his coat from the coat rack by the door. 

“I will. See you tonight.” Castiel continued with the survey, answering all the questions to the best of his ability. There were even some questions he found that allowed him to add a few notes to his answer if he felt the need to elaborate, which seemed to help. By the time he was finished Castiel was exhausted. It had been an incredibly long day already and it wasn’t even one in the afternoon yet. Thank God he wasn’t needed at work. He spent the rest of the day curled up with a coffee and Netflix

. 
He didn’t receive his results in his email until about two days later. To say Castiel was a nervous wreck was putting it a bit mildly. His heat was scheduled just about a month out, give or take so he really needed to get on the ball with this. The faster he could make some sort of a connection with someone, the better things may end up being for him. 

After receiving the notification on his phone, Castiel quickly booted up his laptop and plopped down at his desk. He waited with baited breath as the email took its time loading on the screen and when it did he scanned over the pleasantries and clicked the link that was to take him directly to his results. As it turned out, Castiel matched well with three alpha males in the clinic’s registry. He was given brief descriptions of each of his matches down below. 

86% match
Name: Sam Winchester

Age: 26

Gender: Male

Secondary Gender: Alpha

Height: 6’4’’

Bio: Hello! I’m Sam. I’m a paramedic with Lawrence Memorial Hospital and I aspire to be a doctor someday. I’m still in school, constantly learning and growing in order to do the best I can to help other people. I’m a pretty active guy. I try to go to the gym a few times a week and I run most mornings before my shift. I’m not always on the go, I can sit back and relax with a beer and cozy up to some Netflix

. 
I’m currently single, as my life doesn’t really afford me enough time to devote to a relationship, so I volunteer to help other omegas (and the occasional alpha) in their time of need. 

I don’t have a huge family but I do have an older brother who practically raised me, an aunt and uncle and a couple cousins. I grew up believing that family doesn’t always end in blood and sometimes you just have to go out and find the people who you can call family. 

I hope whoever is reading this is having a wonderful day and I hope to meet you soon : )

 
80% Match

Name: Arthur Ketch

Age: 32

Gender: Male

Secondary Gender: Alpha

Height: 6’1’’

Bio: The name’s Arthur Ketch. I’m the oldest of five siblings with a huge family full of aunts, uncles and cousins. I’m a lawyer at my own firm I built with the help of my father. 
I am currently seeing someone but our relationship is open. They have no issues with my volunteering for the clinic whenever I can and who knows, we may be open to a third partner.

 
82% Match

Name: Micheal Cohen
Age: 28
Gender: male

Secondary Gender: Alpha

Height: 6’3’’

Bio: Hey, names Micheal. I am currently employed with the Lawrence Kansas Police department as an officer. I work long days and sometimes long nights. When I have the time, I’ll volunteer at the clinic to help who I can. My line of work can be pretty stressful so it’s nice to kind of get away and just be with someone for a little while. I enjoy the companionship and the closeness that being a heat partner requires.

 
I’m currently single as my job takes up much of my time but I can’t say that I’m not looking. Whatever happens, happens. 

It was unfortunate that these quick little bio entries weren’t a whole lot to go on, but one thing was for certain, Castiel was instantly drawn to his first match, Sam Winchester.

He wasn’t sure whether it was because he was the first on the list or if it was because of the lengthy description in his bio. Probably the latter. He seemed very genuine and his profile photo gave him the impression that he was very kind. The biggest thing that really stood out was the bit about family and his experience growing up. To Castiel, family was incredibly important. 

So all in all, it really wasn’t much of a contest. Arthur Ketch seemed like he might being a bit of a pompous jerk, if the stereotypes of lawyers he had in mind held any sort of merit. His biography was also the shortest and to be honest, he wasn’t interested in being a third partner in anything. No offence to Ketch of course. And Micheal Cohen, well, there wasn’t much about him that stood out at all. Sure, the guy was quite attractive and would probably make for a great heat partner but there just wasn’t anything about the guy that struck Castiel as interesting.

 
The choice was easy. Castiel choose Sam Winchester. He sent off his reply as soon as the decision was made and a few hours later Gabriel was home and demanding he see the photo of the man Castiel decided on.

 
“Hot damn Cassie!” Gabriel whistled once the picture was finally pulled up on the screen. “Sam’s quite the looker. I’m sure he’ll be able to give you everything you need, right baby bro? Six foot four? I bet.”

Castiel blushed and quickly shut the laptop down. “There’s no need to be crude.”

“I’m just stating facts.”

“That remains to be seen. I still have a choice in whether or not I go through with it. They won’t bill my insurance until after the whole process is through.”

Gabriel bit his lip. “So clinical. But, kinda hot.”

Castiel rolled his eyes and yet, he too, deep down, couldn’t help but find the appeal. 

It wasn’t until much later in the evening that Castiel received an email response from the clinic stating that they contacted the alpha of his choice and that as soon as Sam gives the go ahead, they will schedule their first meeting at the clinic. They’ll meet under the supervision of Naomi, Castiel’s assigned coordinator, so it’ll be on very neutral ground, as neutral as it can get considering the circumstances. 

The following morning Castiel received another email stating that Sam Winchester was interested in helping and wanted to schedule the meeting as soon as possible. And so, in two days’ time on a Friday afternoon, Castiel was scheduled to meet the alpha who may or may not be able to help him through his first full heat cycle in three years.

Jesus Christ, everything was moving much more quickly than he would have liked. 

Chapter Text

All Our Own

Chapter Three: Two's Company, Three's a Crowd

Now, preparing for a first date is one thing. You’re full of excitement and anticipation for the coming evening, whether you’re meeting the other person for the first time, or you’re spending time with the other person in a more romantic, exploratory sort of atmosphere than you’re used to. You stress over what to wear, what would be the best combination of clothing to impress your date would be. Should you forgo your scent blockers? Or should you wear a cologne designed to enhance you’re pheromones and natural scent? There was a huge laundry list of things to consider depending on the situation.

However, it was another thing entirely to prepare yourself to meet someone under the pretense of finding a heat partner. Again, do you forgo your scent blockers? Considering the circumstances, shouldn’t you want to leave your blockers at home in order to enhance possible attraction? The whole point of this was to ensure that your partner will be interested enough to assist during a heat cycle.

Except that was all that it was. A temporary partner to assist you during a week of intense intimacy. Moments are shared together, quiet, gentle moments, deep discussions about important topics, feelings are shared, gentle caresses that turn exploratory, igniting little brush fires along highly sensitive nerve endings. A connection is made during that week between two people only to separate – hopefully – amicably by the end of it. The concept of it sat in such a strange gray area between a “one night stand” and paying for an escort because you are lonely and in need of some kind of companionship.

For Castiel, being the romantic that he was, he was having quite the difficult time trying to make peace with it all. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss the companionship of having a partner, as he has been without for a number of years, but this here felt more like a transaction.

“You haven’t even left yet and I can already smell the confliction rolling off of you. Cassie, you’ve got to relax.” Gabriel grasped onto his brothers shoulders, kneading the muscles there as he looked at Castiel’s reflection in the full length mirror in the hall. “Just meet the guy, go out on a few dates or whatever and go from there.”

Castiel sighed, contemplating his outfit for the fourth time that afternoon. He adjusted the collar on his black button up shirt and ran his fingers through his hair, hoping to tame some of the stubborn curls. “It’s a lot to consider. My people skills are a bit rusty. I – “

“I know, it’s been a while.” He gave Castiel a gentle pat on the back. “If it doesn’t work out with this Sam fellow, then you can go through with it here. I’ll help as much as I can.”

God, Castiel really did have an amazing brother, always willing to help him out. He just really didn’t want to put him through any of it all over again. Gabriel was a stubborn son of a bitch though, so Castiel couldn’t really say no to his help even if he tried, Gabe would still be there. He always has been. Castiel eventually conceded, nodding his head with a sigh. “Okay…Sooner I get back on my medication, the better.”

Gabriel smiled. “You’ll do just fine. You should get going before you’re late.”

“You’re right.” Castiel considered his appearance in the mirror once more and decided that his dark button up and equally dark slacks will have to do for now, he was running out of time anyway. “I’ll tell you all about it when I get home.”

“Go get him tiger!”

Castiel rolled his eyes in amusement as he grabbed his wallet and keys by the door and left.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Castiel arrived at the clinic ten minutes early, signed in at the front desk and spent another ten minutes sitting with Naomi in her office waiting for Sam to arrive. He was late, approaching ten minutes and Castiel was getting really nervous. His right leg bounced with anxiety as he sat ramrod straight in his seat across from Naomi, fingers tugging at a loose thread at the wrist of his shirt.

Finally, there came a firm knocking on Naomi’s door which grabbed both of their attention. Castiel’s heart lurched in his chest as Naomi announced to whoever it was that they could come in. The door opened and in walked the tallest alpha Castiel has ever seen. Good manners that had been ingrained in Castiel’s brain since he was little dictated that he stand to his feet and offer his hand in greeting, no matter how awkward he felt doing it.

Sam took his offered hand and shook it firmly, smiling apologetically. “You must be Castiel. It’s really good to meet you. I’m sorry I’m late, my brother decided he needed my help when I had to leave.”

Castiel smiled. “That’s alright.” Sam had the kindest pair of hazel colored eyes and an air about him that indicated he put forth the best of intentions in the things he said and did. Castiel had only just met the guy, but he knew instantly that he liked Sam. His scent was calming, warm, with notes of vanilla and maple that reminded him of cuddling up beside a warm fire on a winter afternoon. He was incredibly handsome too, the type of attractive that would seem intimidating if not for his friendly and empathetic disposition. Sam’s honey-brown hair curled at the nape of his neck, a few strands falling artfully over his forehead. He sported a pair of broad shoulders and a lean torso beneath dark flannel. “It’s good to meet you too.” Castiel added before retaking his seat, Sam sitting in the chair beside him.

“It’s good to see you again Sam.” Naomi smiled as she opened a file in front of her. “As you know, Sam, Castiel is in need of a partner. His cycle starts in about a month, which gives you two plenty of time to develop a relationship of sorts.”

Castiel fidgeted in his seat, the situation suddenly becoming incredibly overwhelming for him. Waves of unease washed over him at the thought of sharing something intimate with Sam crossed his mind. It was strange, uncomfortable even, but that stemmed from the way Naomi discussed it like it were a business transaction. He glanced briefly over at Sam with an uncertain curiosity. Sam noticed and gave him a sheepish sort of grin, his pheromones reaching out to calm Castiel. The warmth of vanilla and maple wrapped around him like a blanket, Sam’s smile telling him he knew just how apprehensive he was about everything. He could get through this, just one step at a time.

“Now, Castiel here has been through a difficult situation a few years ago, so he has some reservations about going forward. I’ve got to admit, if there was one person I had hoped you would match with, Castiel, it was Sam here. He’s never once received a complaint from a partner and he treats everyone’s boundaries with respect.”

“Communication is really important to me.” Sam tells Castiel. “So if at any time I do something, or say something you don’t like, I will respect it. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. If you just want someone there to take care of you in the most basic sense then I will do that for you.”

Castiel flushes with embarrassment. “Thank you. Uhm, to be honest, I don’t really know what I want out of our, ah, partnership.”

“That’s completely okay. We can take it slow, go at your pace.”

“Say I didn’t want to…You know..” Castiel’s cheeks burned and he ducked his head with the embarrassment of it. Thankfully Sam was there to put his mind at ease.

“It’s totally okay. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. And hey, we also don’t have to get into anything serious right now. We have a month to get to know each other right? Why don’t we take it a little slow, go out a few times and then we can figure it out. Does that sound alright?”

Turns out that Sam was actually pretty amazing as far as first impressions went. His reassurances really did seem to help when faced with the severity of the situation and how transactional it seemed. And it didn’t have to feel that way, he had a month to go which was more than enough time to get to know someone and be comfortable enough with them to share something so intimate.

Castiel found himself smiling his awkwardly crooked smile. “Yeah, I would like that, thank you.”

The rest of the meeting went really well after that. At one point Naomi had to excuse herself to tend to some sort of matter briefly, leaving Castiel alone with Sam. It wasn’t nearly as awkward as he would have expected it to be. Sam had apologized for Naomi’s overly clinical attitude when it came to something that happened to be an incredibly important factor to an omega’s life. It was just how she operated in all aspects really, Sam had explained.

Shortly after they discussed family, Castiel asking him about Sam’s brother, the one who held him up from such an important meeting. Sam had laughed, stating how his brother could just be very needy sometimes, especially when he is hungover. Castiel couldn’t agree more as Gabriel was pretty much the same.

Connecting with Sam had really been a breeze and by the end of it, after they exchanged phone numbers and set a day for their first official ‘date’ – in two days time that Monday - Castiel wondered why he had been so nervous to begin with. Sure, there were plenty of unknowns going into this first meeting and sure, there were many more unknowns he would come face to face with during the following month, but his gut had told him he made the right choice. His other matches would have paled in comparison.

So far Sam was extremely compassionate and empathetic, he was very attentive and he listened to what Castiel would say with an interested ear. Not to mention he was very easy on the eyes too, so much more attractive than his photo had lead him to believe. Sam Winchester was the package deal and Castiel couldn’t be more happy with his choice.

Gabriel of course wanted to hear everything as soon as he got home and so Castiel obliged and told him everything with a smile on his face. Despite the nervousness he felt, he was certain he was in good hands.

“Well I’m glad everything went good Cassie, I told ya it wouldn’t be so bad.” Castiel had rolled his eyes in response. “By the way! Could you do me a huuuge favor? I need you to pick up a few things for me from Whole Foods. I would do it but I’m going to be at the bakery all day.”

“Why can’t you do it tonight?”

“Because I have a hot date tonight.” Gabriel wagged his eyebrows suggestively as he handed over the list of items Gabriel requested. Organic flour.

Bakers chocolate.

Cashew milk – not almond.

Yeast.

Strawberries and blood oranges; the works really.

“Of course you do.” Castiel took the list and folded it up in wallet. “Okay, fine. I’ll do it.”

“Thank you! You’re a saint. I gotta get going, they want me to meet them by four. And uh, don’t bother waiting up for me, okay?” Gabe winked.

Castiel rolled his eyes again with amusement and practically shoved his brother out the door.

The following afternoon Castiel set out to acquire the items on the list given to him. He made an afternoon of it since he was required to make the trek into downtown where the Whole Foods was located, so why not grab a cup of coffee from his favorite coffee stand and explore some of the other shops in the area? He did need a new outfit or two if he were to go out with Sam on a few dates during the month ahead.

The thought of Sam brought a smile to his face. Castiel had woken up that morning to a pleasant good morning text along with some well wishes for his day ahead. It had been so very long since he’s been on the receiving end of such texts and it just felt good. It didn’t matter that it was temporary, not really anyway, what mattered what that Castiel was happy and comfortable with Sam. And he was.

He thought about how their first date was going to pan out as he hopped back in his car outside of the Whole Foods Market, all of his errands finally complete, an afternoon well spent being productive. Sam had suggested they keep everything pretty casual and suggested a bar he hadn't been to in a very long time. They could bond over a few beers and some classic bar food. And even though they weren’t dating in any sort of traditional sense, Castiel still felt the fluttering of butterflies in his stomach.

Castiel smiled despite himself as he pulled out onto the road and made his way home. Traffic, though, was horrible at this time of day in downtown, which was something he had unfortunately overlooked. “Jesus, no one knows how to drive.” He muttered to himself as he made a right hand turn at the light. He forgot how much he hated driving down here.

As he continued on down the road at a steady pace of 30mph, something, or rather someone, caught his eye off to the right. Castiel looked over and his heart nearly stopped, his breath catching in his throat. It wasn’t just anyone stepping outside of a small, locally owned textiles shop, it was – “Mathew..?” His gaze remained steady on the man he once called his mate as he drove past. Memories of them together quickly flashed together in his mind, all the while his heart raced. What the hell was he doing back in town? As far as he was aware, Mathew had left town altogether.

That’s when it happened. In the midst of Castiel’s racing thoughts and confusion, he was completely distracted and hadn’t realized the cars ahead of him had come to a dead stop at a red light until it was too late. “Shit!” He slammed on his breaks as hard as he could but it was no use. His tires squealed against the pavement in a poor attempt to stop and he slammed right into the back of the older car in front of him.

It was as though time had come to a stop, or at the very least, played in slow motion. Castiel lurched forward in his seat from the force of the impact, but was incredibly thankful for the deployment of the airbags; although that in itself was jarring and disorienting as well. It wasn’t until the dust had settled and Castiel finally came back to his body, to the present, that the panic set in.

Fuck. Fuck!

He looked up from his steering wheel to see the guy he hit had already hopped out of his car and was assessing the damage and oh, boy, he did not look happy. “Son of a bitch!” The man hollered.

Castiel’s heart pounded, the panic beginning to really rise like bile in the back of his throat. How could he not have seen that the people up ahead were coming to a stop at the red light? How could he have been so stupid as to forget all about his safety and the safety of others around him?? He had been so focused on trying to figure out why Mathew was suddenly back in town, his gaze glued to the other man as he drove that he… Shit! Why should he have even cared about the other man to begin with!

The man Castiel hit was livid and currently glaring daggers at him, waiting expectantly. There were cars backed up behind him, honking their horns to get everyone to move, most in the back not even aware of what happened up ahead. There were plenty of bystanders too, watching curiously, some shaking their head in disappointment. It all made the panic within Castiel that much worse. He has never been in a car accident before in his life, especially not one that he had caused. He’s always been very careful on the road.

He couldn’t delay any longer, he needed to get this over with.

So Castiel turned on his hazard lights and stepped out of his car on shaky legs to assess whatever damage he caused. His front bumper was trashed, his headlights shattered. The car he hit was no better. His bumper was smashed to bits, the trunk had popped open at an odd angle and his taillights were also shattered, leaving glass all over the pavement below. “I…I’m so sorry, I – “

“You better have insurance!” The stranger demanded as he pulled out his phone and began taking quick snapshots of the damage, cooing sweet words to his car. “Oh Baby, I’m sorry the idiot hit you. We’ll get you fixed up.”

Castiel was near frozen to the spot, fear taking over, panic settling in his bones. People were watching and he knew they were talking about him, judging him and fuck! He glanced over to see Mathew amongst the group of people watching, the look on his face indecipherable. The stinging of unshed tears pricked at the corners of his eyes despite how much he willed himself not to get emotional. He didn’t need anyone making any assumptions about him because they knew he was an omega. That was the last thing he needed.

Mathew eventually turned and walked away uninterested, leaving Castiel to fend for himself; not that he was expecting anyone to come to his immediate rescue or anything.

“Hey! Buddy, did you hear me?” The stranger’s voice cut through his panicked musings, the look in his green eyes commanding. “I asked you for your insurance information.”

Shit, the guy was clearly an alpha, there was no need to scent the air as the fiery look in his eyes was evidence enough. A very attractive, very pissed off alpha. And wasn’t that just the icing on the cake? What the hell else could possibly go wrong? Castiel reached for his wallet and with shaky hands, retrieved his insurance card and handed it over. “I’m so sorry..I…I didn’t mean to, I – “ Jesus, he should really stop talking. He sounded every bit the submissive little omega who royally fucked up.

The look on the man’s face softened somewhat, which wasn’t something Castiel had been expecting. Sure, he was still clearly pissed, but something in his face and even his body language had shifted after taking the card. His shoulders relaxed a fraction and he let out a sigh. “Look, its fine. I get it – “

“Well, no, it’s clearly not fine. I was distracted and rear ended you.” Castiel paused a moment to study the car in question. It was an old, black model of quite a few decades. Aside from where Castiel hit it, the car was shiny and clean, buffed to perfection. It was painfully obvious how much this car must mean to the guy, there was no reason to downplay it.

“Okay, well, we need to get off the road. I have an officer already on the way, they’ll direct traffic. In the meantime, call your insurance, take photos, the whole nine.” Castiel stared up at him like a deer caught in the headlights, unsure how exactly to proceed. The man appeared to take pity on him then and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, fingers squeezing gently. “You’ve never been in an accident before, have you?”

Castiel shook his head, eyes wide and uncertain.

“What’s your name?”

“C-Castiel.”

“Castiel…”He began as though testing the name on his tongue, giving Castiel a cheeky grin. “Well Castiel, I’m Dean. I’m sorry we couldn’t have met under different circumstances, but here we are. It’ll be fine, we’ll figure it out.” The alpha, Dean, seemed pretty damn confident that everything was going to be fine, even though it didn’t feel like it at all to Castiel. Maybe it would be eventually, but not now.

There was no time left to dilly dally. Castiel did as was suggested and called up his insurance, told them everything that happened and gave them Dean’s information. The claim had been more or less easy to make but that was just the first hurdle. The officer had finally arrived and took both statements, his partner helping to direct traffic. With the officer’s okay, they were able to pull their cars off the road and into the parking lot of a nearby antique store where they would then get a hold of someone to tow their vehicles.

“So look,” Dean started after they exited their cars. “How about I get in touch with a guy I know who can fix your car right up?”

“Oh…Uh, shouldn’t we wait back for insurance to tell us where to go, or…?”

Dean laughed and shook his head. “This really is your first rodeo, isn’t it? Look, my uncle is a mechanic, I worked with him for a while a few years back. He really knows his stuff.”

Castiel wasn’t sure how to respond to such kindness, wasn’t sure he should even take the advice. This Dean guy was a stranger, an alpha, and no matter how attractive he may be what with his sandy blonde hair and smattering of freckles, Castiel was well aware that his omegan sensibilities could be easily taken advantage of.

“You can tell your agent you have a place in mind for repairs. Tell em you’ll have it towed to Singer Auto-shop and they should be totally okay with it.”

“I…I don’t really know if I deserve such kindness.” Castiel smiled sheepishly.

Dean shrugged as he leaned up against his car, hands shoved deep in the pockets of his well-worn jeans. “My baby’s been through worse than a simple fender bender. Built her from the ground up after my dad totaled her some years back. This really isn’t that big of a deal, inconvenient for both of us, sure, but – “ He shrugged once more noncommittally. Dean pulled out his phone and made the phone call before the offer could be declined further.

Castiel smiled, incredibly grateful for Dean’s help. If it weren’t for his kindness he wasn’t sure how he would have been able to cope.

“Alright!” Dean announced after he hung up his phone. “My uncle is on his way. He’ll get us both rigged up, so we can just hang tight.”

“Thanks Dean.” Castiel smiled.
“Eh it’s no problem. So uh, what do you do for work?
“Oh, uhm, I work at a locally owned bookstore. Luci’s Used Books."

“Right on.” Dean nodded.

The silence between them was a bit awkward, neither Castiel nor Dean said much of anything else to each other. They simply waited for the tow truck to arrive, which felt like forever. In the time they waited, Castiel’s phone began to ring and he nearly panicked when he saw Gabriel’s name flashing on the screen. He quickly accepted the call lest he leave his brother worrying.

“Shit, Gabriel, hi – “

“Cassie! What’s the hold up? “

“I uh…Wait, weren’t you supposed to be at the bakery all day today?”

“I left early. I wanted to get a start on this recipe but someone isn’t back with my ingredients yet.” Gabriel sing-songed and if Castiel had to hazard a guess he was probably tapping his foot impatiently too.

“Yeah, about that..” Castiel glanced over at Dean to see him idly flipping through his phone. He glanced up briefly, grinning when he caught Castiel staring. He looked away, cheeks flushing pink. “I sorta got in an accident on the way home.”

“An accident! Are you okay? Why didn’t you call me? I’m leaving right now to come get you, where are you?”

“I’m fine Gabe. It’s nothing serious, just rear ended somebody outside that antique store you like so much is all.”

“You rear ended somebody!? How did you manage that? You’re such a grandpa on the road, so careful, never taking risks.”

“Yeah, Ha ha. I’ll tell you about it when you get here.”

“Okay, Graham’s Antiques, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, I’ll be there soon.” Gabriel sighed on the other end. “Gotta love my pain in the ass little brother.”

“Love you too.” Castiel hung up his phone, pocketing it when he noticed Dean’s eyes on him, brows furrowed just a bit in curiosity.

“Was that your mate?”

“What…?” Mate? Oh..shit..Jesus. Sometimes he forgot he still harbored the scar from his scrubbed bond mark, the damn thing only stood out like a sore thumb. It was often pink in color whenever the skin decided to act up, most of the time is was a light brown color whenever it decided to cooperate. Either way, it was embarrassing whenever someone noticed it was scrubbed. It was one thing to know you were damaged goods, but seeing it reflected in someone else's eyes was another thing entirely. Castiel flushed with mortification as he went to touch the mark on his neck, the skin raised and a little tender. “Uhm, no that was my brother, he sent me out shopping for him and I was on my way home when I hit you.”

“Ah.” Was all Dean said, which was more than enough in Castiel’s book. The guy probably thought the same thing as everyone else did whenever they saw his scrubbed mark. Damaged goods. Not worth the effort. His mate probably left him for a good reason.

Needless to say Castiel and Dean didn’t really say another word to each other until his uncle Bobby pulled up to tow both of their cars. Castiel retrieved his shopping bags from his car when Dean offered to give him a lift to the auto-shop. He declined of course, stating that his brother should be almost there.

“I’ll just wait here.”

“Are you sure?” Dean raised a brow.

“Yeah. Thanks for your help Dean, I appreciate it.”

“Of course. See you around!”

Castiel watched Dean climb into the truck once both cars were rigged up and waved goodbye before they pulled out onto the road. Once he was alone, he sagged against the wall of the antique store, the crushing weight of guilt and humiliation washing over him. Fuck…Gabriel needed to hurry up.

Chapter Text

All Our Own

Chapter 3: Free Agent

The neon lights outside of Harvelle’s Roadhouse flickered brightly as Sam pulled the car into the parking lot, quickly finding an empty space near the entrance. There were quite a few people lingering around outside, many of them dressed in leather biker gear and smoking cigarettes between sips of beer that wasn’t really allowed outside of the bar. But, as it appeared, no one really seemed to give a shit.

If this were the first time Castiel has ever been here, he would have been completely turned off and asked Sam to either go somewhere else or take him back home altogether. But he’s been here before, a couple times, so he wasn’t at all put off by the rowdy biker group across the way. The friendly wait-staff and delicious burgers more than made of for any disconcerting riff-raff, it’s just been an incredibly long time since he’s been. Besides, Sam did allow Castiel to pick the place.

“So you’ve been here before huh?” Sam asked once they were seated at a table near the bar. “I mean no offense but this doesn’t seem like a place you might frequent.”

Castiel nodded, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “That’s because I don’t frequent this place.” He shrugged. “It’s been a few years since I’ve been.”

“Alright, well, I won’t give you the spiel about what’s good and what’s not so good then.” Sam smiled from across the table, an infectious smile really. It was so kind and easy, it was really no wonder he hasn’t ever received a complaint with the heat clinic. Hell, it was a wonder why he didn’t have a mate of his own. Sam Winchester cut quite a handsome figure dressed in a dark coat and red plaid. His hair was brushed back and styled to stay in place for the evening, the ends curled at the nape of his neck. Castiel couldn’t have picked a better alpha.

“Their double cheeseburgers make me really happy.”

Sam chuckled. “Can’t forget the curly fries.”

“Oh! Definitely not.”

Sam laughed and waved over a waitress. “Would you like a beer?”

“Sure, a beer sounds nice.”

“Sam!” A young, blonde omega came bounding over with a bright smile on her face. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Yeah, it’s been a little bit. It’s good to see you Jo.”

“You too.” Jo turned to Castiel, a curious look in her eye, hand on one hip. “So who’s this? You hop in the dating pool finally?”

Castiel blushed with embarrassment, but Sam flashed him a brief reassuring smile. “You could say that.” Was all he was willing to elaborate, which was perfect really. Castiel didn’t want his personal business getting out there and becoming common knowledge amongst everyone, regardless of gender and understanding. “Jo, this is Castiel, Castiel, this is Jo Harvelle, Ellen Harvelle’s daughter and my cousin.”

“Cousin? You’re related to the owner?”

Sam nodded. “By marriage, but yes. My uncle and Ellen became a mated pair ages ago, been together ever since.”

“Damn straight. It’s great to meet you Castiel. It’s a bout damn time someone caught his eye, this guy here is a work-aholic.” Jo grins as she jabs her pen over in Sam’s direction. “So what could I get you two?”

“How about a couple beers to start and maybe an order of your garlic knots?”

Jo nodded and wrote it down in her notepad. “Sure thing, I’ll be right back boys.” She gave a wink before taking her leave to put the order in and retrieve their beers.

“I apologize for that.” Sam commented as he scratched the back of his neck.

“Hm? Oh, no, it’s okay really. It’s much easier to explain away than the real reason why we are here together.”

“Well Jo’s not exactly wrong. I haven’t been on a real date in ages, so it’s nice to go out and spend some time with another person, get to know them.”

Castiel huffed, nodding in agreement. “I haven’t either. I guess this would technically be my first date in years. Your profile said you are a paramedic?”

“Yeah, for a few years now.” Jo returned with their beer mugs in hand, grinning as she set them down on the table. Sam smiled up at her in a silent thanks. He had a really kind smile, one that showed absolute sincerity. The alpha seemed to exude kindness from his very being, which was an interesting trait for an alpha, not that alphas didn’t know how to be compassionate or anything. Sam was a gentleman, a man who clearly cared about others no matter their gender which was something Castiel could greatly appreciate. A part of him wondered what Sam’s unique alpha nature looked like; would he still portray a sense of gentleness in his actions, or was there something a bit more…Animalistic beneath the exterior? “Thanks Jo.”

“You got it!”

Castiel took his glass and immediately sipped from it to distract himself and to calm his nerves.

“Yeah, so I’ve been doing that for a while and even more recently I enrolled in school to one day become a doctor. I underestimated how taxing it was all gonna be.” Sam chuckled with a shake of his head. He took a sip of his beer and hummed in approval, his shoulders relaxing as he slouched just a bit in his seat. Castiel could smell the sense of relaxation coming from the alpha across from him and wondered just how much free time the guy even got. Probably not a whole lot if he had to guess.

“Wow! I couldn’t imagine. I mean…I’m sure it’s incredibly overwhelming.”

“It can be. But, I suppose one of the silver linings is I’ve got some pretty insane stories I could write a book about.”

“Oh yeah?”

Sam nodded after taking another pull from his beer. “Oh yeah! You wouldn’t believe the amount of calls we have gotten for sex related injuries.”

“You’re kidding!” Castiel laughed.

“Nope. You’d be surprised by the amount of freaky people out there, getting things stuck in places where they shouldn’t.”

Castiel laughed again and shook his head, his cheeks tinged a little pink at the conversation matter. He could only imagine the kind of people Sam had to assist on his calls, many of them probably really clueless as to the danger they potentially put themselves in. “And here I thought my job was exciting.”

“Yeah? What is it you do for work?”

Castiel shrugged, a strange sense of feeling marginally smaller than Sam by way of occupation difference alone. “I work at a used book store. Luci’s Used Books to be exact.”

“Oh right on!”

Castiel waved him off. “It’s nothing really. Pretty simple work.”

“Nonsense. Where else can someone like me find study books for dirt cheap?” Sam raised an eyebrow, grinning.

“That’s very true.” Castiel snorted.

Jo returned then with their order of garlic knots with a trio of assorted dipping sauces. “Have you boys decided on a main course?” She asked as she set the platter down between them.

“Oh, uhh…” Sam began, only just now deciding to look at the menu sitting in front of him.

Jo giggled and turned to Castiel, a friendly smile on her face. “How about you?”

“Uhm, I’ll just take a double cheeseburger and fries. Curly! Curly fries.”

“Sam?”

“Uhhh….Yeah, I’ll just take the same, why not?”

Jo grinned. “Okay, I’ll go put the order in, enjoy.” She left with a flourish and a wink directed in Sam’s direction. He flushed ever so slightly and took a sip of his beer once she was finally gone.

“So uh, what made you want to become a paramedic in the first place?” Castiel asked, stealing a couple garlic knots and popping one in his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully as he waited for Sam’s answer.

“Oh, I don’t know. I always knew there was something more for me to do in this life I guess. I wanted to help people, save a few here and there if I could. There’s a lot of bad in this world and I don’t know, I figured I could try and make a difference where I could.”

Castiel smiled. “I like that. It’s very honorable. Me, I uh, I enjoy the book store. I enjoy books. But uh, I don’t quite know if I’ve found my calling yet.”

Sam shrugged as he dipped a garlic knot into the little ramekin of ranch. “Your calling doesn’t have to be anything work related. It could be volunteer stuff, traveling, it could be painting. Some may even be perfectly content raising a family.”

Castiel hummed, tension coiling in his gut when Sam mentioned the bit about raising a family. He took a generous swig of his beer, knowing full well that raising a family had to be what his calling was. His gut instincts were screaming with it. What he couldn’t fathom was the idea that he may have lost that chance years ago. He had hoped that it weren’t true, that he could try once more should he ever be so lucky. But then again, who would want to actively date an omega with a scrubbed mating mark? That tension coiled tighter in his gut but as he opened his mouth ready to make a comment, they were suddenly interrupted by someone behind him excitedly calling for Sam. “Sammy!! You didn’t tell me you had a hot date!”

Jesus Christ…That scent..God, it was as though a gust of wind blew across a sandy beach in Castiel’s direction, transporting him to sunny days at the ocean. The scent of sea salt was mixed with something undeniably male, warm and comforting, like coming home to a warm meal. Castiel was immediately curious about the newcomer and to be honest, he was grateful for the distraction from where his and Sam’s conversation was going.

He turned to see who it was only to stop short when his gaze fell on a familiar pair of green eyes. “Oh, uh..” Castiel sputtered, unprepared to be suddenly face to face with the man whom he very recently rear-ended. “Hello Dean.”

Dean gave a small wave, clearly surprised as well to see Castiel sitting here with Sam, who was incredibly confused by the whole exchange. “Wait, you two know each other?”

“Yes.” Castiel deadpanned just before taking a sip of his beer. “I rear-ended him the other day.”

Understanding dawned on Sam then and his moue of confusion slowly stretched out into a grin. “Ohh, so you were the quote ‘hot omega’ that hit his baby.”

Castiel flushed a deep red, his eyes glancing over at Dean to gauge his reaction. The older man was no less flustered. “Shut up Sam!” Dean punched him in the shoulder.

“Ow!” Sam laughed, rubbing his arm. “Okay, I’m sorry. Anyways, Castiel, Dean here happens to be my very obnoxious older brother.”

If Castiel heard correctly, he swore he heard Dean growl threateningly low in his throat which, oh dear, it did things to Castiel, wonderful, pleasant things to his body. “Oh…Well, it’s nice to meet you on much better terms this time, Dean.” He smiled up at the alpha. The snarl on Dean’s face instantly disappeared when he saw Castiel’s outstretched hand. He shook it and beamed, showing off a hint of those sharp canines in a flirtatious grin that was hard to mistake.

“You too Cas. Can I call you Cas?” Castiel shrugged in response. “Alright, well Cas, I gotta apologize in advance. Sam’s a huge boring nerd all the time, so if you wanna spend some time with someone who’s actually fun and cool I’ll be over there.” Dean grinned and pointed his thumb in the direction of the pool tables, one table occupied by a big burly sort of man and a short redheaded woman.

They must know Dean, Castiel thought as he noticed the pair looking over in their direction and speaking in hushed tones. “Okay, I’ll uh, give it some consideration.” Castiel replied, an awkward smile tugging at his cheeks.

Dean beamed and took his leave, bounding over to his two friends.

Castiel watched Dean and his two friends from over the rim of his beer mug. He took a sip, and then another, his mind reeling from the encounter. Had he really been described as the ‘hot omega’, and by the extremely attractive alpha on the other side of the bar? Sure, it was a little embarrassing, but the compliment was definitely a confidence booster.
A part of him was a little disappointed that Dean wasn’t a volunteer at the heat clinic and another part wondered then that if he were, would he and Castiel have matched at all?

“Castiel?”

“Hm?” Castiel took one last sip and set his mug down, his gaze flitting back over to Sam.

“You good?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine.” Castiel smiled and popped a garlic knot into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

The rest of the date actually went pretty well, all things considered. Their food arrived shortly after the run in with Dean and they moved on to other topics of discussion which included stories from Sam’s childhood which tended to include a lot of mentions of Dean. Castiel added mentions of his Catholic upbringing and how upset everyone was with how unconventional an alpha Gabriel has always been.

You could say that Gabe was the black sheep of the family, but the opposite was actually true. Castiel was the black sheep, his secondary gender being the determining factor from the start. His parents were very old fashioned that way and maybe that was why he felt so strongly about wanting to raise a family. It was bred into him, it was his duty. Anyone smarter would probably have thrown such notions out the window and pursued other ventures in life, but not Castiel. Regardless of whether or not said upbringing was a factor, he still felt the longing deep in his gut, that child-bearing instinct ever pressing the older he gets.

Of course Castiel didn’t reveal too much to Sam out of fear of seeming desperate. He supposed in a way he was, but what could an omega do? Especially one such as him. Omegas were meant to take care of the home and bear as many pups as they could, and if they couldn’t hold up that end, they were usually seen as less than in society’s eyes. It may be the twenty-first century, and there may have been quite a lot of progress made in terms of equal rights and acceptance of those who went against what was considered ‘normal’, but there were still plenty of alphas out there that would leave at the first sign of failure.

Castiel couldn’t allow himself to appear that weak. Not to Sam who seemed incredibly caring and genuine. It didn’t matter. He had to have some sense of self-preservation.

Later on, when they reached the end of their meal, both taking sips of their second beer of the night, Sam broached the subject about their relationship, as temporary as it was. “So uh, I’m curious.” Sam began.

“Yes?”

“Are there any sort of expectations you might have during our time together?”

Castiel flushed a little, picking at some of the fries left on his plate. “To be honest I’m not really sure. I’ve never really needed a heat partner...Well, not one from the clinic. I was in a relationship for…Quite a few years really.” He shrugged. “He was my only other partner, so the idea of having someone different is a little strange to me.”

Sam nodded in understanding. “Yeah, I imagine it would feel strange. You guys broke up?”

“Yeah. We uh, well, let’s just say it wasn’t a good breakup.” Castiel scratched the back of his neck, his senses acutely aware of the scrubbed mark on his neck. He saw Sam’s gaze flit curiously to the mark, observing it briefly, a look of sympathy in his eyes. He didn’t comment on the mark, thankfully.

“I’m sorry to hear that, that sounds rough.”

Castiel shrugged. “It was, but I don’t know, things are marginally better now. Well, aside from needing a heat partner, not that you’re not pleasant to be around, Sam, not at all.”

“Oh! Yeah, no it’s totally fine.” The alpha chuckled. “Well, uh, say you were actively looking for someone to be with, not just because you needed to but because you wanted to; are there certain things you look for in a partner?”

Castiel sat up straighter, purposefully avoiding the urge to glance over at all the excited commotion going on with Dean and his two friends at the pool tables. “Uhm, yeah, yeah. I uh…Attentiveness is always important. He’s gotta be considerate, have a sense of humor, smart..Uhm.”

The sound of a cue ball getting knocked into a corner pocket followed by a chorus of cheers erupted grabbed both Sam and Castiel’s attention. Castiel especially as he had the best view of Dean in what had to be what some might call his natural habitat. He’d be a liar if he said he hadn’t stolen glances at the older alpha during his conversation with Sam. Much like he was now. Where the alpha had previously came in wearing a leather jacket, he had now discarded it onto the back of a nearby chair, leaving him in a simple black t-shirt and dark faded jeans.

Dean was excited and fist pumping the air, clearly having bested the big burly guy in a game of pool, their redheaded friend cheering from the sidelines. It had been a close game apparently, not that Castiel was hyper focused on it or anything.

Castiel sighed under his breath as he finished off his second beer. He returned to the conversation with Sam, doing his best to ignore the temptation to watch the attractive older brother across the bar for the rest of his date. He did alright he supposed, only stealing a couple more glances when he was sure Sam wasn’t paying attention.

It wasn’t until after he was finally dropped off at home that the guilt of potentially being inattentive to Sam began to well up within him. Sam was a wonderful guy, intelligent and funny, and here Castiel was, ogling his older brother from across the bar.

It was just as well. Things never seem to go to plan where Castiel’s life is concerned.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Dean stumbled through the front door, drunk and laughing as he struggled with the lock on his door only to find it was already unlocked. He pushed his way through and attempted to hang his coat on the coat rack near the door but failed epically. The coat fell to the floor in a heap, but Dean couldn’t care less. “Sammy! You ‘round here somewhere?”

“Back here Dean.”

Dean grinned and followed the sound of his brother’s voice down the hall to the bathroom where he found Sam brushing his teeth. He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. “So how did your date go?” He slurred.

“It wasn’t really a date.”

Dean arched a brow. “Really? Could ‘a fooled me. What would you have called that then ‘cause it definitely looked like a date to me.”

Sam rolled his eyes and wiped his mouth clean. “Okay, sure, but it wasn’t. I’m just helping the guy out is all.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? ‘Helping the guy out’?” Dean swayed a little on his feet when Sam shut off the bathroom light, pushed past him and back down the hall. Dean followed of course, pestering Sam about his date, asking all sorts of invasive questions.

“Dude, why are you so suddenly interested in my love life?”

“’m not.”

“Could have fooled me Dean.” Sam wandered into the kitchen and poured a generous glass of water and shoved it at his brother, urging him to hydrate lest he regret it come morning. “So, Castiel’s the one who hit you huh?”

“Sure is.” Dean took a huge gulp of water, followed by another and another until the glass was drained. He slammed the glass down on the counter and followed Sam some more throughout the house like a curious puppy. “So where did you meet him? OmegaMeet.com?”

Sam huffed a laugh. “No, Dean. We didn’t meet on a dating site. And we are not dating either. I’m just uh, like I said, helping him out.”

Dean side-eyed him curiously as they both plopped down on the couch, Sam reaching for the television remote and flipping through channels. “Uh huh, is that what they’re calling it these days?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “It’s not like that Dean, don’t be immature.”

“Then what is it like?” Dean grinned. Sam simply ignored him at every turn, no matter how hard his brother pried with question after question. But then it finally dawned on Dean after the third time Sam mentioned helping Castiel. There was only one thing that turn of phrase could mean. “Oh, you’re not still volunteering for that clinic thing are you?”

A muscle in Sam’s jaw twitched imperceptibly, but Dean caught it regardless. “I thought you were done with that?”

“I’m still on the registry. I can decline a match if I want to, and I decided not to this time. So what?”

“So, what, you’re gonna ride out his heat with him in some decked out room and pretend none of it is weird?”

“You know,” Sam began with a huff of laughter. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were interested in Castiel.”

Dean shook his head vehemently. “Nope, nuh uh. Sure, he’s hot.” And smells amazing; like how the air smells before a much needed rainstorm. There was an electric sort of quality to it hidden amongst the man’s natural scent and Dean would be a fat fucking liar if he said that alone hadn’t interested him. It was such a peculiar quality in an omega’s scent when many tended to lean a little more on the sweet side. “He’s totally not my type, too much baggage.”

“What, and you don’t have any? Come on Dean, everyone has baggage, that doesn’t mean you should judge people for it. How well do you even know this guy?”

“I don’t. But he’s got this really nasty mating scar that’s clearly been scrubbed. A little too heavy for my taste.” He relaxed in his seat on the couch, spread out and leaving Sam very little room as per usual. They really needed to invest in a bigger couch.

Sam rolled his eyes. “You’re insufferable Dean. And judgmental.”

“What can I say? A guy’s gotta have some standards.”

“I didn’t realize you were such a stereotypical alpha dick too.” Sam muttered before tossing the remote in Dean’s lap and rising to his feet.

“What was that?” Dean demanded.

“Nothing Dean, goodnight.”

“Aw, c’mon Sammy! I was only kidding!” Sorta.

Dean took some time to sober up a little bit before crawling into bed, the water having helped. And the aspirin he dug out of the medicine cabinet in the bathroom; to be frank, he was getting way too old for this and he was only thirty. He still had fun, don’t get him wrong, but the hangovers, when he did get them, were a major bitch. He’d be laid up for hours, slowly dying and regretting every single decision made the night before.

Thank God for Sammy though. He may be the biggest health nerd on the planet, and some of the things he preaches about sound like utter bullshit half the time, but his words of advice were spot on when it came to preventing hangovers.

Dean snorted as he scrolled through his phone idly in bed, curled up under the blankets. Sam was such an idiot though. Why the hell would he be interested in Castiel?

Okay, so, theoretically, if Dean had never met the guy before and saw him for the first time across the bar, there was without a doubt in his mind that Dean would be half tempted to waltz on over and try to smooth talk him into his bed. He shrugged at the thought, because yeah, if he were completely honest with himself, he totally would have. But, then again, there was that scrubbed mark, and those usually spelt trouble. Lots of baggage, probably lots of wants unfulfilled, things Dean could never offer. One night wouldn’t hurt, would it?

But oh…Those blue eyes though…

Dean was a sucker for gorgeous eyes. And Castiel had quite the pair.

But naw, Dean was not interested, not in the slightest. That was Sam’s gig, his burden to carry. Dean was a free agent and he’d like to remain that way.

Chapter Text

All Our Own

Chapter 4: Winchester Charm

“You mean to tell me that the alpha you rear-ended is your heat partner’s older brother?” Gabriel questioned, absolutely dumbfounded as Castiel retold the tale the next morning at breakfast. His brows rose in surprise when his brother nodded in affirmation, but a salacious grin quickly stretched across his face. “Oh man, well if this Dean guy happens to look anything like your partner does then…Whew! I’d loooove to be in the middle of that sandwich. Cassie, you lucky duck you.”

Castiel rolled his eyes as he chewed on a strip of bacon. “It’s not like that Gabe; just a strange coincidence is all.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m sure it was. What I’m actually curious about is how you rear-ended this dashing, older brother.” Gabriel wagged his eyebrows, resulting in yet another eye roll from Castiel. “But seriously. You are literally the safest driver ever Cas, what the hell happened?”

Castiel’s thoughts exactly.

It had been a few years since Castiel had seen Mathew, the last time being when he had to return to their house to get the remainder of his belongings he had left behind. He hadn’t stayed long, thankfully. Mathew had all of Castiel’s remaining belongings packed up and ready to go by the front door for which Castiel was grateful.

Seeing Mathew for that last time hurt physically and emotionally. His recently scrubbed mark burned beneath the bandage wrap at the sight of him, at just how close they were together. Perhaps Mathew knew how badly it would hurt so he decided to move things along and ensure that Castiel didn’t need to be there any longer than he had to. At least he had hoped so.

They hadn’t said much to each other, a few basic pleasantries, a couple thank you’s and a brief announcement from Mathew that he was planning on selling the house they had once called home and leaving town. To where, he didn’t say, not that Castiel cared.

So what brought him back to Sioux Falls? He had some family out here, a couple cousins, but not anyone Castiel assumed was important. Most importantly, why the hell had his sudden appearance distracted Castiel so disastrously? It’s not like he had been hoping to see the man again one day.

“Cas?”

“Hm?”

“You’re thinking too hard. C’mon, what happened?”

Castiel sighed and sat back in his chair, his fingers playing with the fork on his plate. “I saw Mathew.”

Gabriel’s eyes widened. “You what? Saw Mathew?” He growled low in his throat.

“Yeah. I left the Whole Foods and I saw him leaving another store. I was distracted and the rest is history.”

“Mathew. Like, the Mathew, the one in which we do not speak, Mathew?”

“Yes Gabe, the very one.”

Gabriel blinked once, twice. “Well what the hell is he doing back in town?” He threw up his hands, exasperated. The scent of curiosity soured into something more unforgiving and bitter. Castiel didn’t blame him, especially considering Gabriel has always wanted to teach the alpha a lesson or two for hurting Castiel in the way that he did.

“I don’t know! I didn’t exactly feel the need to run over there and ask him, I had other important matters to tend to.”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry.” Gabriel sat back in his seat and chewed on the tip of his thumb, the gears in his head turning, a low growl rumbling in his chest. “He better not try to seek you out or so help me...”

Castiel stabbed his fork into the last bit of eggs on his plate and shoved them in his mouth, chewing quickly. “It’s fine. You don’t have to worry; I can take care of myself.” He stood and brought his empty plate to the sink to rinse it off and place it in the dishwasher.

“I’m always going to worry about you Cassie, after what that asshole did to you?” Gabriel shook his head and rose from his seat as well, empty plate and glass of orange juice in hand. He downed the juice in one go and placed his dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

“I know…Just, can we not talk about him right now?”

Gabriel sighed, nodding his head. “Okay, so then…About Sam, what do you think about him?”

The quick change in subject was a warm welcome; Castiel found himself smiling at the mention of the alpha. “He’s great. He uh, he’s smart, outgoing and attentive. He’s a paramedic too, which seems to fit well for him. Sam eventually wants to become a doctor; he’s in school right now.”

“Uh huh, uh huh, give me more.” Gabriel pressed.

“He’s more attractive in person if that’s something you want to know. Tall.”

“Okay, but as a potential heat partner, what do you think?”

The question rendered Castiel silent, the thought having gone completely over his head. To be quite honest, he didn’t really know the answer. The idea of having a heat partner is strange enough, and always will be regardless of the person. To spend intimate time together with a near stranger, very little time, to then never have anything to do with them once the heat passes; it was a strange concept. “I don’t know.” Castiel shrugged. “I mean, I think he will be great. We didn’t talk a whole lot about boundaries, but he seems pretty respectful, his scent is pleasant enough. He’s also engaging and a good listener, so…This is a really weird conversation Gabriel.”

Gabe huffed, shaking his head with a grin. He crossed his arms and leaned back up against the kitchen counter. “I think you might be missing some key ingredients here baby bro. Does Sam insight any feelings within you? No? You don’t know? Okay. Does he…Can you imagine getting down and dirty with him?”

“Ugh, Gabe, do you have to be so crude?”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “And do you have to be such a prude? These are all valid questions!”

“Sure, but does it matter? Once I’m in the midst of it I don’t think any of the smaller details will matter very much. All I’m going to want is, well, you know.” Castiel received yet another eye roll.

“Okay, sure, that’s true. But half the fun is being physically attracted to the other person. Think back to when you and Mathew first got together. Think about what that was like. It was probably all fireworks and hot pheromones, am I right?”

“I thought I said I didn’t want to talk about him?”

“But you know I’m right. I’m just saying Cassie, Sam might be great in your opinion but is that enough? You need some spice in your life, some excitement.”

“What makes you think I don’t have excitement in my life? My life is plenty exciting; I do have you for a brother after all.”

Gabriel laughed with a shake of his head. “You know what I mean.”

“Well, either way, I still have time to figure that out. I’m going out with him again in a few days. Sam’s going to take me to the museum.”

“Oh, how romantic!” Gabriel gushed. “The museum is a good bet, take that time to feel each other out in a new setting, talk art and abstract concepts I’ll likely never understand and hey, if you end up not feeling it with Sam then you can always pick someone else. Hey! I’ve got an idea! Why not this Dean fellow?” The grin on Gabriel’s face stretched wide and he wagged his brows playfully, erupting with laughter when he saw Castiel’s reaction to the suggestion. He had clearly been caught off guard, his face flushing a bright red.

“Ah ha! So you are attracted to the older brother, aren’t you?”

Castiel averted his gaze from his brother, willing the heat in his cheeks to go away because God damnit, he hated to admit it, but Gabriel was right. He was definitely attracted to Dean despite his focus on Sam and his current situation. There was just something about the other alpha that felt magnetic, like there had been something between them last night that beckoned Castiel to Dean’s side, to join him in a game of pool, up the stakes a little, winner takes all that the loser is willing to offer. The imaginings conjured in his mind really didn’t help Castiel’s predicament as he had to completely turn away from his brother and fiddle with the dishwasher, starting it when it was only halfway full. “I barely know the guy, Gabe.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. You don’t have to know much about someone to be attracted to them. Maybe you can get Dean to be your partner, huh?” He teased, nudging his elbow against Castiel’s arm.

“No. Nuh uh, he’s way out of my league. I’ll stick with Sam.”

“What, and pine for the older brother the whole time?”

Castiel shook his head. “You’re insufferable.”

“And you wouldn’t have me any other way.” Gabriel watched as Castiel finished gathering his things for work, speaking up again as he slipped on his shoes. “Just think about it Cassie. And hey, if you want, I can sniff him out and put in a good word for ya.”

Castiel fixed him with a hard stare, warning him with a silent ‘don’t you dare’. “I swear to God Gabe, if you weren’t my brother,”

“Ohh you’d still love me!”

“That’s debatable.” He grabbed his coat and headed for the front door. “Bye Gabe!”

“See ya later Romeo!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As it turns out, Castiel’s date with Sam a few days later went really well, amazing actually. Sam had picked him up at his house around noon and they grabbed coffee from a small coffee stand before making it to the museum. They bought their tickets and Sam ushered Castiel inside on ahead of him, his hand lightly pressed against the small of his back. He was clearly testing the waters of propriety with a curiosity and a gentlemanly manner Cas had appreciated. It was actually quite nice, having the door held open for him when necessary and hell, even that small touch alone from an alpha was quite pleasant.

So they took their time leisurely walking throughout the whole museum that afternoon. They perused all the paintings, old and new, discussed history concerning certain artifacts that intrigued them. Turns out, Sam is a bit of a history buff. “My brother always makes fun of all the useless information locked away here in my grapefruit.” Sam had tapped his finger against his temple a few times with a chuckle. “But, jokes on him. He’s failed to remember that I was the one who helped him on all of his history assignments. If it weren’t for me-“ Sam had shrugged and they moved on.

All in all, it was a really great afternoon, coffee, museum and even a late lunch to end it on. Castiel really enjoyed Sam’s company and in any other sort of circumstance he would have welcomed a third date, would probably actually be incredibly excited for one. But there was something weighing heavy on Castiel’s mind, and it was of no thanks to his pain in the ass older brother.

Was Castiel attracted to Sam Winchester?

Sure, Sam was handsome, charming as ever, intelligent, strong and capable. Confident. Sam was everything an alpha should be, but maybe Gabriel was on to something the other morning in the kitchen. Sam’s certainly attractive and there’s no doubt in his mind that he chose the right alpha out of the options given to him, but he honestly couldn’t see himself being intimate with him, scenting him and begging for his knot.

The idea had him flushing with embarrassment any time he tried to envision it and it wasn’t a pleasant sort of embarrassment either. It was the kind that settled uncomfortably in your gut, similar to the sensation of butterflies in your stomach but the completely wrong kind.

It wasn’t boding well for Castiel, who was on a bit of a time crunch here.

He spent the next few days thinking about it and weighing his options, all the while discussing further boundaries with Sam through text, or phone calls whenever Sam was available between shifts. Castiel had thought very briefly that maybe he could try out the other two alphas if they were still available, but even that didn’t sit well with him. Besides, if he knew Sam wasn’t going to really work out, being his best option, then the other two definitely weren’t going to work out. Instinct was quite the beast itself when your heat cycle was looming up ahead.

The clock was definitely ticking by each passing day. In just over two weeks Castiel will more than likely hit pre-heat and want to nest and suffer through the first stirrings of unbidden desires. Shortly after that - which for Castiel, pre-heat usually lasts for about three days – he’ll be a begging, sweaty, needy mess, desperate to be filled and taken care of.

Castiel needed an alpha. Deep down, he knew that. He also knew that it had to be Sam, it just had to, despite his reservations about it. Sam was his best option, his only option. Needless to say, the stress Castiel found himself in lead him to the entrance doors to Harvelle’s Roadhouse that following Thursday night after his shift at Luci’s Used Books. This was honestly saying something because he hardly ever went seeking out the comfort of a dive bar all by his lonesome. But, there he was, taking a seat right up there at one end of the bar, far away from the rowdy group on the opposite side.

He sighed as he fiddled with his wallet, pulling out his ID and getting it ready for whenever the bartender on shift came to help him. He supposed he could just say fuck it all and go through his heat alone, have Gabriel help him through whatever he could. It was the route Castiel had originally wanted to go with, more or less, but by this point the thought of doing so made him weirdly nauseous, uncomfortable. Lonely. So fucking lonely.

Finally, the bartender for the night sauntered on over and stopped in front of Cas, leaning against the opposite side of the bar. “Evening! What are we drinking?”

Castiel tore his gaze from the bar top and locked eyes with a pair of devastatingly green ones. His eyes widened at just how familiar they were and it wasn’t until he did a double take and processed the bartenders other features that it dawned on him. Green eyes, a smattering of freckles, dark blonde hair and red flannel over a dark T.

“Oh! Uh, h-hello Dean.” Castiel flushed, caught off guard and totally not prepared to see Dean again. Stating the obvious – like a fool – he added, “You must work here.”

“I sure do.” Dean grinned cheekily. It was hard to miss the way those canines peaked out over his lips, teasingly almost, and just…God…Castiel’s mouth suddenly went dry. “So, what could I get you Sunshine?”

Sunshine.

Well that was a new one, the nickname had Cas blushing a little, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards into an awkward smile. There was no denying that he quite liked the nickname and it certainly didn’t have anything to do with it being given by Dean himself, no, of course not.

Dean lifted a curious brow when Castiel didn’t reply right away. “Oh, Uhm…Double whiskey, straight.”

That brow lifted even higher. “That kind of day huh? You got it.” He nodded and quickly went about pouring him that double whiskey straight, top shelf by the looks of it.

“That kind of month actually.” Castiel replied as soon as the glass was handed to him. He took it and shot it in one go, signaling for a second one.

This time, both brows raised. Perplexed, Dean asked, “That so? My brother giving you any trouble?” He quickly poured him a second glass. “If he is, you can tell me and I’ll straighten it out.”

Castiel chuckled and shook his head, taking his time to sip on the second glass. “It’s fine. Sam’s been great.”

“He better be.” Dean turned away when he noticed another patron flagging him down and before leaving Castiel’s side, he added, “Be back soon.”

Cas nodded and sipped on his whiskey, his mind a whirlwind of complicated thoughts. Although, he will admit that bumping into Dean here, again, was a welcomed distraction, even if it caused more problems to the contrary. He never would have thought Dean worked at Harvelle’s, and yet it seemed to make a lot of sense. Watching him now, the alpha exuded charisma and charm. Everybody loved him and he wouldn’t be surprised if he was tipped exceptionally well.

Dean really was good-looking too, God damnit. He was handsome and attractive in a way that Sam just wasn’t. He was sexy and so overwhelmingly masculine in a way that an alpha should be. The man really needed to roll down his sleeves too, those exposed forearms were dangerous.

It was unfortunate just how right his brother was. There needed to be a level of attraction and allure between both parties in order for the partnership to work out, whether it be long term or short. And Castiel just didn’t have that with Sam, which was an upsetting thought because that meant that he would have to find a way to refuse Sam’s help after-all. Castiel glanced back over at Dean and watched as he laughed and joked with the other patrons and his fellow coworkers. He was quite the fine specimen, what with his dark blonde hair, the three day old scruff lining his jaw and – holy shit – that ass…

Dean would be the perfect candidate if he were being perfectly honest. And, if he were so bold as to imagine it, he could easily imagine Dean as the alpha he needed close by, the alpha he could hold onto, nuzzle into, scent and fuck…Castiel was getting ahead of himself. Good God, maybe his heat was much closer than he thought, or perhaps it was just the whiskey making him warm all over.

He averted his gaze and stared into the amber liquid in his glass. Castiel’s hindbrain really needed to chill out, relax for at least an evening. Besides, Sam was perfectly adequate for the job, he didn’t need to add any sort of unwanted confusion to the mix.

“So why the long face then?” Dean suddenly asked, pulling Cas out of his thoughts. Oh, there was that lovely, intoxicating scent again. Not that he was purposefully scenting the other man, as a matter of fact, his scent was really quite difficult to miss. There was the summer sun, the beach, and tonight there was something richer, heartier hidden beneath the more predominant notes. It was a lovely musk, earthy. Castiel could positively drown in it.

“Oh, uhm, well…” Castiel shrugged and looked away, uncertain if he should even be having this sort of conversation with Dean. Then again, Cas hasn’t really revealed anything concerning Sam yet, so he could easily lie. He could tell him that work has been absolute shit lately, or that his brother had been a huge nuisance. That’s what people generally talked about when they had conversations with their bartender, right?

Except Dean wasn’t just his bartender. Dean was the guy Castiel rear-ended last week and he’s also his potential heat partner’s much older, much hotter older brother.

“Alright. I’ll level with ya.” Dean began, leaning down and resting both elbows on top of the bar. “If you’re on the fence about it, I’ll be the first to say that you don’t have to worry about Sam. He’s a good kid, knows what he’s doing. He cares a whole hell of a lot.”

“Wait,” Castiel interrupted. “Sam told you what we’re – “ God damnit, well, that was just… “That’s embarrassing…” He ducked his head and rubbed the palms of his hands on the knees of his jeans. Did everything suddenly just get even hotter in here? Or was it the whiskey? A wave of shame washed over Castiel in a quick rush and he was certain Dean could smell it on him.

He glanced upwards beneath his lashes and caught Dean’s nostrils flaring just a bit.

Yep.

Dean knew exactly how pathetic he was, knew that Castiel was nothing more than an omega male that needed a knot and sought out a service to provide just that. He wasn’t sure what kind of person Dean was, but he hoped he wasn’t the type to judge and look down on those lesser than him.

“Hey now, he didn’t tell me anything.” Dean held up his hands in surrender. “I sorta guessed it.”

Castiel flushed an even brighter shade of red. Great, just great.

Dean chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t supposed that sounds any better.” Castiel shook his head in response and finished off his whiskey in quick succession. “Okay, look. All I’m saying is that Sam is great. I don’t know what sort of situation you got yourself in, but if you need someone then there’s no one else I could recommend more than my baby brother.”

Castiel looked up from his empty glass to see quite the cheeky grin plastered on Dean’s face. Okay, so maybe Dean wasn’t all that bad. He was quite charming to be honest. Another awkward smile pulled at Castiel’s cheeks. “Thank you Dean. It’s just – “

They were unfortunately interrupted again by another, smaller group of people this time. Dean motioned for Cas to hold that thought and he went off without another word to help the group.

The embarrassment came creeping back in, the idea that Dean just knows about his situation was enough to dig beneath his skin, to settle uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach. Dean was being quite gracious about it all, vetting his younger brother in the hopes to dispel his fears about everything. It was all well and good, but that didn’t change the fact that on some deep, fundamental and biological level, Castiel didn’t want Sam.

It shouldn’t matter though, right? Sam would only be temporary. It’s not like he was in the market for a mate.

Castiel let out a heavy sigh and glanced over at Dean who appeared terribly busy with yet another group of people demanding his attention. He wanted to spend more time with the alpha, talk some more, but the man was busy and it was getting late anyway. So with it decided, Castiel slapped thirty dollars on the counter beneath his glass and made his way out of the bar.

~*~*~*~*~

Dean was fucking exhausted. Thursdays weren’t usually so busy, but apparently tonight was the exception to the rule. It helped that a certain blue eyed omega decided to walk through the doors and take a seat at his bar, not that he had been expecting such a visit. He was just as surprised to see him there as Castiel had been of him.

He smiled to himself as he unlocked the front door to his house and stepped inside. It had been a pleasant conversation, despite all the interruptions and, well, Castiel’s eventual departure without so much as a goodbye or a wave. The poor guy. He absolutely reeked of indecision and uncertainty. Not that he had purposefully scented the guy or anything. It was coming off of him in waves.

What stuck out the most was the scent of fear. Dean had been a goner when Castiel looked up at him beneath those dark lashes, blue eyes filled with a desperation that pleaded for help. Never once has Dean ever been filled with such a primal urge to console an omega, to tuck them into the crook of his neck to encourage scenting. Okay, so maybe that was a lie, he did date Lisa Braeden for a time. But the fact remained, this had been acutely different. It was ridiculous really! Dean never felt such urges and if he did, even for a little bit, his motives aligned more with the desire to fuck. And this, as insane as it was, wasn’t that at all.

The guy was clearly conflicted over what he wanted and so after sitting on it over-night, Dean decided he needed to inform Sam of the newest developments. “Your omega doesn’t want you.” He blurted out the following morning at breakfast as he shoveled a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.

“What?!” Sam sputtered over his egg white omelet. “He’s not my…What the hell do you even mean?”

“Castiel. He doesn’t want you.” Dean shrugged noncommittally. “I don’t think he wants anyone.”

Sam raised a curious brow. “Annnd you got that impression how?”

“The guy came into the Roadhouse last night, bummed and I don’t know, confused I guess. Look, I tried to help, told him he didn’t have to worry about you…But I don’t know, didn’t seem to help.”

“So because of that you don’t think he wants anyone’s help?”

Dean shook his head, finishing off his cheerios. “Nope. So I thought I’d let you know before you get in too deep with this one.”

Sam laughed in disbelief. He shook his head and leaned both elbows on the table, his breakfast forgotten for the moment. “Dude, that’s fine. He can come and tell me that. But, what I don’t get is why you even care. You never do, not really anyway.”

“Just looking out for my baby bro that’s all. The dude’s got layers, even for you.”

“Ohhh okay.” Sam gave his brother a knowing look as he left the table to put his empty bowl in the sink. He crossed an arm over the back of the chair and stared after Dean, a curious, judging look in his eye. “I know what this is about. You actually are interested in him.”

Dean nearly stumbles, stubbing his toe on the corner of the counter. “Ow! Jesus! I am not.” He bristled at the idea as he plopped back down in his chair and grasped for his injured foot. He hadn’t expected the idea that he might be interested in the omega, even just a little bit, to be so damn surprising.

Sam scoffed. “Yeah, okay, tell that to your hindbrain. Come on dude, I can practically smell it on you.”

“Alright, fine, so what, the guy happens to be really hot, doesn’t mean I’m interested in all the gross scent bonding and building foundations crap.” He visibly shuddered just to get the point across. Okay, so he was trying to save face here, who cares? It wasn’t that he was against scenting others cause’ he has done it countless times before, but never with the intention to bond with that person, to mate with them. Sometimes scenting another person can act as a high in the heat of the moment, especially if their scent was more than pleasant on the senses. And let’s face it, Castiel’s scent was divine.

“Whatever Dean, why don’t you just ask the guy out?” Sam threw out, returning to the remainder of his breakfast and finishing it in a couple bites.

Dean simply laughed at the idea and shook his head. “Yeah, nope, not gonna happen.”

“Why not? Don’t you remember Cindy? My prom date you stole from me all those years ago? Look, I know you Dean, and I know exactly how you are when you want something, especially if that something is mine.” Not that Castiel was his by any means, but the statement remained true regardless. “You try to warn me away, or you just take it.”

Sam wasn’t wrong about Cindy, Dean couldn’t deny that. But come on, Cindy didn’t want Sam anyways. He could remember the looks she would give him whenever she came over to visit, and the secret caresses she’d give in passing when no one was looking. Maybe he shouldn’t have stolen her from Sam…He should have been the big brother and told Sam she straight up wasn’t good for him and left it at that. He shouldn’t have taken her right out from under Sam’s nose, it hadn’t been right. But, as it were, that was eons ago and they had gotten past it in time.

“You’re acting on pure instinct Dean.” Sam continued. “Because whether you want to admit it or not, on some level, you’re interested in Castiel.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“Sam-“ Dean warned with the hint of a growl deep in his throat.

Sam wasn’t going to take him up on the challenge though, it was much too early for that. Instead he chuckled. “Hey, I don’t really care whether you are or you’re not. Besides, if Castiel doesn’t want me as a partner then that’s completely up to him, it’s fine with me really.”

“Well I aint breaking the news to him, that’s all on you buddy.”

“Yeah yeah, fine with me Jerk.”

“Bitch.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Ohh man! There’s my baby!” Dean beamed as his Impala was pulled out in front of his uncle’s shop, the back end looking near brand spankin’ new. It had been far too long since he had driven her, not the longest he’s been without, but certainly long enough. “Oh, I’ve missed you.” Dean cooed as he ran his hand along the hood and the roof of the car.

“You oughta take better care of it boy!” Bobby hollered as he climbed out of the driver seat and tossed Dean the keys.

“I do! Wasn’t my fault I was rear ended.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just bustin’ your chops there Nancy.” Dean rolled his eyes in response. “I am serious though Dean. I hate seeing her dropped off here just as much as you do. I’m surprised you didn’t rip the guy a new asshole for hittin’ ya!”

Dean huffed, eyes scanning over the rear end, checking out the new taillights and the fresh coat of paint. Flawless, absolutely flawless. “Yeah, well, the guy’s lucky he’s cute.” Came his hasty reply.

“Come again?” Bobby pressed, brow arched.

Dean flushed and shook his head. “Naw, it’s nothing.” He grinned up at Bobby, tapping the palm of his hand lovingly over the roof of the car. “Just glad to have her back. Don’t get me wrong, loved the old Charger, but nothing will ever compare to my Baby.”

“Yeah yeah, why don’t you two just go get a room already.” The joke was made lightheartedly of course. It wasn’t just Bobby that teased Dean relentlessly about his love for the near fifty-four year old car. God, fifty-four years old and she was still running stronger than ever.

“Sure! Just give me the keys already and I’ll give her a nice scrub down huh?”

Bobby tossed the keys to Dean and before he could climb behind the wheel and ride off into the sunset, Bobby stopped him with a question. “You still gonna join us Saturday night for Poker?”

“Oh, you know I’m game.” Came Dean’s quick response, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. “I always look forward to whooping your ass.”

“Don’t get smart with me boy, need I remind you who kicked who’s ass last month and took all your money?” Bobby arched a brow, a fond laugh bubbling up from his chest.

“Yeah okay, but that was last month. I was a little rusty that night.”

“Drunk, Dean, you were drunk.”

“But who was the one feeding me shot after shot!”

“That’d be Rufus. You know better than to encourage the old coot.”

Dean laughed, shrugging his shoulders as he threw open the driver side door to his car and climbed in behind the wheel. “Yeah well, this time is going to be different. I’ll kick both of your asses!”

“We’ll see about that.” Came Bobby’s challenge.

They eventually parted ways, Bobby claiming he had a bunch of paper work to process and few skulls to bash in. You know, the usual daily bullshit, nothing too crazy. And off Dean went, pulling his car into one of the empty wash bays on the lot.

It was nice to finally have his Baby back and in tip top shape. They had been apart for far too long and he was just itching to get her back on the open road, to feel the rumble of her engine and the wind blowing through the open windows. This wasn’t the longest Dean has been parted from his Impala due to physically damages by any means, but it didn’t matter. Even a single days’ inconvenience would be more than enough to make Dean go crazy.

So Dean gave her a nice bath with all the proper fixings just as she deserved. As he knelt down and scrubbed away at the dirt on his wheels, he thought briefly about the other car, Castiel’s car to be precise. It had been pretty banged up too, the owner having been pretty damn shaken up too.

Castiel…

He was, if Dean were being completely honest, a strange and intriguing man. They hadn’t interacted a whole lot in the few times they ran into each other, but Dean was, well, intrigued all the same. It had to be the eyes, he had thought on more than one occasion. Those bright blue eyes were hypnotizing, hauntingly so.

Castiel had been troubled the other night. Not only was it obvious within the depths of those blue eyes, but also in the way he held himself, as though he held a lot of stress in his shoulders. There was a tightening in Dean’s belly as he thought about being the one to relieve that tension, of wanting and needing to be the one to do it.

Dean shook his head of such thoughts as he ran the soap sponge over the flank of the Impala. Nope, he couldn’t allow Sammy and his crazy accusations to be right. Castiel was Sam’s omega and Dean was going to be the good big brother that he always is and stay the hell out of it.

But of course, the universe wasn’t quite on his side because as Dean was rinsing the soap off of the car, all resigned thoughts of ‘staying out of it’ went flying right out the window as he spotted Castiel exiting his rental car with another man. A rush of heat washed over Dean as he watched the omega run his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame it. It was no use what with the wind blowing. “Jesus Christ Dean…” Dean chastised himself as he felt that ridiculous tugging in his gut, the pull that urged him to cross the lot and claim the omega. “Chill.”

God damnit, so Sam was right, so what? Castiel was one fine omega. He was sturdy, well built in a way that a lot of omegas weren’t. Where most were slight and lean, Castiel was broad shouldered and fit, lean like a runner but definitely not scrawny. Dean was certain if pushed correctly, Castiel would be able to put someone in their place if need be.

Dean watched as Castiel and the strange man beside him make their way across the lot and to the main office, presumably to collect the old beat up Lincoln some might consider a car. It was agreed upon then that maybe Dean should give his brother some damn credit, because that kid was a fucking psychic. Even he couldn’t deny the pull Dean felt towards the omega.

The guy may be on the verge of going into heat – and who knows, maybe that was why Dean’s body was reacting in such strange ways – but what would one roll in the hay hurt? Scrubbed mark be damned. So the guy’s previous mate left him? Who was he really to judge? And besides, Sam pretty much told him to ask the guy out already…So…And it wasn’t like Sam was dating him or anything..

Yeah. Fuck it, why not? Maybe he could try and shoot his shot.

Time to put on the Winchester Charm.

Dean shut off the water and rushed to dry off the Impala best he could before running across the lot to the main office. He’s done much more thorough jobs in the past when it came to the finer touches of cleaning his car in the past, but, well, lord help him, his inner alpha was itching to be near Castiel.

Realizing he still had the towel clutched in his hand, he decided to sling it over his shoulder before pulling open the door and stepping inside. “Heya Cas!” He announced, beaming. “I thought I saw you walk on in here.”

Castiel and his companion turned around from the counter at the sudden interruption, Cas looking as though he had been jolted awake. His companion, a shorter dorky looking man with shaggy brown hair was grinning from ear to ear as he leaned over to whisper something into Castiel’s ear, which, in turn, had Castiel very obviously blushing.

How curious.

“Hello Dean.” Castiel elbowed the man beside him in a way to get him to behave. Dean knew that gesture all too well, he used it all the time with Sam, and visa-versa. “I didn’t realize you were here…Is the repairs on your car finished as well?”

Dean nodded as he stepped closer. Ah yes…The scent of available omega wafted through the air, tantalizing as it was, Dean should probably practice some restraint. A quick sniff of the air now that he was closer revealed that these two here before him were of familiar blood. “They sure are, got the call this morning. I was just outside giving her a wash when I saw you pull up.”

Castiel’s companion leaned close then and whispered a hushed “Cassie dear, aren’t you going to introduce me to your new friend?”

“Huh? Oh! Uhm..Yes. Sorry. Dean, this is my brother Gabriel, Gabe, this is Dean…The uh..The guy I hit a little over a week ago.”

Gabriel grinned widely up at Dean and stepped forward to shake his hand. “Nice to meet you Dean-o. I’ve heard so much about you!” He flashed Dean a wink and received a kick in the ankle from Castiel for it.

“That so?” Dean arched a brow. He peeked over at Castiel, curiously wetting his lips in thought. Castiel’s cheeks flushed pink once again. There was a delicious warmth that wrapped around the omega, a heat that accompanied his natural scent. The pheromones were saturated in a warm, sweet musk that called out to Dean, tempted him…

Good God, didn’t this man know anything about scent blockers? It was all Dean could do not to pull the omega into a back room and ravish him. He was barely keeping it together here, it was a shock that Gabriel hadn’t caught on yet. But shit, there was this urge to just…Just…

Fuck. Calm down Dean. You can’t just take advantage of a very delicious omega that is clearly on the verge of heat. It’s just…That’s totally improper and more than uncivilized.

“Oh, well, ch’yeah!” Gabriel announced as though it were the most obvious thing on the planet. Castiel growled low in his throat with irritation – which, okay, just another thing to add to Dean’s growing list of turn ons – and turned back around to the counter to sign all of the paperwork required and paid his bill without a second thought.

“Can we go please?” Cas demanded when all was said and done and the man behind the counter went to retrieve the old Lincoln from the lot. He grabbed a hold of his brother and practically dragged him outside of the building, pushing past Dean.

Desperate, Dean trudged onwards and followed Castiel and his brother outside, his inner alpha pretty much dictating how this afternoon encounter was going to go. Which was fine, Dean was down, no problem. “So uh, you wanna go see her?” He asked when he caught up beside Cas where they waited for the Lincoln to be brought back around.

“Who?” Castiel asked, noticeably confused.

“My car!” Dean laughed. “Besides, I’m pretty sure you have some apologizing to do, what with you hitting her and all.”

Castiel’s eyes widened suddenly then as though the severity of the situation had finally dawned on him. “Oh! God…Dean..I’m sorry, I –“

Dean threw his head back and laughed some more. Jesus, this man was positively adorable when he was flustered. “Its fine, man. Come on, I’ll take you to her. Gabe?”

Gabriel eyed the both of them curiously but eventually shook his head. “Naw, I think I’ll leave you two to it. I’ll see you at home Cassie. We can return the rental later.”

“Gabe – “

“you’ll do fine.” Gabriel whispered, clasping a firm hand on his shoulder. “It was great to meet you Dean!”

Dean nodded. “Yeah you too, man.”

Gabriel took his leave then, and with him finally gone, Dean lead the way towards the wash bays where his Baby was still parked, sparkling and shiny from her recent bath. Dean retrieved the towel that sat on his shoulder and ran it over the hood of the car, wiping away any water spots that may remain. He turned around then and what he witnessed was quite honestly the most adorable and probably embarrassing thing ever.

“I uh…I didn’t mean to…uh.” Oh dear lord in heaven, he was not! “I’m sorry.”

Dean tried so hard not to laugh, he really did, and to be fair he thought he did a really good job at refraining from casting further embarrassment onto the omega. “Okay, okay, you really don’t have to do that.” He chuckled.

Castiel’s brow furrowed in confusion and he tilted his head ever so slightly. Yeah, adorable. “But, you said…”

“I know what I said. I just wanted an excuse to show her off.” And as an after-thought; he added, “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

Castiel had nothing to say in response to that. His body language said it all really. The pink coloring returned to his cheeks and he averted his gaze bashfully and in doing so he revealed the unmarked side of his neck safe for a couple stray freckles here and there. Jesus…

“Any who! Here she is!” Dean spread his arms out with pride. “My Baby!” He strolled on over to the driver side door, announcing he was going to pull her forward and climbed in behind the wheel. He inserted the key into the ignition and turned, the engine turning over with a rumble that always made Dean grin from ear to ear, his chest swelling with a fondness for the car. He put her in drive and when Castiel was out of the way and standing off to the side, he pulled her forward and out of the wash bay. Once in the clear, he put her in back in park and stepped out of the car, leaving the engine running.

“Listen to that baby purr!” He announced as he ran his fingers lovingly over the hood of the car. He leaned down and reached under the lip of the hood, popping it with minimal effort. He propped the hood up with the metal bar and motioned for Castiel to come near.

Castiel did and was thus hit with a barrage of information about the engine and all the different belts and doo-dads and all the other shit Dean did to the car to restore it into tip top shape after it had been totaled. Most of which flew right over Castiel’s head, but he was content to simply listen and admire Dean’s tenacity and enthusiasm he had for the nearly fifty-four year old car.

“Wow…I…I’ll be honest, I’ve never been well versed in vehicles and how to take care of them other than the basics. But, she is quite beautiful.” Castiel could appreciate the car for what it was, what it meant to Dean. He could even admire the deep rumbling purr of the engine. He may not have understood a single word Dean said but he can definitely see the appeal behind this particular car.

Dean let out a breath, a fond smile tugging at his lips as he closed up the hood. “She is aint she?”

Castiel turned to the alpha then, his gaze catching Dean’s. “For what it’s worth, I really am sorry I hit you. I…Normally I’m a pretty safe driver…I just – “

Dean waved him off. “Don’t sweat it man, seriously.” He leaned up against the hood, facing Castiel now. His fingers tapped against the metal as though deep in thought. “Look, if you ah…If you really want to make it up to me though, why not come out for a few drinks with me sometime?” And there it was. Super casual, not too much pressure. Easy. Right?

Dean watched Castiel’s pretty blue eyes widen, the pink in his cheeks deepening in color. One quick and discreet sniff of the air told him everything he needed to know. Castiel stuttered and stumbled over his words. “Ah…What…Like…A – a date?”

Oh man, Cas really was cute when he was flustered like this. The omega was fidgeting on the spot, shifting from one foot to the other. Dean grinned at the other man as he watched him twiddle his fingers together with uncertainty. He wet his lips and shrugged. “It can be whatever you want it to be.”

“Oh..” The blush seemed to deepen as he averted his gaze briefly. “But, what about Sam?”

“What about him?”

“Well, I mean…It’s just that…”

“Are you and Sam dating?” Dean arched a brow.

Castiel’s cheeks turned beat red. “What? No! no, nothing like that, just…Uhm.”

Dean let out a laugh and shook his head. Now would probably be a good time to put the poor guy out of his misery. One shouldn’t tease an omega too much, especially Castiel. He was far too enchanting being this bashful and Dean’s inner alpha was itching to touch, to see just how the other man may react to it. Something in the air told Dean that he wouldn’t jerk away in the opposite direction. How encouraging. “Hey, it’s no pressure, really. I uh…Well, actually, it’s just, there’s this really dumb movie I was hoping to catch soon and I don’t really have anyone to go with.” He shrugged one shoulder and kicked at some loose rocks at his feet. “But uh, if you and Sam are – “

“No! No. Sam’s just…We’re not dating.”

Dean grinned cheekily, flashing his canines. “That’s good. So, Cas, do you wanna go and see a really dumb movie with me tomorrow?”

“Oh, uhm…” Dean watched as the corner of Castiel’s mouth twitched upward in that quirky little smile of his. “Then yes. I’d like that Dean.”

“Great! You are free tomorrow, right?”

Castiel nodded. “Yeah. Any time after four will work just fine for me.”

“Awesome!” Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone then. “What’s your number so I can text you the details?”

Alright, so this was happening. Dean hadn’t be certain if the omega was at all interested, hell, the thought never even occurred to him, he acted on pure instinct. Well, just one more point under Sam’s name for being right, yet again. To hell with it all, Dean was going on an actual date with a gorgeous omega.

He had no idea what the hell he got himself into.

Chapter Text

All Our Own

Chapter 5: Thank God For The Apple Pie

“He asked you out!?” Came Gabriel’s enthusiastic response later that evening. They had been in the middle of watching some dumb television show that Gabriel had insisted they watch while they ate dinner, and being that Castiel couldn’t possibly concentrate on anything other than the fact that Dean had asked him out on a date, he had blurted out the news when he couldn’t possibly take it anymore. There was an excitement that came out with the announcement, as well as uncertainty and maybe a little bit of fear as well. “I gotta admit though Cassie, that man is wayyy outta your league.”

“Wow, gee thanks Gabe.”

“No no, I’m just saying. I mean, I don’t know how you managed to pull an alpha like that.” Gabe whistled as he recalled the moment he and his brother saw Dean walk into the main office at Singer Salvage and Repair. He had worn a fitted black tea and worn jeans, simple, easy on the eyes. And Castiel, oh man, he had been a goner from the moment he set eyes on the alpha. “But God damn! Just…Please be careful. And I mean it. I don’t want you getting hurt by another douchebag alpha.”

Castiel wanted to roll his eyes this time around, but Gabe was serious. “It’s just one date, that’s it.”

“Yeah, but I know you, Mr. Hopeless Romantic.”

“I’ll be careful Gabe, I promise. I’ll back out the moment I catch a whiff of typical alpha douchbaggery, okay?”

Gabriel nodded, satisfied. “Okay. Good. Either way, I’m super excited for you. Really glad you’re finally putting yourself back out there.” He reached over the space between them and ruffled Castiel’s hair. “Hey, wait, so what about Sam?”

Shit. Yeah, what about Sam exactly? That was the other half of the problem. Not that there was anything wrong with Sam, but, Castiel agreed to go out on a date with his older brother behind his back. Wasn’t there some sort of rule about not going out on dates with your heat partner’s siblings? There had to be.

Castiel ultimately didn’t have anything to really say when Gabriel brought it up. He had just shrugged and said that he would think about it. And he did. A lot.

On one hand, Castiel had an upcoming date the following evening with an incredibly charming and handsome alpha – which had his heart all a flutter whenever he thought about it – and on the other hand, he had chosen Sam as his heat partner and for whatever reason things just weren’t clicking with the younger Winchester.

To be fair, Castiel was probably making this out to be a much bigger problem than it really was. He knew what Gabriel would have said if he had told him exactly what was on his mind. Gabe would have told him to follow his gut, follow what brought him excitement. But Castiel hated confrontation. How would Sam react to his refusal?

His racing thoughts followed him through the rest of the night and filtered into his sleep. In his dreams he saw both Sam and Dean standing there before him against a black backdrop. Both brothers beckoned to him, Sam urging Cas to come to him, and Dean telling him not to listen to Gigantor and go to him instead.

It was simple really. Sam offered safety and security, albeit their time together would be temporary. And Dean, well he offered adventure and excitement. The attraction between them was palpable, electrifying and his time with Dean didn’t exactly feel so temporary.

“C’mon Cas…” Dream Dean had whispered into his ear, rough fingertips brushing over his shoulders. “You know who you want to choose. Choose me and I swear I will make it all worth it.” Castiel had felt lips press against the side of his neck in a gentle kiss. Dream Dean certainly came through on that promise too because once Castiel turned toward the man he was surrounded in everything that was Dean. His scent, the scent of his car, the rumble of the engine…Or was that Dean growling low against his ear?

Castiel couldn’t tell because the next thing he knew he was wrapped up in a pair of really strong arms and everything shifted. He arched into the man that held him close and whimpered, gasped and begged. All the while Dean whispered promises and sweet nothings into his ear.

“Please Dean…”

“Yes..That’s it Cas..Open for me.” Dean purred.

Castiel felt fingers pressing against his hole, teasing him before breaching and suddenly everything around him shattered into a million pieces. He could still hear Dean, could still feel his fingers, but he could no longer see him. Everything was dark but his senses were alight with such an electrifying feeling. And it only intensified the more he begged and pleaded and God, he could feel Dream Dean enter him…Could hear him groan and feel him shudder.

Castiel wanted to see, he wanted to see the look in Dean’s eyes, see if he was just as affected by this as he was. “Y-yes..!”

He jolted awake in the middle of the night, his inner voice, his hindbrain, still echoing Dean’s name in the throes of passion. The desire was still there despite being completely thrown by it. It was there, coiled so tight and he ached, oh fuck…Did he ache for the alpha.

Castiel groaned, frustrated and yet so beyond the point of no return he didn’t care. “Fuck..” He breathed as he snaked his hand beneath his boxers and wrapped his fingers around himself. Another breathy moan escaped him on the first stroke and his back arched, his mind supplying him with images of Dean so vivid and fresh from the dream that it hadn’t taken very long before his orgasm ripped through him.

He came on a strangled gasp, back arched, his free hand gripping the sheets beneath him. He stroked himself through it, riding the waves until there was nothing left except overly sensitive nerve endings. Castiel removed his hand from his boxers and reached over to the end table for a couple napkins to clean himself off with. He sank back into the pillows and blankets and gazed up at the ceiling, sighing quietly to himself.

Well, there you have it.

It wasn’t like Castiel saw Sam in any sort of romantic sense anyways, let alone a sexual one. In fact, the more he had gotten to know Sam, the more he thought of him as a brother, which…Oh, ew. Yeah, no, this wasn’t going to happen.

Before Castiel could chicken out any further, he reached blindly for his phone and sent Sam a quick text. It didn’t matter if it had been sent at four in the morning, nope, he needed to do it as soon as possible.

Castiel[4:13AM]: Hello, sorry for the late text but I thought I’d let you know that I must refuse your help as a heat partner. I can explain in detail, if you want, but I just don’t feel like we would be a great match.

There. It was sent. No turning back now. Without further ado, Castiel put his phone away and turned over, exhaustion lulling him into a deep slumber.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sam W.[8:32AM]: It’s quite alright, you don’t have to explain if you don’t wish to. I completely understand. If there is anything you need at all I am only a phone call away.

Castiel[9:42AM]: Thank you Sam.

“You brood more than the broodiest of alphas” Gabriel joked as he came into the living room carrying two plates of omelets, handing one off to Castiel. He plopped down on the sofa beside his brother and dug in. “Come on, tell me what’s up.”

Castiel set his phone down and took a bite of his breakfast. As always, his brother pulled through with the comfort food. The man could certainly cook. “I’m fine Gabe.”

“No, you’re not. Your broodiness is stinking up the joint and –“ He paused, scenting the air. “You’re sad. What’s wrong?”

Damnit. Castiel really couldn’t hide his feelings from his brother no matter how hard he tried. He sighed, setting his plate down on the coffee table before them. He resettled then, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms securely around them. “I uh…I called things off with Sam.”

“Oh, how did he take it?”

“Just fine, actually. Which made it easier. But, I don’t know.” He shrugged, uncertain how to vocalize what he was feeling, let alone truly process it.

“Okay. Well, now it looks like you have Dean.”

Castiel fixed him with a hard glare, shaking his head. “No. It’s just one date. I’m indulging him, but that’s it. I’ll spend my heat here at home.”

“And yet, something tells me you’re still sad about that.”

Gabriel was right. He’ll be alone again, granted, of his own choosing. But what could he do? He didn’t click well with Sam in the way he needed to despite how pleasant and understanding he was. And Dean, well, Dean was just far too new. He couldn’t possibly expect Dean to take up the role of heat partner. Castiel sighed. “I can’t remember the last time I went through a heat unassisted. Mathew was always there for me.”

“Is this about Mathew then?”

Castiel shook his head. “No, no he has nothing to do with any of it.”

“Then Dean?”

“No! Of course not.” Castiel’s cheeks bloomed with heat, his stomach flip-flopping at the mention of Dean having something to do with any of this. To be fair, he kind of did. Before rear-ending the guy, Castiel had been perfectly content in taking Sam on as his partner. Meeting Dean had changed all of that.

Gabriel laughed and set his plate down beside Castiel’s. “Come here little bro.” He opened his arms and Castiel scooted across the sofa and cuddled into his side, breathing in his familiar scent and allowing it to ease some of the tension and the anxiety. “Just focus on the now, Cassie. We’ll deal with your heat later when it comes.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dean totally hadn’t meant to ask Castiel out the way that he did, but let’s face it, he had been presented with the best opportunity to do so. The omega was awfully remorseful over what happened, so what better way to make amends than to go on a date with him? And sure, maybe Sam had got it into his head; what with all his teasing but Dean honestly didn’t think he was going to do it.

But there Castiel was, waltzing up the drive at the shop to pick up his car, all bright blue eyes and sun-kissed skin. So what if the dude had baggage? There was something about Castiel that called to Dean in some weird, insane way. What harm could one simple date pose?

Dean was so not ready for this.

They had decided on going to see the first in the Fear Street film series that had just released. Well, Dean suggested it and Castiel agreed. When it came to movies and television shows, Dean was a bit of a nerd and he wasn’t afraid to admit to being a Fear Street fan when he was in the sixth grade. He tried to get into the Goosebumps series but let’s face it, Fear Street was the superior series.

Dean[12:30PM]: Heya Cas, I have tickets purchased for the 6:30 show. Is that okay with you?

Castiel[1:08PM] Yes, that’s perfect. That’ll give me plenty of time to get ready after work.
Dean[1:15PM]: Great! I’ll be there at 6 to pick you up.

Castiel[1:18PM]: Oh, you don’t have to do that. I can just meet you there if that’s easier.

Dean[1:19PM]: No can do! You have to experience my baby first hand, feel the rumble of the engine. How else do you think you’re gonna make amends?

Castiel[1:21PM]: Oh…Well, I did already apologize to her. And I agreed to go out with you, so –

Dean[1:21PM]: And now you must bond with her : )

Castiel[1:22PM]: Very well. I admit, you’re very convincing.

Dean[1:25PM]: Lol You’ll get used to it. I’ll see you at 6.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The word panic wasn’t really the correct term to describe what Castiel was feeling as soon as he got home from work. The feelings had been present throughout the entirety of his shift, the anxiety, the excitement. Okay, so maybe panic was the correct term to use here because as soon as he got home he begged Gabriel to help him pick out something to wear. He had no idea what would be appropriate, or what was even to be expected. It was a date, a casual date, so a huge production wasn’t necessary.

“Cas, you need to relax. Breathe.” Gabriel clasped his brother firmly on the shoulders and looked him in the eye. “I know it’s not every day you get to go out with a hot alpha that happens to be interested in you, but it’ll be fine. Why don’t you go take a shower and I’ll help you figure out what to wear.”

Which was exactly what Castiel did. He hopped in the shower, cleaned up and made sure there was no trace of the bookstore he worked at lingering on his skin. As much as he loved where he worked, he didn’t want to smell like old books on a first date. He hopped out of the shower fifteen minutes later and dried off, wrapping the towel securely around his waist.

Upon leaving the bathroom however, he was greeted by Gabriel and a shot of whiskey.
“Gabe. No. I am not going out with Dean smelling like liquor.” He pushed past his brother and crossed the hall into his bedroom where a few choice outfits sat on his bed.

“I’m not trying to get you drunk, I’m trying to get you to relax. It’ll help ease the tension and quite frankly, anxiety doesn’t smell good on you.”

Castiel glowered at his brother, brows drawn tight. “Anxiety doesn’t smell good on anyone.” He snatched the shot glass and downed the whiskey in one go. He didn’t even flinch, he just allowed the burn to travel down his throat and settle in his belly and work its magic. And what do you know, Gabriel did have some brains in that thick skull of his.

Pleased, Gabriel showed Castiel the different outfits he managed to scrounge up while he had been in the shower. He tried them on, one by one and left it up to Gabriel’s scrutiny to make a decision. He tossed out the red t-shirt and denim jacket from the running without question, leaving him to choose between the dark Henley and the deep maroon blazer over dark jeans or the dark green t-shirt and black leather jacket.

It was a tough choice, but with Gabriel agreeing, Castiel went with the latter, deciding that it didn’t feel like he was trying too hard or over-dressing for a first date. So long as Dean didn’t show up in a damn suit, he figured he would be okay.

As he finished getting dressed and fixing his hair in the hopes to get it somewhat under control, Castiel’s phone buzzed on the bathroom counter in front of him with a text from Dean. His heart raced when he read that he was on his way, solidifying that yeah, this was actually happening.

“Gabe,” Castiel started when he found his brother in the kitchen. “Where’s the whiskey? I..Dean’s on his way, I need whiskey.”
Gabriel chuckled. “Told you it would work.” He reached up into a nearby cupboard and pulled down the bottle and two shot glasses. He filled one for Castiel and one for himself, cause why the hell not?

Castiel shot it back and wiped at his mouth. “You’re going to do just fine Cas.” Gabe shot his back.

Two shots down and Castiel was beginning to feel a bit loose in the shoulders, his blood singing with the sweet buzz of the whiskey flowing through his veins. Two shots was definitely enough, but now he worried it would be easily scented on his breath. So, with ten minutes to spare, give or take, Castiel rushed to the bathroom to brush his teeth for the second time that evening. Once that was done he wandered back into his room and debated between scent blockers or cologne that enhanced his natural scent.

“It’s not rocket science little bro.” Gabriel started, leaning in the doorway to Castiel’s room, arms crossed over his chest. “Choose the cologne. It’s a date after all.”

The doorbell rang just as Castiel spritzed himself with the cologne and his stomach flip flopped knowing Dean was finally there. He looked over at Gabe, who sported a mischievous grin before darting off back downstairs towards the front door. “No! Gabe!” Castiel ran after his brother in a desperate attempt to stop him from potentially embarrassing him, but of course, the universe has never sided with him.

“Dean-o!” Came Gabriel’s enthusiastic greeting as soon as he pulled open the door. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“Good to see you too, Gabe.” Dean returned the greeting with a smile, his gaze dipping past him when he saw Castiel slide in behind his brother. Castiel nudged Gabriel in the side, urging him to move out of the way. “Cas, hey.”

Castiel gazed at Dean over his brother’s shoulder, the lump in his throat catching. Dean looked amazing. He stood tall, dressed in a dark t-shirt under a dark flannel and a leather jacket, his jeans were just as dark and worn a little at the knees. The alpha was mouthwatering. “Hello Dean.” He managed the greeting with minimal difficulty, shockingly.

“Well, I suppose I should let you two love birds be on your way.” Gabriel teased.

“Gabe!” Castiel jabbed him in the side with an elbow, his face heating up uncomfortably. Dean simply laughed in amusement.

“Okay okay! Sheesh.” Gabriel rolled his eyes, turning to Dean one last time. “You take care of my brother, you hear? I want him back home no later than midnight.”

“Gabe, I’m not a child.” Castiel glowered.

“Of course. I’ll have him back by then.”

Castiel shook his head. “It’s fine Dean, Gabe’s just being annoying.”

Dean simply shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t mind. I know what it’s like, being an older brother myself.”

“You’re a good man Dean-o. And Cas,” Gabriel turned to Castiel. “Call me if you need anything, alright?”

“Yes, fine, now will you please quit hovering?”

“Okay fine. You kids have fun now!” Gabriel beamed and sauntered back down the front hall and disappeared around the corner, leaving Castiel and Dean alone.

“Your brother seems really nice.” Dean commented after a moment.

“Yeah, he’s just…” Castiel met Dean’s eyes and let out a soft sigh. “I don’t really go out very much these days. I guess he’s just excited is all.”

Dean nodded, shoving his fists into his pockets as he led the way down the drive to the Impala. “Yeah, older brothers will be like that. Should’a seen me when I found out Sam was seeing you. I teased him mercilessly.” He grinned at Castiel as he opened the passenger door for him and motioned for him to take a seat. He did, slipping past Dean with a shy little smile and slid onto the leather seat, buckling up as Dean shut the door. He thought about reiterating what he and Sam were, and that they no longer were partnering together, but he decided against it. He didn’t want to give Dean the wrong impression here. This was just one date, that’s all.

Dean came around and climbed in behind the wheel, smiling over at Castiel. “You ready?”

“Yes.” Castiel nodded and before he knew it, Dean was pulling out onto the road with ease, the Impala’s engine rumbling pleasantly and the music on the radio at a comfortable volume. The distinct old car scent and well taken care of leather filled the omega’s nostrils, easing whatever residual anxiety he had. But there was also that particularly distinct scent of Dean that cut through it all; the summer sun, fresh soap and that musky, richness that Cas found he couldn’t get enough of.

He peeked over at Dean, smiling to himself as he watched the alpha ease the old car down the road. He sat comfortably, legs splayed, one hand on the wheel and the other arm hanging out the window. His fingers tapped against the window frame in time with the music on the radio, AC/DC’s Back in Black. Dean was clearly in his element here, out on the road in the beautiful black car. It was attractive as all hell, seeing him like this. There was no way Castiel was interesting enough to hold this man’s attention, he was way too far out of his league.

“Like what you see?”

“Huh?” Castiel looked up to meet green eyes, Dean grinning as though he caught him red handed. The omega blushed, not entirely realizing he had been staring for longer than intended. He looked away quickly. “Oh, uhm.” Castiel blushed, unsure what to say in response.

Dean simply laughed and turned up the volume on the radio, singing along to the music the whole rest of the way to the theater.

Turns out, Castiel enjoyed himself a lot more than he expected to. Well, to be fair, he didn’t think he would have a bad time at all really, Dean’s company was very enjoyable after all. Upon arriving and parking the car, Dean had warned Castiel to not look suspicious when they were to show the guy at the door their tickets. He looked at the alpha, confused by what he meant, until Dean opened his jacket to show him the boxes of candy stuffed in the pockets.

“Dean, you can’t – “ Blue eyes widened, aghast.

“Oh c’mon Cas, you can’t tell me you’ve never snuck candy into a movie theater, haven’t you?” At Castiel’s prompt denial, Dean shook his head and grinned. “Well, don’t look suspicious. It’s fine, everyone does it.”

And with that, they climbed out of the car and purchased their tickets. Castiel wasn’t certain how to not look the least bit suspect, but he apparently did well because the guy that took their tickets ushered them on by without a second glance. They were in the clear, according to the mischievous little glint in Dean’s eyes. Sure, the omega didn’t get out much or take a whole lot of risks, but he had to admit sneaking candy into the theater was thrilling. God, how pathetic.

With plenty of time to spare, Dean suggested they get a couple drinks and share a giant bowl of extra buttered popcorn before finding their seats. Castiel agreed, content to do whatever it was that Dean wanted to and before he knew it, they were seated in a darkened theater room near the center but far enough away from other viewers that Castiel didn’t have to worry about being in their space.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to see a movie.” Cas sighed, settling comfortably in his seat.

Dean sipped at his coke. “Really?”

Castiel nodded, listening to the quiet sounds of the other viewers eating their popcorn and sipping on their drinks while they waited for the previews to begin. It was a welcomed ambiance, nostalgic. “Yes. Few years actually.” He turned to Dean and smiled. “This is nice.”

The previews started then, the lights growing ever darker as everyone settled in and focused their attention on the big screen. Dean, the sneak, passed over a box of Reese’s Pieces and Junior Mints while he kept the gummy bears to himself. Cas didn’t mind, gummy bears weren’t exactly his favorite anyway.

So the pair munched on their candy and they shared popcorn, laughing together at some of the previews for future movies that were to be released soon. Dean’s laugh was contagious, the way he’d throw his head back when he found something really amusing, his laugh deep; Castiel couldn’t help but to laugh with him.

And it was so easy too. There was something to be said about sitting shoulder to shoulder with someone you’re interested in in a dark theater, eyes focused on the large screen in front of you but all you could think about was the person seated beside you. They shared the buttered popcorn that was kept between them, their fingers brushing every so often as they went back for more. It was so innocent and yet Castiel couldn’t help but be hyper-focused on the alpha beside him. The movie was easy to follow, as it was your typical teenage slasher film, but entertaining all the same and yet all Cas could think about was Dean’s scent and the body heat the man radiated.

Truthfully, all he wanted to do was curl up under his arm and drown in it.

Eventually, the popcorn had been put away down at their feet, Dean's arm draped on the armrest. Cas supposed it was a small victory, their popcorn was no longer a barrier between them, but he couldn't help but obsess over how best to get closer. Would Dean even want that sort of closeness? He rolled his eyes at himself. Of course he would, this was a date, that sorta thing was encouraged. Still, Cas was no good at making the first move. Never was.

So he sat there, chewing on his bottom lip in thought, sneaking glances over in the alpha’s direction occasionally. He looked so at ease and relaxed in his slouched position. Dean's fingers tapped quietly at the rim of the cup holder, holding Castiel’s attention like a moth drawn to a flame. The need to touch was insane. To hold Dean's hand or not hold Dean's hand…

He was being ridiculous. He tried to focus on the movie, to ignore that pressing need to be close to Dean, to feel the heat the alpha radiated. Castiel thought he did okay with ignoring the problem, that is until he felt Dean's breath at his ear. "You're tense." Shivers. Literal shivers ran down Castiel’s spine and he had to bite his lip to repress the little whine that wanted to come out.

"I-I am?" Castiel turned to regard Dean, the alpha nodding his head.

"Here, I know just the thing." Dean offered a smile and lifted the armrest between them, draping his arm over the back of Castiel’s seat. The man looked every bit inviting and it was clear what was being offered here. "You can come closer if you want."

Cas did without a second thought. He threw caution to the wind, scooted in close and pressed himself up against Dean's side. An arm came around his shoulders and pulled him in even closer. “Is this okay?” Dean whispered close to his ear, sending shivers down the omega’s spine once again. Jesus fucking Christ...He needed to get it together here.

He nodded, smiling sheepishly up at Dean. Oh--This was really nice. Dean was warm, inviting and safe. His scent had a peculiar warmth to it, a headiness that had Castiel melting in his seat. And for the remaining duration of the movie Dean held onto Cas, allowing him to nuzzle in as close as he wanted, if his gentle growls of affirmation were anything to go by.

The end of the film came way too quickly, Castiel reluctant to pull away from Dean. With the credits rolling, Castiel watched as everyone else in the theater began to stir and gather their belongings. “Guess that’s our cue.” Dean commented as he gave Castiel one last squeeze of his shoulder before pulling away.

The cool air was unwelcome between them, but it gave the omega the chance to properly smile at Dean. “You hungry Cas?”

Castiel’s smile widened and he nodded. “I could eat.”

“Alright, let's hit it.” They gathered up their belongings and left the theater, tossing their trash in the bins outside the door. Dean led him through the now crowded front lobby and out the doors, a rush of cool air greeting them upon their exit. A shiver ran down Castiel’s spine, goosebumps prickling the back of his neck. Before he could do anything about it, turn up his collar or otherwise, Dean was right there beside him as though he just knew that he was cold. He wrapped an arm around Cas's shoulders and tugged him in close while they made their way back to the impala.

Dinner had been really pleasant too, actually. There weren’t a whole lot of places that were open at just after eight at night that didn’t require a reservation or to put their name down on a ridiculous waitlist, so they settled on Denny’s. It was a twenty-four hour, basic food joint, but it would do. Castiel didn’t mind.

“So-“ Dean began.

“-So.” The pair chuckled in unison, Castiel blushing pink as he stirred the lemon in his water. After a brief moment, he added. “Thanks for this Dean. You really didn’t have to take me out.”

Dean scoffed, waving it off as though it were nothing. “Naw, I wanted to." He leaned forward in his seat, an elbow resting on the table as he too stirred the lemon in his water, mirroring Castiel’s body language. "Tell me about yourself Cas. I don’t really know much about you apart from your penchant for rear-ending classic cars.” He grinned.

“Oh, uh – “ Castiel smiled sheepishly, the pink deepening in his cheeks. “ – There’s really not a whole lot to tell. I live with my brother, work in a used book store; been there for a number of years. I like to travel and used to do it a lot when I was younger.”

“Oh yeah? Where’s the craziest place you’ve ever been?”

Castiel sipped on his lemon water. “Uhm, probably Iceland.”

“Iceland! Holy shit, that’s quite a ways away. Why Iceland?”

Castiel shrugged. “Was sort of a spur of the moment thing. I was about to start college and I don’t know, I guess I wanted one last adventure before knuckling down and studying until my eyes bled.”

Dean laughed, sitting back comfortably. “I hear that. Sammy is constantly studying, constantly working. The kid hardly has any time for himself. But uh, Iceland huh? I bet that was pretty fucking awesome.”

“It was.” Castiel agreed with a smile. He purposely left out the fact that he had gone with his ex. They hadn’t been dating at the time, just really close friends, but Iceland was where they fell in love to begin with. Being this was a date – whether it was a first date, or just a one and done sorta thing, it didn’t matter – Castiel didn’t find that bit of information appropriate to share.

Their server came by then and took their orders, a burger and fries for each and two cokes. “What about you Dean? You do any travelling?”

“Me? No. Me and planes don’t mix well. Rode on one once and swore I would never do it again. If I travel anywhere, it’s gonna be out on the open road, just me and Baby and maybe Sam if I can get his ass away from the books.”

“You and Sam must be close.”

Dean nodded. “Practically raised him myself.” Their drinks were delivered then, Dean smiling at their server briefly before turning his attention back on Castiel, sipping from his straw.

“You raised him?”

“More or less. Our mom died when we were young. House fire. Screwed my dad up something awful, so, I didn’t exactly have much choice, but it didn’t matter, you know? He was barely a toddler at the time and my dad, well, it was really hard on him.”

“Must have been hard on you.”

Dean shrugged a shoulder and glanced out the window briefly. “I suppose it had its moments, but Sam’s my brother. I’d do anything for that kid.”

A fond smile tugged at Castiel's cheeks. “Looks like he turned out pretty okay.”

“Sure as hell did. Although I can’t say I didn’t give him a run for his money.” The alpha suddenly laughed. “The things I did to torment that kid! My God, I convinced him when he was like six that he was Superman and that in order to prove it, he needed to jump off the shed out in the backyard.”

“Dean!”

He laughed some more. “Oh, I felt bad. Dude fucking broke his arm when he fell. It’s hilarious now, but boy was I in deep shit.”

“Well I imagine so! He broke his arm Dean.” Castiel was laughing though. He could imagine it too, a much younger version of Dean goading six year old Sam into jumping off the shed. Older brothers were always so very annoying, so he imagined Sam got frustrated and decided to go and prove him wrong. It was usually the way things were between siblings.

Their server came by then to deliver their food, Dean grinning from ear to ear, ready to dig in. Cas was too. He hadn’t realized just how hungry he was until he smelt the burger that was sat down in front of him, his stomach grumbling loudly. He blamed it on Dean, the man was very distracting.

“So what about you, Cas? Got any crazy stories from your childhood? Did Gabe ever get you to jump off a shed?” Dean winked around a bite of his burger.

Castiel chuckled, shaking his head. “No, nothing like that.” He reached for a fry and dipped it in the house fry sauce before popping it in his mouth and chewing. “He was pretty pissed though when he caught me drinking for the first time.”

“Ha! Yeah, I bet he was. How old were you?”

“Sixteen. Had a friend who wasn’t really the greatest influence on me at the time. His dad was sort of an alcoholic and he’d steal his dad’s liquor from time to time. I remember the first time I ever drank was Sophomore year. He took me out behind the stadium bleachers and pulled out a water bottle filled with this amber liquid. Told me it was apple juice.”

Dean snorted on his soda and coughed a few times. “Let me guess, it wasn’t apple juice.”

Castiel shook his head with a laugh. “If it was, it was the worst tasting apple juice I’ve ever had in my life! But uh, yeah, so my friend came over one weekend and he brought over a pint of vodka. I honestly didn’t think it would be a big deal, our parents were out on a business trip and Gabe, well, he was out on a date. So we had the house to ourselves. I was so drunk on half a pint of vodka it was ridiculous!”

“Wow! Such a lightweight.”

“I think it’s considered a ‘cheap date’ now, Dean.” Castiel winked in a brief moment of bravado. He wasn't even sure why he did it in the first place, he was never good at flirting. He was instantly embarrassed by the attempt, cheeks warm and pink.

Dean, however, looked incredibly amused by it. A brow had arched and a small grin tugged at the corner of his lips. "That so?" He hummed and rubbed his fingers over his jaw. "I'll have to remember that."

Flustered by Dean's returned flirtations, Cas quickly changed the subject with a small laugh. “Uhm, but yeah, Gabriel came home early that night and caught us both singing horrible karaoke in the living room. He was pissed, threatened to tell mom and dad.”

“Jesus, what a buzz kill” Dean laughed.

With a shrug Castiel dug into his burger. Swallowing, he added. “Suppose he had every right to be. That guy, Balthazar, was a terrible influence. His home life clearly wasn’t all that great, so I suppose I couldn’t blame him.”

“Well, what are older brothers for if not for being giant buzz kills and looking out for their pain in the ass little brothers?” Dean grinned cheekily.

Castiel laughed. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right about that.” He sipped on his soda, gaze flitting over towards Dean every so often.

Dean was, God, he was the whole freakin package. He was funny, engaging, he cared a lot about family, Sam especially. Castiel wondered if it were a Winchester trait. He recalled reading Sam’s bio and how it struck him as unique in how his family approached who they considered family. It was with great conviction on their part to bring someone into the fold, to care for them. And that, to Castiel, was incredibly appealing.

Why Dean insisted they go out was beyond him. He was so far out of Castiel’s league. Castiel was nothing more than a boring omega who’s worked at the same used book store for going on six years now. There wasn’t much about him that was interesting, not even objectively. Dean, he imagined, probably would have been your classic alpha jock with a devil may care attitude in high school. There was no way that they would have hung around in the same circles.

Castiel hadn’t realized he was staring until Dean gently nudged his foot against his under the table. He jumped at the contact, cheeks warm with having been caught. Dean simply grinned mischievously at him. “You know it’s impolite to stare.” God damnit, caught again. Not like he could really deny it, the alpha had a good eye. “You’re cute, Cas.” Dean added in the absence of a reply from the omega.

“I uh – No.” Castiel shrugged, suddenly feeling shy. He looked up from the table where he averted his eyes to see Dean with his chin resting in his palm, a dreamy sorta look in his eyes.

“Don’t sell yourself short, man. You’ve got this whole-" He waved his hand vaguely. "-I don’t know, mysterious sort of vibe about you. Kinda diggin’ it.”

Castiel rubbed the back of his neck a little awkwardly. “I uh, I don’t know about that.” He huffed, the corner of his lips twisting into a quirky little smile. “I’m just me.”

“He’s humble too.” Dean sniggered, popping a fry into his mouth.

Castiel ignored him, focusing on his burger instead. It was more to distract himself than anything, he was still smiling regardless, Dean’s flirtations giving him butterflies. After a moment of composing himself, Castiel broke the silence. “Well, you’re mysterious too.”

“Yeah? You think so?” Dean asked, chewing thoughtfully on a few fries.

“Sure.” Cas shrugged a shoulder. “I hit your car, your really nice car and you didn’t murder me on sight. I think that counts as very mysterious and un-alpha-like behavior.”

“Oh, well, then I guess I’m just not like other alphas.” Dean grinned, winking at Cas from across the table.

“Suppose I don’t really know what most alphas are like. I don’t date much.”

“Why not? I would have thought you’d have a whole line up of alphas wantin’ to take you out.”

Castiel was beginning to think his face was going to be permanently red with how much he was blushing that evening. “You flatter me. Uhm, no. Honestly, I’ve preferred it this way. I haven’t actively looked to date anyways, so, no one has asked me out in a few years.” He rubbed at the side of his neck, only just then noticing the raised scar of his scrubbed mark. It was well behaved as of late, thankfully, but he still really hated it; hated being reminded of it.

“Really? Now I know that’s gotta be a lie.”

“Not at all. Not a lot of people want to go out with someone who’s had their bond mark scrubbed.” Maybe he hadn’t meant to blurt that out loud, maybe he did, but either way, Castiel regretted it the moment the words left his mouth. It instantly drew attention towards the sore spot, making it all the more real. He cringed. “I’m uh, I’m sorry. I – That’s not really first date material.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. It’s fine, really.” Dean reached out tentatively and placed his hand over Castiel’s wrist, his fingers warm and distracting; comforting. “There’s a lot of assholes out there who are too quick to judge. It’s fine, really. I understand.” He let go of Castiel’s wrist and popped another fry in his mouth. “Their loss anyway. Could be my gain?”

Castiel sputtered, laughing through his embarrassment. He wasn’t entirely sure what to say to that other than to shake his head and smile like an absolute dork.

The rest of dinner went really well, wonderful really. They were full to the brim with dinner and yet they somehow managed to find room to share a generous slice of apple pie drizzled with caramel sauce and two scoops of vanilla ice-cream. And sure, it might have just been Denny’s, and the apple pie probably wasn’t the best Castiel has ever had, but the company made it well worth it.

Before he knew it, their bill was paid and they were hitting the road. Castiel certainly wasn’t ready to part ways yet. He enjoyed Dean’s company more than he expected and he hoped that the feeling was mutual. So, when they did finally pull into the driveway in front of his house Castiel turned to Dean and smiled. “I had a really great time tonight Dean.” It was probably the most fun he had in a while.

Dean rotated sideways on the bench seat to regard Castiel properly, an arm slung over the backrest spanning the distance between them. “Yeah, me too. It’s been a while since I’ve been on an honest to goodness dinner and a movie date.”

Castiel laughed quietly, surprising Dean by it. “Okay, I know I wasn’t lying earlier, but I know for a fact that you’re lying.”

“Am not!”

“Are too. An alpha like you? There’s no way.” He hadn’t meant it in an objectifying way, it was just an observation. Thankfully Dean didn’t seem to take any offense.

“Okay, well I wouldn’t say I haven’t been out with anyone, cause’ I have. It’s just – “ He scratched the back of his neck.

“Were they one night stands?” Castiel’s brows furrowed, a curious glint in his eyes as he peered closely at the alpha.

Dean laughed at his candor. “Yes, that. I’d hardly count those as dates.”

Castiel scooted a little closer on the bench seat, intrigued and excited by the direction this topic of conversation was taking. “So let me guess. You go out for a drink, or two, play a few rounds of pool until someone across the bar catches your eye.” When Dean didn't immediately answer, Cas pressed onwards, feeling brave once more. "I even bet you'd be real good at sweet talkin them into going home with you. Buy them a couple drinks and they're like putty in your hands."

Dean swallowed, rubbing his fingers over his chin. “Eh, well--" He grinned and leaned in ever so slightly. There shone a mischievous glint in his eyes. It was dangerous and alluring all at the same time and Cas knew then that he probably wasn't quite ready to tempt the alpha. It was too late of course, he could practically sense Dean's inner alpha clawing at the surface and Cas, well, he was intrigued. "--You'd be surprised. It's more about finding the right buttons to press, discovering what makes them tick and of course flirting. But now, I'm curious Cas; what is it that makes you tick?"

Holy--

As it turns out, there probably wasn't much that could convince Castiel to fall into Dean’s bed, if his current state of sudden arousal was of any sort of indication. Somehow Dean was hitting all the right buttons and all he had to do was to flirt effortlessly in order to get the omega on the verge of swooning. Fuck, Castiel was so screwed. "I-uhm--"

Dean laughed and shook his head. "It's okay. You don't have to answer that. Not tonight anyway." He smiled softly and Cas couldn't help but to return it, relieved though still a bit turned on.

"You are full of surprises, Dean." He commented with a content sigh.

"And there's plenty more where that came from." Dean winked. "We should uh - I mean, I had a lot of fun tonight Cas, so maybe--"

“I’d love to go out again.” Castiel blurted. “If--Uh, if that’s what you mean of course.”

Dean chuckled softly and with a hum, he replied, “Like I said, cute. Yes, I’d like to take you out again.”

Castiel beamed a cheeky smile. He wasn’t sure what to say in response, but he hoped that his smile conveyed just how he felt. Dean reached out then to roll a small tuft of hair at Castiel’s temple between his fingers, the expression on the man’s face soft and – something in the atmosphere of the Impala changed then. Castiel could smell it. Where he had been surrounded by everything that smelled like Dean, in that split second something else sliced through the lingering notes of arousal and leather. Something semi-sweet and heady. And – oh – the way Dean was gazing at him so softly, so intently, his focus flitting back and forth between Castiel’s eyes and his lips.

Oh.

“Cas…”

Fuck, how did they get to be so close? Castiel could feel the alpha’s body heat engulf him, pulling him in, lulling him into this heady trance he never wanted to leave. It was different than earlier, where that had been playful, this was more intense, more purposeful and intimate. Dean scooted closer, his fingers letting go of that little curl of hair and trailed down his jaw, below his chin. They were so close now, so unbelievably close that Cas thought his heart might burst from his chest from how hard it was pounding against his rib cage.

“Can I-?” Dean licked his lips and Cas nearly lost it. A needy little whimper left the omega’s lips as he nodded his head, closing the gap to press his lips against Dean’s.

Oh – It was so sweet, so gentle and sure and yet Castiel could hardly breathe. It was so much more than he had been expecting and Dean, he was just as intensely affected. The alpha hummed against his lips and pulled him in close, fingers carding through dark hair, a hand cradling the side of his neck. Dean deepened the kiss, teasing the seam of Castiel’s lips with the tip of his tongue. Who was he to deny the man?

Castiel opened for him and Dean - holy fuck - Dean fucking growled. He licked into the omega’s mouth, tongue swirling with Castiel’s, claiming all that he could. Cas moaned, clinging to the lapels of Dean's jacket, lost in the sensations this man brought out in him, lost in the excitement of it, of just knowing that he was wanted.

He whimpered when Dean finally broke the kiss to catch his breath, mourning the loss of those lips and that sinfully sweet tongue. Yet, he was pleasantly surprised when Dean turned to pepper kisses along his jaw and down the side of his neck only to venture back up to his ear. “You taste sweet.”

Castiel shivered. “It’s probably the apple pie.”

He felt Dean grin against his skin. “Thank God for the apple pie then.” He nipped playfully at his ear before ducking down just so and – oh fuck – Dean was scenting him. He felt just as much as he heard that long intake of breath, heard the deep rumble of a growl. Castiel gasped, clutching at Dean’s shoulder, arching into the touch, needing more, wanting more.

The scent of arousal cut through the air, thicker this time, and it was all Cas could do not to give in to his baser instincts. “Dean, I – “

“I should let you go inside.” His voice was a deep rumble as he pulled away just enough to press another kiss to his lips. And then another, and another, effectively sending Castiel into a fit of giggles as this man peppered his entire face and neck with kisses.

“You probably should." He began, beaming up at Dean. “Before my brother really does murder you.” He pressed one last, lingering kiss to Dean’s lips before pulling back an unfortunately safe distance.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Though neither really wanted to, they made their way out of the car and Dean walked him up to his door. The alpha kept close, the palm of his hand trailed over the back of Castiel’s shoulders and down to the small of his back. It wasn't until they reached the front door that Dean took Castiel's hand in his and stood close.

"So uh, I'll call you, Cas. Or text, whichever you prefer."

"Either is perfectly fine." Cas smiled, glancing down at their hands. Dean rubbed the pad of his thumb over his knuckles. It was sweet and calming and a clear sign to Castiel that Dean wasn't really ready to part yet. "Thanks for tonight, Dean."

"Eh well," Dean shrugged. "I'm glad I asked you out. I uh, I wasn't sure we'd hit it off so well, but I'm glad I went with my instinct." A grin tugged at Dean's lips as he stepped in closer and trailed a couple fingers along the line of Castiel’s jaw. "Besides, how could I not when you're so--"

"--Dean." There was that tension again, that zing of anticipation and excitement that shot down his spine and settled low in his belly. It had been so long since he felt like this, like he knew without a shred of doubt that whatever was going on between him and Dean--it was intense and exhilarating. And right. Fuck, did it feel good to be wanted again by another person, by another alpha. Perhaps it was all the hormones talking and the fact that Cas was inching closer and closer to his Heat but somehow he didn't care. Whatever he felt right now, with Dean, it was real.

"Can I uh--Can I kiss you again?"

The question pulled Cas out of his thoughts and he wet his suddenly dry lips. "Please." And there Dean was, pressing Cas against the front door and kissing him like his life depended on it. Castiel was a fucking goner the moment Dean parted his lips with his tongue, licking into his mouth and claiming him once more. Cas slid his arms inside Dean's jacket and around his waist, clinging tightly to the muscles there as he melted into the kiss.

"Fuck--Cas" Dean growled low in his throat as he broke from the kiss for a breath of air. He didn't quite pull away though, in fact Dean pressed closer, the hard line of his body pressing Castiel against the front door, fingers tangled in dark hair.

Castiel whimpered as he nipped playfully at Dean's lips, his entire body engulfed in the heat that radiated from the alpha’s body. He needed that heat, something within him called to it, begged for it. It was quite literally the strongest thing he's ever felt. It was near impulsive but he didn't care. Cas pulled Dean closer, arching into his touch.

Dean chuckled against kiss-bitten lips the sound of it deep and gravelly. "Mm, I don't know what the hell you're doing to me, but-" He kissed along Castiel's jawline and down the side of his neck. "-You've got no complaints from me."

Castiel sighed, tilting his head just so to offer Dean more, to encourage scenting. Which, Jesus Christ, Cas has never before allowed such a thing to happen on a first date. Hell, he and Mat may have fallen in love out on their trip to Iceland, but it was nothing like this. This was primal.

Of course Dean didn't disappoint. He took the bait and scented along the glands there below his ear, growling appreciatively. "Your scent--" He tugged back on Castiel's hair to expose more of that gorgeous neck, nipping gently at the skin below his jaw.

Castiel moaned, eyes fluttering closed. "Dean--I should really be-"

"I know." The alpha whispered as he peppered his skin with little open mouthed kisses. "Your brother will murder me if I violate you on his front porch."

Castiel chuckled as he sagged against the door, smiling up at Dean, if a little dazed. Happily of course. "You're right about that. You'll call?"

"Of course I will. We'll set up a second date and everything." He pressed one last kiss to the omega’s lips before reluctantly pulling away. "Goodnight cas."

"Goodnight Dean." Castiel immediately mourned the loss of that body heat and he very nearly reached out to pull Dean closer. But he remained where he was pressed against the front door, watching as the alpha walked halfway backwards towards his car. He had a huge, dorky grin on his face the whole way, refusing to let Cas out of his sight until he finally climbed in the driver seat. It made Castiel laugh, his chest constricting with such a wonderful, happy feeling. He looked forward to Dean's call, looked forward to seeing him again, and if there was more kissing involved, well, he certainly wasn't going to complain.

Chapter Text

All Our Own

Chapter 6: Sunshine And Molasses

Dean[10:24AM]: Morning Sunshine ;) how's the day treatin ya?

Cas[10:45AM]: Good morning Dean :) great, Actually. Ur text was a pleasant surprise. Haven't had one of those in a while.
Cas[10:45AM]: aside from the couple ur brother sent me

Dean[10:48AM]: Did he?

Cas[10:50AM]: He did. But not since I broke our arrangement.

Dean[10:51AM]: arrangement? Oh, you mean with the Heat clinic. You didn't break that arrangement cuz of me, did u? ;)

Cas[10:55AM]: No! Course not. I just...idk. The idea of dating you and seeing Sam as a pre-arranged Heat partner didn't feel right. 👉👈

Dean[11:02AM]: Oh, so we're dating now lol
Dean[11:02AM]: I hope you know I'm only teasing you Cas. Lol I kinda like the sound of that though, us dating.

Cas[11:15AM]: Oh! Good. I mean, I didn't mean to insinuate anything..I just, well. I'm sorry if I got ahead of myself.

Dean[11:17AM]: Cas. It's totally fine. Lol like I said, I kinda like the sound of us dating. Let's decide on our second date, okay?
Dean[11:18AM]: Besides, I can't stop thinking about kissing you…

Cas[11:25AM]: Really? I can't stop thinking about kissing you either.

Dean[11:26AM]: Yeah? Good. Looks like we're in agreement then. ;)
Dean[11:26AM]: You just have this way with your tongue...and your teeth when you bite my lip.

Cas[11:33AM]: Dean, I'm at work lol you can't just say things like that.

Dean[11:34AM]: why not? You getting all hot and bothered over there? Lol

Cas[11:40AM]: it's hard not to when you talk like that.

Dean[11:43AM]: ;) I bet it is hard.

Cas[11:45AM]: Dean! Lol you're insufferable.

________

Cas[5:34PM]: So how is work? I just finally got home.

Dean[5:49PM]: surprisingly busy for a Wednesday! We did have a call-out. So that doesn't help.

Cas[5:52PM]: that's shitty. I'm sorry :(

Dean[6:22PM]: it's alright. Just wishin I had the company of a certain Omega to pass the time is all.
Dean[IMG ATTCH: 6:23PM]:

Dean[6:23PM]: this is my 'tryna hold it together' face.

Cas[6:25PM]: Lol I can tell! You look good today:)
Cas[6:26PM]: Not 'snuggled up on the couch' good, but good ;) lol
Cas[IMG ATTCH: 6:26PM]:

Dean[6:42PM]: Oh. Yeah you got me there. Lol you look cozy. Really jealous of that blanket tbh

Cas[6:44PM]: Yeah too bad you have to work all night.

Dean[6:58PM]: Yeah no kiddin' I'd much rather curl up with you under that blanket and watch some Netflix.

Cas:[7:00PM]: You ever watch Being Human?
Cas:[7:01PM]: The American version

Dean:[7:11PM]: Can't say that I have.

Cas:[7:13PM]: It's really good. You should watch it. Maybe you could come over sometime and watch it with me? I don't mind starting it over again for the 4th time.

Dean:[7:40PM]: It's that good huh? Lol well, if I get to spend the evening with you then I don't mind watching it at all :)
Dean[7:42PM]: We could order a pizza, split a 6 pack. The whole nine. Sounds like a dream compared to here.

Cas:[7:43PM]: More like the perfect evening :)

Dean:[7:57PM]: I couldn't agree more :)

______________

Dean:[12:22AM]: Put a fork in me, I am DONE x_x
Dean:[12:42AM]: You must be sleeping. What a shame, got a whole house to myself and no one to share it with. Sammy won't be home for a few hours. ;)
Dean:[1:15AM]: Okay I'll let you sleep lol
Dean:[IMG ATTCH: 1:32AM]:

Dean:[1:33AM]: Just sayin, you're missing out lol goodnight Cas.

________________

Cas:[8:15AM]: Lol good morning Dean. I'm sorry I wasn't up to help you wind down from a busy night. Your bed does look very comfy.

Dean:[10:48AM]: Memory foam, Cas. Memory foam. Lol and you're damn right you're sorry. I had a few ideas in mind that'd have helped me;)
Dean:[10:51]: Speaking of good mornings,
Dean:[IMG ATTCH: 10:52AM]:

Dean:[10:52AM]: Good morning Cas ;)

Cas:[11:02AM]: Oh, sweet Lord…-///-...What did I tell you about flirting with me while I'm at work? Lol

Dean:[11:04AM]: Haha! If I remember correctly, you told me it's hard not to get all hot and bothered when I flirt with you. And, if I'm totally honest, I kinda like the idea of you getting all flustered and weak in the knees over there and not being able to do anything about it.

Cas:[11:06AM]: I should have known you were such an incessant flirt.
Cas:[11:06AM]: You just like to watch me squirm lol

Dean:[11:08AM]: Oh I'd love to ;)

Cas:[11:15AM]: Case in point lol

Dean:[11:20AM]: Lol you know me so well. So, where'd you say you worked at? Luci's used books right?

Cas:[11:32AM]: Yeah. Why?

Dean:[11:33AM]: Oh, no reason, just curious:)

Cas:[11:37AM]: Kind of a random thing to be curious about lol what have you got planned for today?

Dean:[11:53AM]: Ohh, a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Lol, then I work at 4 to close :(

Cas:[11:56AM]: That sucks :/ Hopefully there's no call outs today.
Cas:[DRAFT 12:08PM]: I miss-

Texting whilst at work had never really been Castiel's thing. He preferred to keep busy and distraction-free, which wasn't something he ever found hard to accomplish. These were books he could take care of, most of them being older than he was himself. He could spend hours rearranging displays of new books that came in - because sure, this was a used book store, but that didn't mean they couldn't cater to newer authors. It was meditative in some aspects which was something Castiel really enjoyed.

But then there was Dean, the alpha who had quickly dug under his skin and made himself happily at home where he pleased. He was a distraction from Castiel's work is what he was. But a welcomed distraction at that--what with his easy flirtations and his God damned selfies that always took his breath away. They truly hadn't known each other for very long at all and yet whatever was brewing between the two of them felt right. It had been a long time since the omega had felt this way and he would be damned if he didn't allow himself to indulge a little bit. So, him getting caught texting in the middle of the store really shouldn’t have been a surprise to him.

He was typing out another text to Dean as he stood in the murder mystery section when he felt the ghost of a breath behind his ear. "Who you textin'?"

Castiel squawked in horror at being caught, nearly jumping out of his skin and dropping his phone to the floor. Luckily he caught it in time before it could fall and shatter to a million pieces. He clutched it tightly to his chest and spun around to see who had caught him, certain it had to be one of his supervisors. Boy was he wrong. "Dean?!"

Dean stood there, laughing and grinning from ear to ear. "Oh man! You should see the look on your face."

"It's not funny!" It may not be and though Castiel shoved at Dean's arm to get him to hush, he couldn't help but to chuckle himself. "You're so mean. I thought you were my supervisor!"

"Ohh, I'm sorry. Come here, Sunshine." He pulled Cas into a hug, arms wrapped securely around the omega’s shoulders.

Cas melted into it with a contented sigh, eyes slipping closed as he took in Dean's scent--that earthy, sun-kissed breeze… The scent of the leather in the impala. God, he's missed this, and it'd only been a couple of days. A smile tugged at his lips when he felt Dean shift a little, just enough so that he could scent him at his temple. "I knew you couldn't stay mad at me forever. You smell of happiness."

Cas huffed a small laugh as he pulled back just enough to regard the alpha before him. "That's because I've had a good morning." With a teasing lift of his brow, he added, "And a marginally better afternoon. So what are you doing here Dean?"

Dean shrugged and cast his gaze idly around the aisle. "Oh. I don't know, just a little bit of this--" His gaze returned to Castiel’s and dipped down to stare at his lips. "--a little bit of that." And he kissed him, claiming his lips in a sweet kiss that had Castiel's heart pounding and his toes curling in his shoes.

He unfortunately had to pull back from the kiss though because despite how badly he wanted to deepen it, it was really bad form to makeout with your significant other while you were still on the clock. It was a good thing no one had come around looking for any good thrillers down this particular aisle. "So, did you just come here to surprise me?"

Dean shrugged a shoulder, nodding. "Pretty much. And I was hoping you hadn't taken a lunch yet so that you could maybe join me? I have a couple burgers in the car."

The smile that stretched across Castiel's face made his cheeks hurt and he was pretty sure that it was blinding. His stomach flipped flopped with a million fluttering butterflies in absolute awe over this fine, considerate specimen of a man. To anyone else, this might be nothing more than a simple gesture, one small act of kind and thoughtful consideration. And it was. But to Cas, it meant a whole lot more. It meant that Dean was interested in him, it proved it. He tried to remind himself it was just the building hormones flowing through him, but fuck it. He felt good. He was happy. "Of course! Let me just tell my boss. I'm sure he won't mind me taking it a little earlier than planned."

"Great! That's great." Dean grinned and pecked Cas on the lips a couple more times before he set the omega free to find his boss.

Sure enough, Dean had a couple burgers and an order of fries each stowed away in the Impala, fresh from Bigersons. "You really didn't have to do this Dean" Cas managed through a bite of his burger. He hummed and wiped a smudge of mayo from the corner of his mouth. He caught Dean staring and blushed, reaching for the napkins in the bag.

"Naw, don't worry about it." Dean chuckled as he popped a fry drenched in ketchup into his mouth. "I wanted to do this. I uh--I don't know, I know this doesn't count as an official date or anything, but I wanted to see you."

Castiel couldn't wipe the dorky grin off his face even if he tried. "Thank you Dean. You're very thoughtful."

The next few minutes were spent in companionable silence as they happily ate their lunch. Classic rock filtered quietly through the speakers and for the briefest of moments Castiel swore it couldn't get any better than this. But it had to, of course it did. Looking over at Dean, observing him quietly and just--admiring him from across the bench seat, Cas just knew that it was going to get better, as though something deep within him could sense it.

There was going to be more kisses, more hugs and gentle caresses. Perhaps more surprises such as lunch shared together inside the Impala. And--Castiel felt heat rise to his cheeks when the next thought occurred to him, but he hoped that there would be more than just those heated kisses they've shared already. Cas wanted Dean, his inner omega called out to him, yearning for more intimate touch. Needing it.

His Heat was just around the corner. Would Dean be adverse to the idea of being his partner..?

"A-are you free on Saturday, Dean?" Castiel suddenly blurted, more as a way to distract himself from his current train of thought.

The alpha swallowed around the last bite of his burger and tossed the wrapped in the bag. "Depends on what time. Bobby's hosting poker night, but if you wanna hang out before then we definitely should. " He smiled. "Whatcha thinkin'?"

"I don't know, maybe a picnic? The weather is supposed to be really nice that day. We could go to a park." God, it actually sounded pretty damn lame now that the idea was given an audience. Who goes on a picnic for their second date? Why not something like--rock climbing, or hell, wine tasting? Does Dean even like wine?

"Yeah! That actually sounds kinda nice."

"Really?"

Dean nodded and reached across the seat to take Castiel's hand in his. He rubbed the pad of his thumb over his knuckles, the touch instantly calming all of his current anxieties. "Of course. Why not? I could use a relaxing afternoon." Dean grinned and withdrew his hand from Castiel's with a pat.

"Okay, great!" Cas took another bite of his burger to distract himself from the embarrassingly dorky grin that tugged at his cheeks. The butterflies continued to flutter in his belly.

"You really are something." Castiel heard him say. He looked up to see Dean smiling fondly at him before he leaned across the seat to plant a kiss at his temple, fingers carding through dark hair. "So pretty when you blush."

Castiel nearly choked as he swallowed his bite of food. "You flatter me, Dean." He glanced shyly at the man.

Dean shrugged. "I'm of the belief that when you're interested in someone, you don't stop trying to woo them."

"Is that what you're trying to do? 'Woo me'?"

Dean shrugged yet again. His grin took on a mischievous lilt. "Guess you'll have to find out."

The remainder of Castiel’s lunch was filled with light flirtations here and there and the discussion of what sort of foods to bring on their picnic that coming Saturday. Cas was perfectly okay with sandwiches and fruits but Dean insisted on pie for dessert. Which was perfect because Gabriel worked at a bakery and all it would take is a pair of well practiced puppy dog eyes to get his brother to bake them a pie for their date.

Dean seemed excited, if his enthusiastic suggestions for pie was anything to go by. Castiel was too, his heart pounded with the anticipation of seeing Dean again and soon. This afternoon had been a pleasant surprise, a nice little pick me up in between their first date and their now planned second one. The shared kisses - both heated and sweet - outside the book shop should hold them both over just fine, but they also had Castiel's inner omega impatient and begging for more.

Parting ways was certainly difficult, but there was promise in the coming weekend. Castiel just had to endure the rest of his work week avoiding the curious and teasing gaze of his coworker Hannah who had spotted them making out outside the store.

Sure, he might have been chastised for being a few minutes late, but it was well worth the kisses and lingering caresses.

------------

The following couple of days dragged on, because of course. They always did when you were looking forward to something you had planned in those coming days. Thankfully Gabriel agreed to the baking of a pie - fresh apple pie to be exact - though he badgered Cas on why he needed a whole ass pie. "Because apparently Dean is quite insatiable when it comes to pie. I figured a whole pie would be enough to cover all my bases." Castiel had told him the evening Dean had visited him at work.

Gabriel nodded his head, humming in response before adding, "So you must really like this guy."

"I do. Look, you're not fooling me with that tone of voice, Gabe. You're gearing up for a whole speech about how I need to be careful."

"Can you blame me? For all we know, he's only after one thing; he is an alpha after all. Your heat is right around the corner and I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Castiel had rolled his eyes. Gabriel did make a good point, a solid one and logically Castiel knew it would be wise for him to keep a level head on his shoulders where Dean was concerned. But another part of him, perhaps the needy omega part, felt slightly offended. Castiel wasn't an idiot, he wasn't going to ask Dean to be his Heat partner. Hell no! It was much too soon for that sort of commitment. Before Cas could open his mouth to reply, Gabriel sighed and gave his brother a reassuring smile. "I'll make you that pie Cassie. But you've gotta give me all the juicy details of this date of yours. Despite my logical opinions, that Dean fellow is quite the treat."

At least Gabriel was right about one thing. Dean certainly was a treat, a tempting one as he saw the man in question pull up the drive in the old classic Impala that Saturday afternoon. He had everything packed already - the sandwiches, the fruits and potato chips per Dean's request and of course the apple pie. Dean argued that he didn't want Cas to bring everything, and despite Cas telling him he didn't mind at all, he allowed Dean to take care of the drinks.

"Hey there Sunshine." Dean grinned as soon as Castiel opened the front door upon the first couple knocks. The alpha looked like a fucking dream, standing there on his porch with his hands shoved in his jeans pockets. He wore a simple black T under an unbuttoned red flannel, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms; which Jesus Christ, that particular wardrobe choice should be downright illegal.

"Hello Dean." Castiel returned the smile as he leaned in to press his lips against Dean's in a chaste kiss. Dean wasn't having it though. He wanted more. It was with a hum of approval and need that the alpha deepened the kiss with a flick of his tongue over the seam of Castiel's lips.
Cas opened to him with a sigh, tingles of pleasure rolling down his spine and spreading throughout his body. Fingers slid over the omegas jaw and slid into his hair, gripping at the strands gently. Castiel moaned into the kiss, his hands sliding up Dean's chest, pressing closer. Sure, it might not have been as heated as the kiss they shared on their first date, but it wasn't lacking in any way. It was filled with longing and passion, but it was also sweet and playful. Arousing too apparently. Castiel's cock swelled with interest in his jeans and if it weren't for Gabriel's sudden interruption, Castiel might have suggested they make a change of plans.

"Okay you two love birds! Don't make me hose you down with neutra-air!"

Castiel jumped at the sudden interruption, his face a bright red and hot with embarrassment. He glanced up at Dean to see him grinning, nostrils flaring as he scented the air. The alpha winked knowingly before greeting Gabriel as though nothing ever happened. "Gabe! Good to see you."

"Likewise Dean-o! So, taking my baby bro out for a romantic picnic huh?"

"Gabe-"

"Naw, it's fine Cas." Dean gave him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder and focused his attention on Gabriel, arching a curious yet serious brow. "You follow through on the pie?"

"Sure did! Made you a crisp apple pie, pulled out all the stops!"

Dean beamed, practically salivating at the mere mention of apple pie. "No you didn't. Really?"

"Yep! Why don't you go grab your things Cas, Dean and I will be fine here."

Castiel paused, uncertain, but he looked to Dean and saw the alpha completely at ease on their front porch. He gave him a reassuring smile and nod and with one last look to Gabriel, Castiel wandered off into the kitchen to grab their insulated bag full of goodies. The pie was packed down at the bottom with the sandwiches and other snacks placed on top. He made one last check for paper plates and forks, ensuring all was good before returning to Dean and his brother.

Gabriel looked suspicious, but then again, he always did. Dean, well, he looked as cool as a cucumber. "I think we're ready. I'll be back in a few hours Gabe."

"Sounds good Cassie! You two behave now." Gabriel grinned and winked at the other alpha before all but throwing them off the porch and slamming the door in their face. It was probably a bit of an overdramatic observation on Castiel's part, but his brother seemed oddly questionable.

Dean led the way back to the impala and opened the passenger side door. Castiel set his bag on the floor of the front seat and got settled, buckling himself in. "Did my brother say anything to you?" He asked Dean as soon as he sat himself behind the wheel and cranked the engine to life.

Dean shrugged a shoulder. "Naw, not really. Just, you know, the usual."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, just the If you ever hurt my little brother I swear I'll kill you speech." Dean turned to Cas and full on grinned - gummy teeth and crinkles at the corners of his eyes included - all as though it weren't a problem at all.

Castiel wished he could be annoyed with his brother and perhaps he'll confront him later, but right now, exactly how could he be annoyed with Dean smiling at him just so? He sighed, figuring he'd let it go for now and enjoy the afternoon ahead of them.

The weather really did turn out in their favor too. The sun was shining high in the sky and was just warm enough to be comfortable in direct sunlight; even the shaded areas at the nearby park were comfortable. A few clouds dotted the sky and there was the occasional breeze here and there rustling through the trees and skittering along the lake. It was a beautiful day, peaceful really, even with the presence of many other people milling about and enjoying their day.

Dean and Castiel found a nice little spot beneath a large oak tree to lay down their blanket and set out their lunch. They had a perfect view of the lake and the trees beyond on the other side, the resident geese and ducks filling in as entertainment as they swooped in to float along the water or to pick fights with the other fellow geese. Children giggled off in the distance in the playground, their parents chit chatting and gossiping away on nearby benches. This was exactly what Castiel needed, just the ambiance alone was enough to settle the stress of real life he felt in his bones.

"Want something to drink, Cas?" Dean asked suddenly as he dug through the backpack he brought with him.

Cas smiled and nodded his head as he unzipped the food bag. "Of course. What did you bring?" He began to pull out the sandwiches and other snacks and set them down neatly in front of them when he heard Dean chuckling to his left.

"Well, I brought water. But I also brought a couple of wine tumblers to keep our beer in." The grin on the alpha's face stretched wide as he passed a beer filled wine tumbler to a baffled Castiel.

"Wait-" Cas began as he stared at the tumbler. "-you brought beer?! Dean! You know you can drink alcohol in public like this!"

Castiel's appalled reaction only made Dean burst with laughter, tears springing to his eyes. "Cas! It's fine, trust me. No one is going to know, or even care for that matter." Castiel continued to look at him incredulously, it was like a mix between confused and bewildered and - okay, there was the slightest bit of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Dean laughed harder and shook his head. "It's fine. Remember the sneaking of the candy into the theater? Yeah, it's just like that."

"I fail to see how they are the same. Dean." Cas scoffed, studying the tumbler itself.

"Okay, maybe not so much. But - alright, if you don't want it, that's fine. I just figured a nice day such as this was deserving of a nice cold beer. There's water if you'd rather have that." Dean reached out for Castiel's tumbler and by his surprise - and after a moment's deliberation - Castiel clutched the tumbler in his hands and pulled away from Dean.

"No. It's fine. You're right. A beer sounds nice." He slid open the top and put it to his lips, pausing a moment. "But only if you're sure it's okay."

"Ehh, it's probably okay."

"Dean-" Cas glared and Dean laughed. 'Cause why not? Dean had a penchant for poking the bear and he was certain Castiel had quite the beast hidden underneath that beautiful exterior.

"Okay okay!" Dean grinned, waving him off. "It's totally fine. Go nuts."

Castiel took a generous swig and sighed, content. Yeah, this was nice. The surprise beer was an added bonus. They dug into their sandwiches, Dean moaning around a bit of pastrami on rye with honey mustard, mayo and cheese. Cas couldn't help smiling at the man, his belly full of happy butterflies. He was happy, here with Dean. Though he could probably argue he'd be happy anywhere so long as he was with Dean.

But it was the absolute rapture on Dean's face when he dug into a slice of the apple pie Gabriel made them that really did it. The alpha's eyes rolled into the back of his head upon that first bite, and maybe it was a little dramatic, but Dean's apparent love for pie was enthusiastic. It was beautiful. Erotic even."Oh my god-" He hummed around a large bite. "-this is really good."

"I'm glad you like it Dean." Castiel beamed. He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, quietly observing Dean devour his slice of apple pie.

"Mm, you said he owns a bakery right?" Dean swiped his tongue out to lick some of the apple streusel from the corner of his mouth.

"Sure does. Just Desserts right in the heart of town, off of main street. Can't miss it."

Dean hummed, nodding around another bite. "I'll have to pay him a visit. But I gotta confess; I might end up dating him instead if anything else he makes is half as good as this pie."
It was obviously a joke, Cas could see the little twinkle of mischief in Dean's eyes, but it got him thinking. Was that what they were doing? Were Castiel and Dean currently dating? Did Dean even want to date Cas, was a relationship with him something he was looking for? A part of the omega wanted to say that there was no way Dean wanted anything more than what they currently are, that because Cas has proven in the past that he's not good mate material that the alpha couldn't possibly want him in any other way than the physical. But God dammit, Cas wanted him. That had to count for something, right?

"I can practically hear you thinking over there." Dean began as he set his empty plate down on the blanket. He looked at Cas and smiled softly. That Goddamn smile, it got him every time. "I promise I won't end up falling for your brother. He's an alpha anyways. And besides, he's got this dorky younger brother with these gorgeous blue eyes and mop of permanent sex hair, Mm Mm mm."

"Oh-" Castiel blushed a bright pink, shifting his gaze away from Dean in the hopes he could hide his grin. "-I don't know about that."

"Oh and the way his cheeks redden when he's embarrassed or shy-" Dean leaned in close to pepper his cheek with kisses, growling low in his throat. "-Fucking beautiful."

Castiel's breath hitched in his throat, tingles of pleasure rolling down his spine and if he wasn't careful enough, he was likely to grow wet with slick. That low burn of arousal was a dangerous monster an omega should be careful with in public. Anyone within close range could scent him out, no problem.

Dean certainly did.

The alpha grinned and nipped at Castiel's ear playfully. "Naughty Castiel." He teased. "Am I turning you on?"

"Oh hush-" Cas shoved against Dean's shoulder. His whole body was alight with heat, eyes darting around to make sure no one else could scent him. Dean sat beside him and chuckled, eyeing him like he was a delicious meal. There was mischief and wonder within those green depths and Cas supposed he couldn't be too cross with the man. An awkward smile tugged at his lips and he glanced down at his lap, which he promptly covered with clasped fists. "-You're insufferable."

Dean gave a noncommittal shrug and finished off his beer. "What do you say we take a walk, hm? I gotta stretch my legs." He paused then, glancing down at Castiel's lap that was still cleverly concealed. A knowing grin spread across his face and he wagged his eyebrows."But, if you need a minute-"

"Dean-!" Cas shoved against his shoulder again, but even then he couldn't help the little laugh that bubbled up from his chest. Dean was such a friggin flirt, so sinfully handsome and a bit of a dork and yet he was flirting with him. Of all the people Dean could have eyes for, he apparently had them for Castiel. He'd be more skeptical of it if he couldn't scent the happiness rolling off of the alpha in waves.

With Castiel's curious situation under control - for the time being if Dean has anything to say about it - the pair gathered up their things and found a quiet trail along the lake. They tossed their trash in a bin nearby and bagged everything up, the blanket Dean brought stuffed in the backpack he had hidden their beers in previously. Cas carried the zip up bag with the strap stretched across his chest, the leftovers secure inside. He'd give Dean the remainder of the apple pie before they part ways.

"You sure I can't interest you in a few rounds of poker tonight?" Dean later asked as they crossed over a wooden bridge overlooking the lake below.

"I'm sure. I'd be a very boring addition to the table. Besides, you'd have to teach me to play and I doubt you'd find that fun."

"Naw! It won't be so bad, I wouldn't mind teaching ya." Dean gave a shrug as he smiled down at Cas. When Cas didn't say anything, he just furrowed his brow in contemplation, Dean added, "Or would it be too soon to meet the rest of the family?"

Castiel stopped abruptly there at the end of the bridge, a hand gripping the railing. First, the quip about dating Gabriel instead and now this? His heart pounded at the implication as he looked up at Dean. "I-I mean, it wouldn't- uhm-" He huffed, pausing between his stumbling words and glanced down at their feet. "-I just-"

Thankfully Dean decided to cut in and help. "No, hey, it's fine. I get it, It's definitely too soon to meet everyone. Besides, you'd probably want more of a warning before meeting Rufus anyway. He's a bit rough around the edges and Bobby, well, him and Rufus-"

Now Dean was the one rambling on and Cas couldn't help but smile up at him. "Dean, it's fine. You don't have to explain. I just- are we, you know, dating? Is that what we are doing?" Perhaps it wasn't the neatest way he could have asked the question because the look on Dean's face just sank. He could smell that first twinge of rejection coming from the alpha and Cas had no idea how he could reassure him that he wasn't in fact rejecting him.

"Oh uhm. I mean-" Dean scratched at the back of his neck. "-I sorta thought that, maybe- but it's fine, if you don't wanna, I just-"

A wide smile spread across Castiel's face as he leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on Dean's lips, effectively silencing him for the moment. "It's fine." He reiterated. "I just wasn't expecting to date anytime soon. I just- I had everything set up for mine and your brothers partnership and things changed after meeting you. You surprised me Dean."

"I did huh?" His comment was quiet, the look on his face dazed from the surprise kiss.

Castiel nodded. "Yes. For the record, I'm not opposed at all to the dating thing - dating you - I just wasn't expecting anything to come out of my current situation."

"You're scheduled Heat?"

Castiel nodded, looking away as heat rose to his cheeks. "I-I don't want you to think I'm using you for that sorta thing, that because things didn't click quite right with your brother that I decided to jump to you instead."

"Oh! No, no, I haven't thought that at all. I've just been - well, to be honest - all logic seems to go flying out the window where you're concerned." He shoved his fists deep into his pockets. "I also don't want you to think that your scheduled Heat is the reason why I'm hanging around. Our biology is fucking weird, but I'd like to think some of my brain still works." He grinned at Castiel, and Cas, God help him, he was totally gone on this man. There was something about him, especially now what with the way the sun was shining and reflecting off the gold flecks in his eyes, accentuating the green. His freckles were just barely visible and he found he couldn't wait until the height of summer when he knew they'd be much more pronounced. He thought then that there was no way he could let this man go, not now, not anytime soon.

"If you're amenable, I would very much like to date." Castiel blurted. "You, I'd like to date you."

"Amenable huh?" Dean grinned and stepped in close, effectively making Cas step backwards and press himself against the wood railing of the bridge. The alpha grinned as he curled his fingers around his waist, lips mere inches away from Castiel's. "I think I'm very amenable. Whaddya say Cas? Wanna go steady?"

Castiel laughed. "Oh, shut up and kiss me already."

Dean grinned and closed the gap, pressing his lips against Castiel's in a firm kiss. The omega's breath hitched in his throat and he sighed, arching into Dean's touch. There was something about kissing Dean that sent hot tingles of electricity shooting up and down his spine. His kiss made him warm all over, adrenaline coursing hot through the very core of him. Oh, and Dean's tongue...The way it teased at his lips, over and over before finally breaching and seeking out Castiel’s own.

The omega was at this alpha's mercy, and he didn't care not one bit. He'd gratefully give whatever he could to this man, and though he knew that thought should scare him, Castiel wasn't the least bit perturbed by it.

Dean groaned into the kiss, his teeth nipping into the plump flesh of Castiel’s bottom lip. "Mm - we should move along before someone interrupts us."

"Let them." Cas sighed as he pressed in close. He groaned as he felt the hard proof of Dean's interest press right up against his thigh. Another rush of that hot adrenaline rushed through him, flushing his cheeks a bright red. "Ohh-"

"Jesus Cas," Dean breathed. Castiel could feel the alpha's fingers clutch tightly into his shirt, the touch burning through to his skin. Jesus christ indeed, this was dangerous. "You really know how to tempt a man." He pressed another kiss to Castiel’s lips, then another, and another before taking a safe step backwards. It wasn't without great difficulty on his part though and while Cas sorely missed the contact, he couldn't help but grin at the little growl of disappointment that came with the alpha's retreat.

"The same could very easily be said about you Dean." Feeling bold and incredibly turned on at the moment, Castiel gave Dean a nice long once over, his gaze roaming over Dean's form and settling briefly on the visible proof of the man's arousal. He bit his lip before lifting his gaze to Dean's.

Dean was flushed, dazed. He cracked a smile though and shook his head. "Come on lover boy -" He offered his hand for Cas to take, which he did without hesitation. "-Let's continue our nice, distracting walk before I change my mind and pin you to a tree."

A grin tugged at Castiel's lips as they clasped their hands together at their sides, fingers interlaced intimately. "How scandalous."

The pair continued on down the trail around the lake, walking at a leisurely pace. Castiel couldn't stop smiling to himself and glancing down at where their hands connected, palms pressed together. He was hyper aware of everything along the remainder of their walk; Dean's summery, happy scent, the heat of his palm and the calloused fingertips caused by his time spent at Singer Salvage. Castiel revelled in the warmth that came from when their arms would brush against each other every so often.

Conversation was light and easy going along the rest of the way. Despite the electric current zinging between them from their kiss earlier, they both found it easy to fall into a comfortable, friendly sort of zone where they could talk about family and work and joke around and laugh easily.

Dean quickly discovered just how nerdy Castiel was when it came to bees. He watched as Castiel's eyes lit up and he adjusted the strap that sat across his chest before kneeling down in front of a patch of flowers. While nerdy was accurate, passionate was an even better word for it. Dean never thought there was so much one could learn about bees, but apparently there was plenty more than just the very real fact that bees should be protected and saved from extinction. Castiel's knowledge stretched much farther than that. Dean learned about the different scientific names of many of the species, he also learned that the reason bees are so noisy is because they apparently beat their wings 11,400 times in a single minute. And did you know that those cute little bumble bees shouldn't actually be able to fly? Something about their wings being too small to carry their plump little bodies, and yet, there they were, flying around the blooming flowers in front of them, feasting on the nectar inside.

"-I apologize, Dean," Castiel began as he realized just how much he was rambling on about bees. He stood to his feet and brushed off the dirt found on his knees. " -You probably aren't interested in any of that, I just get excited."

"Excited is one way to put it." Castiel flushed at the comment. "I didn't mind at all. You get very expressive when you're passionate about something." With a teasing grin, he added, "It's cute that you're such a nerd."

"Oh shut up!" Castiel laughed, shoving against Dean's shoulder.

"I mean it! Your eyes light up and it's uh, I dunno, I could probably listen to an audio book narrated by you, so-"

"It's my voice huh?"

Dean nodded as they continued onwards. "Yep. Easily the sexiest voice ever."

Cas rolled his eyes. "I'm sure that's debatable." But he smiled at Dean, content to leave the argument for another day because clearly, Dean's voice trumps over his own.

They continued on down the path, the end of the trail coming up close when Dean suddenly stopped. "You hear that?"

With Dean's prompting, Castiel stopped to listen, straining to hear what Dean was hearing. Before he could hazard a guess, Dean shouted. "Ice cream! That's what this picnic was missing! Come on." He grabbed a hold of Castiel's hand and dragged him across the stretch of lawn and past the children's playground until they finally reached the parking lot.

There sat parked was indeed the Icecream Man with his dark colored van, the side of which was decked out with pictures of all the ice cream he was selling. Excited children and their parents surrounded the one side of the van, patiently waiting their turn in line to order. It brought a smile to Castiel’s face, memories of him and Gabe as kids rushing outside to flag down the ice cream truck flashed through his mind. Every young pup's ears were perfectly attuned to the classic music echoing throughout the neighborhood, so it came as no surprise that Dean heard it from far away. He was clearly a child at heart, excited by the simple pleasures in life.

Dean led them to the line, which really wasn't much of a line as it was a bunch of excited kids jumping up and down and a couple trying to shove their way in to ensure they weren't forgotten. Just as they reached the crowd, though, something in the air caught Castiel's attention. A scent. The little hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he realized who the familiar sandalwood and bergamot scent belonged to.

No. Nope. Not today. He hadn't visually spotted the other alpha yet, and he really didn't want to stick around any longer, so he tugged on the sleeve of Dean's shirt. "Dean, we need to go."

"What? But we haven't gotten our ice cream yet." Dean pouted, but once he turned to look at Cas, the disappointment fled instantly from his eyes and was replaced with concern. "Cas?"

"We just - I need to go, please?" Castiel's grip on his sleeve tightened, eyes wide and pleading.

Dean nodded, smiling encouragingly. He may not know what was suddenly so wrong, but it was clear, he could scent it on the omega. Anxiety always had a weird sort of sour zing to one's natural scent, it was never pleasant and all Dean wanted to do was wrap him up in his arms. Dean led the way back to his car, a comforting hand to the small of Castiel's back, but they hadn't gotten very far when a voice grabbed both of their attention.

"Castiel? Is that really you?"

Dean felt Castiel's whole body go rigid and his scent spiked with anxiety, he could feel it thrumming beneath the surface. Instincts took over and Dean turned to see who interrupted them, ready to tear them a new hole for causing his omega to feel so uneasy. He was ready to growl threateningly, to bare his teeth in warning but he stopped short when he saw the pregnant woman accompanying the blond, blue eyed stranger. She was pushing along a stroller with a child no more than two years old inside. Displays of aggression in front of pregnant women just weren't done, if you were a gentleman. Dean might be an alpha on the verge of going postal but he had some manners.

"Oh, Mat, hello." Castiel offered a friendly smile and a small wave, if a bit strained. More than a bit really. Dean could see the wild panic in his eyes as he glanced over at the omega woman beside him. She was curious, looking between her mate and Castiel, occasionally glancing over at Dean.

The other alpha - Mat - gave a wide, beaming smile. It was fond and Dean didn't like it one bit. "I thought that was you. It's really good to see you, it's been so long." Fucking barf, the guy was so fake. "Oh! Uhm, Cas, this is my mate, Laura-" Laura offered a friendly smile and a hello. "-and our daughter Sarah."

Dean watched as Castiel's gaze settled on their daughter, watched him swallow thickly and if he didn't know any better, Castiel's eyes turned glassy with what appeared to be tears. He scented sadness in the air, longing and envy. "You have a beautiful family, I - I'm happy for you." It was such a lie, but he was trying. Dean grabbed a hold of Castiel's hand and laced their fingers together.

"Honey?" Laura began. "I'm going to bring Sarah to the swings, okay? Let you guys catch up. It was nice meeting you." Laura smiled at the both of them before leading the stroller off towards the children's park.

As soon as Laura left, Mat's whole demeanor changed. Oh, he still played the ever polite gentleman but there was an edge there to his voice, and a sort of vile sneer just beginning to stretch across his face. It was well kept in check, but Dean knew. It was hard to miss that Mathew here was Castiel's ex and by the looks of it, things must not have ended well.

"So who's this Cas?" Mathew asked, gesturing with a nod of his head towards Dean.

"Oh, this is Dean. My uh- my-"

"Boyfriend. I'm his boyfriend." Dean supplied confidently, puffing out his chest in a subtle display of dominance. He squeezed Castiel's hand a couple times, the pad of his thumb rubbing soothing circles over his knuckles.

"So, you and Castiel huh? How long have you been together?" Mathew shoved his hands deep in his pockets, his stance widened and relaxed. He knew Dean was on the defensive but he wanted them both to know that he didn't feel the least bit threatened.

Before Dean could even manage an answer, Castiel cut in, his tone surprisingly even and commanding. "Why are you here Mat? In town. Last we spoke you said you were moving."

"Oh! I did move. Met Laura a few months after settling in. She bore me a beautiful little girl and is due for our second pup soon." The smile on the alpha's face was a weird mix of genuine pride and smugness. Dean wanted to punch his teeth in. "Laura's family lives here in town and she wanted to be close to her parents. You know, it's true what they say; it really does take a village to raise pups."

Castiel stiffened further beside Dean, his entire body screamed that he was uncomfortable with the encounter and wanted to leave. Dean should end this conversation now, send Mathew on his merry way and comfort Castiel in whatever way they deemed fit. But Dean had other ideas in mind. Instinctual urges clawed from within, a strange heat fueling his contempt for this pathetic excuse for an alpha. "Is that so?" Dean feigned interest.

"Oh of course! But uhm -" Mat's brows furrowed curiously as he looked between Castiel and Dean, his gaze lingering on their joined hands. "-Can I say something, Dean? Alpha to alpha?"

Well, this obviously couldn't go any way but sideways. It'd be wise to leave, but Dean's inner alpha had him rooted to the spot, daring Mathew to give him the opening he needed. "Sure. What is it?"

"I don't mean to be rude, but for your sake, I hope you don't plan on having pups anytime soon. Cause' Cas here, well, with him I'm afraid you'll be sorely disappointed."

Dean blinked, actually quite shocked by Mathew's absurd level of douchbaggery. But what could either of them have expected, Mathew was your typical alpha male dick who felt entitled to whatever an omega is supposed to give to them, and if an omega can't do that then -

Fuck. Oh, Cas...Dean glanced at Castiel beside him who's mouth hung agape with disbelief and his eyes slowly filling with tears. "I'm sorry, you wanna run that by me again Chuckles?" Dean growled in warning.

Mathew shrugged a shoulder. "I'm just saying, take it from me; Castiel is not fit to bear children. You'd be better suited with someone else."

Something deep within Dean snapped and all he saw was red as he charged at the alpha, crowding him and snarling, "Don't you dare talk about him like that, do you hear me?!" When Mathew's response was to laugh, Dean growled and fisted his fingers in his shirt, ready to pummel him into the dirt. But he didn't blink, didn't react nor take the bait. He just laughed and it only fueled Dean's ire further.

"Dean-! Please-" Castiel's voice shook with emotion, pleading with Dean, with both of them really. People were beginning to stare, parents carted their curious children away while some of the adults watched and waited for someone to throw the first punch.

"Look at him! Poor omega can't defend himself even if he tried. You can't tell me you still wanna knot him."

"You need to leave, now, before I rip your throat out--with my teeth." Dean's voice was strained, deep and so filled with hatred and anger. His vision wavered with it, canines bared, the alpha within was just barely contained. If Castiel weren't beside him he would have torn into him without hesitation.

The level of violence he wanted to resort to should probably scare him, but the way Mat spoke about Cas as though he didn't matter and wasn't worth a dime - like he wasn't even there - tore into Dean something awful. The instinct to protect what was his at all costs outweighed everything else.

Mineprotectwhatsmine...

The mantra repeated itself over and over until a firm hand tugged on his sleeve, effectively pulling Dean back from the violent thoughts flooding through his mind. He looked to see Castiel there, pleading with tear filled eyes. "We need to leave, I have to leave. Please."

God damnit, Cas was right. With a growl Dean shoved the alpha away from him. He shook his arms and straightened his own shirt as though to shake the anger from his being.

Mat shook himself off too, the shove apparently having an effect on him. He looked pissed. Good. The guy needed to be knocked down a few pegs, it was just a shame that Dean hadn't caught him alone down an alley somewhere. Although, he swore to himself if he ever did run into the dick, he wouldn't be so lenient. "Get out of my sight, now!"

Mathew shook himself off, having composed himself fairly well. He smiled a nauseatingly polite smile. "Alright. But you can't say I didn't warn you." With a shrug of a shoulder he stepped past Castiel, but paused, adding, "If you'll excuse me then, I have a family to take care of."

Dean growled in frustration, ready to chase after Mathew, but Castiel's presence kept him from doing so. The omega's gaze was vacant, lost, his scent clouded by sadness and shock. "Let's go home." Dean took Castiel's hand and led him away from prying eyes and towards the impala which was parked far enough away from anyone curious.

Thank God. Cas wasn't sure he could keep it together much longer with a whole crowd of people watching. With the impala in sight, Castiel picked up the pace. He needed to get away from everyone, from Dean- He wanted to hide and curl up in a tight ball under a mound of blankets for the rest of the week. But God dammit, all he really wanted was for Dean to hold him and tell him it was going to be okay.

Would Castiel be so lucky as to be awarded such comfort? Dean's initial, violent reaction to what Mat said was indicative of his true feelings towards Castiel; that the alpha cared for him on a deep level. It was all so soon though. Everything was happening so fast and now that Dean knew just how inadequate of an omega he really is, he was afraid to lose it all. Surely Dean would drive him home to never see him again.

Fuck. How had Cas fallen too deep so suddenly?

With the doors finally unlocked, Cas climbed in and dropped the food bag unceremoniously at his feet. With shaky hands he buckled himself in and stared blankly out of his window. He heard Dean say something as he shifted around in the driver seat but he honestly couldn't comprehend any of it over the sound of his own panicked heart beat.

Even as he tried to breathe in the familiar scent of the impala in the hopes it would calm him down, all he could think about was how Mathew practically threw his new family right in his face. It was like a shiny new toy dangling in front of his face and Mat laughing. See this? You'll never have this! You're unfit, unworthy Cas.

Cas

"Cas!"

The warm hand on his shoulder shook him back to reality. He jumped and turned to look at Dean with wide, uncertain eyes.

"Sorry," Dean cleared his throat as he removed his hand. Cas instantly missed the warmth of his touch as soon as he pulled away. "Are you okay?"

It was really a simple question, but after everything that just happened, after watching Dean's alpha nearly take over as Mat continued to insult him, he was definitely not okay. Far from it actually. He had stood there and watched everything unfold, stunned and unable to do much in the way of defending himself.

Castiel broke the instant that Dean posed the question. His cheeks grew hot with shame and his chin trembled as tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. A whimper slipped past his lips and he turned away from Dean, determined to hide the emotion pouring from him. But no matter how well he tried to conceal his face in the crook of his arm or control the little sobs, Dean knew. There's no way the alpha could see him in any other light. He was a used up omega, tried and failed. Dean couldn't possibly want him now.

It was just as well, Castiel finally found someone who could put a smile on his face, someone who made him forget about the crushing guilt from his loss, even for a moment. Everything was shattered as soon as Mathew reared his ugly head. Maybe it was what he deserved, maybe the universe wasn't done reminding him of his sin.

Another sob wracked his body as he was suddenly pulled into strong, capable arms. There's warmth in Dean's embrace, his summery scent tinged with what smelt like wet moss acting as a balm to his wounded pride - God, even the worry in his scent smelled good - It only seemed to make the situation worse though. He knew it was only temporary, just enough comfort to get him to calm down before the drive home.

"Cas, hey, it's okay. That guy was an asshole, you shouldn't listen to him." Dean's arms wrapped tightly around him and he tilted his head with a small growl, encouraging Cas to scent him. He did, Jesus fuck, Castiel nuzzled into Dean's neck without hesitation and took in a deep steadying breath. It was wonderful, nearly breathtaking in the sudden way the alpha's scent instantly tamed his cries. Home.

Fingers carded through his hair, Dean's nails gently scratching over his scalp. He nuzzled the alpha again and whimpered, fingers clutching into fabric. It felt so fucking good to be held like this, to listen to the alphas low purrs and have his hair stroked. How could he possibly deserve any of this? He was so unworthy, a failed example of how an omega should be. Why couldn't Dean see that? Why did he continue to lavish Cas with this intimacy when he could have someone else that was more deserving of it?

"It's - it's true." Castiel managed after a long quiet moment.

"What do you mean?"

Castiel took in a shaky breath, sitting back some but only enough so that he could look at Dean. Not that he did anyway, not really. He kept his gaze firm on Dean's chest, refusing to see the look in the alpha's eyes when he elaborates on what Mat told him earlier. He deserved that much; the truth. "I can't h-have pups...We tried, but I just--" His eyes began to fill with tears again as the memories from that day three years ago resurfaced. He thought he was okay now, he thought that even though his loss still hurt deep that he was well on his way to moving on. He was apparently wrong in that assumption.

A low growl rumbled from deep within Dean's chest and for a moment, Castiel thought it was directed at him. He feared it. Dean's following words surprised him though. "I'm going to fucking kill him. How dare he flaunt his family in front of you. You deserve better than that."

Castiel huffed and shook his head. "No, he's right, Dean."

Dean growled again and this time Cas knew it was directed at him. Instinct told him to look up at Dean before he could be verbally directed to do so and what he saw in Dean's eyes wasn't exactly anger with him. There was anger, sure, but there was also concern and sympathy and frustration and a determination to protect. The gold flecks within the green of his eyes shone brightly with it, his scent shifted to something much richer, like molasses or honey or both. Dean's inner alpha was making itself known to Castiel, to his inner omega.

His breath hitched and a stray tear rolled down his cheek. "Dean-"

"Don't you think for a second that you don't deserve to be happy; whatever that entails, you deserve it." He swiped the pad of his thumb over his tear stained cheeks. "I mean it, Cas. I don't know what happened between you two, but whatever it was, just because he's an alpha, doesn't mean he is allowed to hold any of it against you."

"I - I know." Castiel nodded. "I just--Omegas are supposed to bear their alpha a litter of pups and take care of the home and honor their alpha and-"

"Oh Cas," Dean interrupted gently, lifting Castiel’s chin with a touch of his finger. "You shouldn't have to do anything for the sake of making the other person happy. You should do things for yourself and if wanting a batch of rugrats running around is something you want then it should be because you want it. Not because someone else does or because society tells you it's what you have to do in order to be successful."

"You don't understand, I can't have children and I--" Castiel shook his head and averted his gaze for a moment to gather himself. "It's hard to describe the level of failure I feel, as an omega who has been told their whole life that we must bear children. No one could possibly want an omega who is incapable of--"

"No." Came Dean's alpha voice, effectively grabbing Castiel's attention. "Cas, I do." The alpha chuckled lightly and shook his head before continuing. "Never expected to have this kind conversation so soon. Should be running for the hills right about now, but I can't find it within myself to do so. Regardless of what you can or can't do, I still want you. It don't matter what anyone says, or thinks, you're not a failure. You're beautiful, smart--actually, a nerd is more like it."

That got Castiel laughing. It's a small thing, but it put a smile on the omega's face regardless. "You don't have to lie to me, it's okay--"

"I'm not lying. I'm serious."

"But you deserve-"

"That's not important. What's important is me being what you need." Dean carded his fingers through the hair at the back of Castiel's neck. The touch sent shivers down his spine, his whole body melting into the touch. "Let me be what you need Cas."

God, what he really needed right now was a Heat partner. He needed someone who could be there to comfort him during the moments where he is physically sore and cramping, to the other more intimate moments that he knows now he can't go through alone. Maybe he could have before, but being with Dean and experiencing the chemistry between them--

He couldn't possibly make Dean be his Heat partner. It was way too soon, too much responsibility to put on a guy so early on into a relationship. "Dean--" Castiel began, his cheeks suffused with color.

"Yes. Cas, I mean it. I'll be there for you, I'll take care of you. I want to take care of you. I don't think my alpha will have it any other way unless explicitly told otherwise."

"You don't have to do that for me."

"There's a difference between having to and wanting to Cas."

Cas looked at him then, really looked at him. There was a seriousness in his eyes and a determined set to his jaw. His scent remained unchanged from earlier which was further proof that there was not one ounce of falsity in his words. "You really want to?"

"Yes I do. Just tell me when and where and I'll be there."

A small smile tugged at Castiel's cheeks as he gave a little nod of his head. "Okay." A rush of adrenaline flooded through his system as everything settled in. Despite the crappy ending to their second date, everything seemed to turn out for the better. Regardless of Castiel's disposition, Dean was more than willing to help him and be with him no matter what, that it was something he wanted. Words wouldn't be enough to express his gratitude so instead, Castiel nuzzled into the crook of Dean's neck, scenting him with the alpha's low purrs of approval.

There was that calming summery breeze again, right there at the gland just below Dean's ear. He could still smell the touch of molasses and honey burning low beneath all the other notes that made up Dean, calming him further. The dull ache of anxiety finally subsided and though he was aware that his worries will likely remain to some degree, it was enough to know that he could at least indulge in this moment.

Mathew was a cruel alpha, a cruel man. His words had cut deep, tearing at old wounds he thought were okay but were apparently not. If it weren't for Dean--God, he really didn't deserve the man's kindness. But he was grateful.

"Can we still get some ice cream?" Castiel asked into the crook of Dean's shoulder a few moments later.

Dean laughed. "Sure can Sunshine."

Chapter Text

All Our Own

Chapter 7: Dysmorphia

Turns out Dean was freaking out more on the inside than he actually realized. Everything he told Castiel that afternoon was the one hundred percent truth, he had zero doubts about anything when it came to Cas. But that was just it. Dean always had doubts. It was why he steered clear of committed relationships. Well, that, and his last committed relationship didn't really end well; which was a whole other story he rarely, if ever, got into.

The fact remained: Dean Winchester just didn't do relationships. Being open and vulnerable with another person left too much room for heartbreak and disappointment. He should have called it quits after their first date, ripped the bandaid off at the earliest opportunity, but it was clearly too late for that.

There was just something about Castiel, something his inner alpha cried out for, something he needed. It was instinctual the way he jumped to the omega's defense, instinctual in the way he needed to protect him at all costs. Walking away from Cas after that afternoon would not have been an easy feat, in fact, his alpha likely wouldn't have let him. He could feel his gut tightening in disagreement at the notion.

Either way, Dean was in way over his head here and he needed some serious advice. He sighed in relief upon seeing Sam's atrocious hybrid parked in the driveway. Sammy would help him, he always had sound advice, even if he didn't take it half the time.

"Sammy! I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew." Dean announced loudly as soon as he entered the front door. He toed off his shoes and walked down the short hallway and into the living room where he found his brother pouring over school notes at the coffee table.

"The hell are you going on about, you always--" Sam paused, his nose scrunching up like he had just been assaulted. He looked up at Dean, brows furrowed in confusion as he scented the air. His face scrunched up again, highly displeased. "Oh, dude! Why do you smell like really pissed off alpha and an omega in heat?"

"I don't know, man." Dean tossed his keys on the coffee table and plopped down in the armchair beside it, slouching and running a hand through his hair. "I'm in too deep at this point. Cas, he--"

Sam's brows creased together again."Cas? Wait.. Oh.. Dean. No! You've got to be kidding."

"Oh, yeah that's right. I sorta forgot to tell you that me and Cas have gone out a couple times." He laughed nervously. It was clear by the dumbfounded look on his brother's face that that wasn't exactly what he had been expecting to hear. Nor what he wanted. Should he really have been so surprised? The friggin moose basically told him to ask the guy out on multiple occasions. Dean was bound to just go and do it.

Sam scoffed and threw up his hands in defeat as he sat back on the sofa. With a huff of a laugh, Sam shook his head. "I didn't think you'd take my sarcastic advice Dean. You should probably break it off with him."

The instant the words left Sam's mouth, the very moment the notion was put out into the universe, Dean's alpha growled low in his throat and his fingers clenched at the arms of the chair he sat in. Sure, it was one thing to contemplate it during a mini panic on the way home from dropping Castiel off, but to hear it spoken aloud--Dean's alpha didn't like it. He refused to acknowledge that it was a valid option. "Nope, no can do. It'd be such a dick move, Sammy, especially since I sorta told him I'd be there for his Heat?"

"You what?!"

"Okay, calm down, just wait a minute. It actually might not have been explicitly said but it was definitely heavily implied."

Sam groaned in frustration and dropped his head into his hands. "Jesus Christ Dean. You do know Castiel's in a very fragile state, he's probably highly impressionable as most omegas tend to be close to their cycle. By the way you smell, I wouldn't doubt it if he were in pre-heat about now... I mean, Dean I don't know what you're doing but it can't be in any way helpful to him."

Dean sighed in frustration, his head tilted back against the backrest, gaze focused on the ceiling. His knee bounced anxiously. "Yeah, I know. But I can't just back out now--"

A silence fell over the brothers for a moment, Sam watching Dean, observing him and his body language. He would say he's never seen Dean like this before, but that would be a bit of a lie. Because he has, years ago when Lisa Braeden was a part of his brother's life. Since Lisa, Dean has only ever engaged in short flings that meant nothing or quick one night stands. So seeing him in such a confused, uncertain state smelling like the beginning stages of rut was a bit strange. Especially considering it was brought on by an omega nearing Heat. "Did something happen between you two?" Sam asked tentatively.

"Yeah, you could say that." Dean leaned forward in his seat. "I don't know, some dickhead who must have been Cas' ex ruined our whole picnic."

Sam snorted. "You went on a picnic? For a date?"

Dean tossed a throw pillow in defense. "Shaddup." He grumbled when Sam caught the offending pillow and slouched, crossing his arms over his chest.

Sam laughed. "Just saying, Dean. Something must have happened between you two if you're going out for picnics together."

"The weather was nice! It was his idea anyway, so-" Sam continued to tease him with his insufferable chuckling. Dean chose to ignore him. "-Moving on! His ex showed up when we stopped to get ice cream. Brought his new mate and their child along too. She was sweet, but once she left, he just--He was a class A dick. He said some really horrible things about Cas - right in front of him too - and I snapped. Very nearly killed the guy. I just, I don't know, it was gut instinct I guess."

"Jesus, an ex huh? That's…" Sam exhaled. "Were they mated?"

"I don't know. I imagine they were at one point."

"If he was an ex mate then I'm sure Castiel was in a pretty bad way." Yeah, and most likely not just during that afternoon either. Dean wasn't naive, he did have a brother in the medical field after all, so he had some ideas about what an omega might go through when it came to bond scrubbing and rejection. To think Cas went through something so horrific as losing a bond like that and then to be treated like dirt--either Dean was going to tear into something or he was going to run back over to Castiel’s house and hold him close if he kept dwelling on it.

"Yup. So, what do I do here? I can't exactly take back my offer. My alpha won't let me."

"Wow! Really?"

"Yeah-" Dean shrugged. "-I don't know, the idea of being his partner through that, it uh-" A small grin tugged at his cheeks as he thought about it. The scary part about it was that he was aware that it wasn't just about the sex they would undoubtedly have. It was that, but everything else combined. The closeness, the intimacy, the opportunity to actually take care of Cas in whatever way he needed was what he truly craved. It should scare the shit out of him, but in a weird way it didn't.

Okay maybe that was a lie.

The fact that it didn't necessarily scare him scared him, which was a weird enough notion all on its own.

"Dude, you don't even do relationships. Ever since Lisa--"

Dean glared at his brother, a low growl rumbling in his chest in warning. "Sam--"

Sam held up his hands in surrender."Okay, okay--I'm just saying, since then, you've sworn off anything remotely close to a committed relationship and sure, it's been years, but this is still coming out of left field." When Dean didn't say anything more than a grumble under his breath, Sam pressed on, determined. "Being an omega's Heat partner is serious Dean. You two hardly know each other and it's just… It's.. It's insane you even suggested it!"

"You think I don't know that?! What the hell would be the difference between you being his partner and me? You would have left afterwards."

Sam scoffed and shook his head. "You're kidding right? My connection to him was through the heat clinic. Anyone who goes through there generally knows that the time spent with another after check in is short in duration. All the omegas need is a partner to provide for them what no one else on the outside can. You, Dean, are my brother and I love you, but you might as well just be some guy off the street that Cas has somehow found a connection with. You're gonna end up hurting him."

A frustrated growl tore from Dean's throat as he jumped to his feet. He needed to move around, do something, anything to expel some of the whirling pent up energy buzzing through his veins. So he paced back and forth in front of the living room windows, deep in thought.

Sam was probably right. He would most likely end up hurting Cas in the long run, he could feel it. After what happened with Lisa - fuck - he swore he would never put himself or anyone else in that situation ever again, no matter what it took. God, even just the mentioning of her name brought back so many wonderful memories that were tainted with the eventual tragedy that struck.

The nursery had been decorated.

Their pup's first outfit had been picked out for the ride home from the hospital.

Sure, Dean never quite saw himself as a family man, since he especially feared becoming like his father, John, but it had been a happy accident regardless. They couldn't have been more excited--

What followed in the aftermath of losing everything dear to him was a whirlwind of self destruction. There was copious amounts of booze and fits of rage, men and women alike and the experimental drug here and there. If it weren't for Sam, Dean wasn't sure where he would be.

It had been years, a lifetime ago, but it didn't change the fact that he refused to-

"You're thinking way too hard, Dean." Dean's response was nothing more than an annoyed glare. "Why did you ask him out in the first place? I mean, okay, so I know I sorta pushed you about it, a little but-"

A weird little smile tugged at the corners of Dean's lips when he thought about that afternoon at Singer Salvage. The memory of Castiel walking across that lot with the sun shining overhead and blue eyes squinting against the brightness of it replayed in his mind and calming the turmoil caused by old memories. He huffed a little laugh and shook his head. "I don't know man, I--He's hot, right? So, I don't know, he came to pick up his car at Bobby's and he just--I don't know if it's cause' you suggested it or because he looked different that day-"

Sam chuckled. "I don't know about you, Dean, but it sounds to me like something within your biology is calling out to Castiel. Your hindbrain is very aware of how close he is to heat and it wants to be a part of it. Besides, you're starting to reek of Rut."

"Are not!" Dean's face scrunched up in disbelief and when Sam simply gave him what was known as 'The Look' he just knew. He threw a hand up in the air, waving his brother's ridiculous notion off with a roll of his eyes. "Oh come on! Don't give me that biology over rationality crap."

"I'm not, Dean. It's science. It explains why, after being so adamant about not being interested in him because of his 'baggage', to suddenly asking him out regardless of my input." Dean opens his mouth to protest but Sam pressed on. "And! It also explains why you wanted to kill his ex."

"Anyone would have!"

"Would they though? You said so yourself, you acted on pure instinct."

"The guy was a dick, Sam! I'd have done the same thing if it were Charlie or--or--I don't know, you maybe?" Okay so now he was definitely grasping at straws. He would definitely come to Charlie's defense no matter what - she was like the little sister he never had if you don't count Sam - but would he have envisioned himself tearing out Mathew's throat if that had been the case? He couldn't be sure.

A grin spread across Sam's stupid moose face as though he could read his thoughts by a mere look. "I think - now get this - I think something about the incident with his ex triggered something with your alpha. Like, he saw a potential threat and rose to the challenge."

"Now thats just dumb."

"Would you have suggested being his heat partner otherwise?" Sam grinned, knowing he had Dean by the balls with this one. Sam was absolutely right. He wouldn't have. That's not to say that what he and Cas have isn't real, because it most definitely is, but perhaps he wouldn't have jumped the gun if circumstances were different. Really, it's just all speculation, right? Cause' where Dean is standing, he can't possibly imagine any other outcome where he is not there for Castiel.

"Your science is shit." Dean grumbled, not at all above voicing his displeasure at being proven generally wrong. Okay, a lot wrong. But he doesn't have to like it.

Sam threw his head back and laughed at the lack of retort on his brother's part. "Okay, okay, I get it--" He began after a moment of composing himself. "--Look, just, be careful with him okay? Whatever you end up doing, be careful. It's a bit of a mess you got yourself into Dean, and I don't wanna see anyone get hurt."

"Yeah yeah--" He wrapped his knuckles on the window sill before making his way to the back hall. "I gotta get ready for poker night at Bobby's, you comin' or are you gonna be lame and stay in tonight, again."

Sam heaved a sigh and stared down at his open notes and scattered books open to various pages. He's technically ahead in his classes and honestly, he could really use a night off to do something fun. Like kicking his big brother at poker. With a quick nod, Sam marked his place in his books and grinned. "Yeah, I'll go."

"Good, cause' I plan on kicking your ass tonight."

Sam scoffed, laughing yet again. "Ha! Yeah, okay Dean, we'll see about that."

_________

Cas[11:23AM]: So Sam actually went to poker last night?

Dean[11:25AM]: Sure did! Bout time too, all he does is shove his face in those text books. The kid deserves to have fun every once in a while.
Dean[11:25AM]: He's currently nursing a hangover right now lol

Cas[11:35AM]: Sounds like he had fun! What about you? You have fun?

Dean[11:37AM]: I did! Kicked Rufus and Bobby's ass, won fair and square too even though they don't wanna acknowledge it.

Cas[11:40AM]: Lol Did you cheat Dean?

Dean[11:43AM]: Of course not! Why would I do that?

Cas[11:52AM]: I can practically see the over exaggerated look of offense on your face right now. Can even imagine hearing it in your voice. Lol

Dean[11:56AM]: Well, I never!
Dean[11:57AM]: I didn't cheat….Much

Cas[12:05PM]: Yeah okay, lol likely story.

Castiel smiled at his phone as he sent his text when an unknown number popped up on the display screen, his phone vibrating with the incoming call. Much like anyone else, he didn't particularly like answering calls from unknown numbers, so he let it ring. If it were important, then they would leave a voice-mail.

He went about his business at work, filing books away and ringing customers out in between texting Dean back when he could. Apparently Sam got hammered last night at their poker game, which according to Dean, was almost unheard of. It wasn't often that Sam drank to get drunk, but apparently when he does he goes all in.

Dean[12:43PM]: Wish you could have seen it lol he was something else.

Cas[12:47PM]: Maybe next time then :)

Dean[12:52PM]: If he decides to tag along again.

Castiel was in the middle of typing out a quick reply when his phone buzzed with a text notification from the same number that called nearly an hour ago. The preview of the message gave him pause and a weird niggling of unease settled in the back of his mind.

Sorry to bother you again, but if this is Castiel, I'd really--

The preview tapered off, immediately peaking Castiel's curiosity and fueling that bit of unease in the pit of his stomach. It sounded urgent, but who the hell could it be? He couldn't really answer it right now, not when he has been hiding in the back of the mystery/thriller aisle for the past few minutes when he should probably make himself known soon. Lucky for him it was nearing his lunch break, so with it decided he went to find Hannah and let her know he was clocking off for his half hour lunch.

Holed up in the breakroom with a sandwich and a bag of chips that sat untouched in front of him, Castiel opened his phone to read the mysterious text.

UNKNOWN[12:53PM]: Sorry to bother you again, but if this is Castiel, I'd really like to speak with you if that's alright. It's Laura, Mathew's mate. We ran into each other yesterday at the park.

Castiel's stomach dropped, a sense of dread washing over him. How the hell did she get his number? There's no way--unless Mathew still had it, but still, how? Why?

He couldn't deny that Laura's message seemed urgent, and now that he recalls, there was a voice-mail that was left for him while he was busy texting Dean on shift. He was pretty sure it didn't differ much from the text, so he went to reply immediately, his heart pounding as he hit send.

Castiel[1:07PM]: Yes. This is Castiel. How did you get this number?

Cas waited impatiently for a reply. He took a couple bites of his now unappealing sandwich, his stomach turning with anxiety despite his best attempts to ground himself with food. A million thoughts and memories of yesterday afternoon ran through his mind. Laura was sweet, if a bit quiet, meek even. He couldn't recall her being anywhere near Mat's level of maliciousness, but then again he was also hyper focused on the tension and heat radiating off of Dean and the confrontation that followed.

His phone buzzed with an incoming text, startling him out of his thoughts.

UNKNOWN[1:10PM]: I sorta stole it from Mat. We had an argument yesterday and idk, I had a hunch. Turns out he still has your number. Are you free to talk?
UNKNOWN[1:11PM]: In person, that is.

Castiel[1:13PM]: I'm at work right now, but I'm off at 4 if you wanted to meet somewhere, coffee maybe?

Laura[1:15PM]: Yeah, that actually works out perfectly. Thanks so much for getting back to me, you've no idea how much I appreciate it.

Castiel[1:15PM]: Of course. I just can't help wondering why you would want to talk to me though.

Laura[1:20PM]: I know it's probably weird. But I promise to tell you everything later today.

With a few more exchanged messages they agreed on the location of the coffee shop they'd planned to meet at. Castiel concluded that whatever she had to say, it couldn't possibly be anything good. But even despite the trepidation he felt, Cas couldn't help the growing curiosity. Why was Laura seeking him out? Could it have anything to do with yesterday afternoon, or the argument she apparently had with Mat? He couldn't be sure.

He spent the rest of his shift mulling it over in his mind while texting Dean here and there. He decided not to tell him about Laura, at least not yet. He wanted to visit with her first, see what she had to say and he hoped he wouldn't regret agreeing to the meeting.

Castiel wasn't really sure what to expect when he watched Laura walk through the doors to the little coffee shop a few hours later. Actually, he did sorta expect to see her push a stroller through the doors, but she didn't. To be quite honest, the thought of seeing her with her daughter caused much of the anxiety he felt with meeting her all afternoon. Call it jealousy, or envy, or whatever you'd like, seeing the little two year old was proof of everything he couldn't have.

Laura instead walked in with a sort of grace only a woman happily with child could. She was glowing, belly round and snug beneath her sweater dress and dark cardigan, blonde hair curled loosely around one shoulder. Mathew was quite lucky to have her.

Castiel swallowed thickly as he stood from his seat and waved at her. She beamed as she spotted him and headed straight for the table. "Castiel, thanks again for coming to meet with me." She took his outstretched hand and shook it with both of hers, a kind smile stretched across her face.

"Of course, please sit. I would have ordered you a coffee but I wasn't sure what you'd like or if you're even allowed coffee-"

Laura waved him off as she settled in the seat across from him. "It's okay. Water is just fine."

With water and coffee delivered to their table, Castiel decided he couldn't wait any longer. He needed to know why she requested to speak with him. "So-" He began after a grounding sip of his coffee. "-You mentioned you and Mat had an argument last night?"

Laura's brows knit together as recalled the events, her fingers clasped around her water like a lifeline. "Yes. I-It was strange. I mean, we argue now and again, but not like this."

Something in the air changed as she slowly broached the subject of her and Mathew's fight. Her scent changed too. There was a sadness that hung in the air and it unfortunately brought back memories from when he and Mat split apart.

"I know this is all very sudden and weird and we don't know each other-" She continued, gesturing with her hands. "-but yesterday at the park…I saw what happened after I left for the swings and uh, I don't know. Something changed in him after that. He was on edge all day after we got home, he was short with me, he completely ignored little Sarah. He just outright refused her, I had enough. I confronted him and it all just–"

Castiel watched the emotion flit across her features, he saw the worry in her eyes, the confusion. "He snapped." He supplied.

Laura lifted her gaze from the surface of the table and gazed at Castiel, nodding gently. "Yes. He did. He told me to butt out, that it's none of my business. The moment I mentioned your name, he just lost it. Sarah started crying and I–I-It was like everything came to a head."

Castiel reached out to grasp her hand which had begun to shake with what he could only surmise as anxiety. Her sweet sunflower scent was tinged with it and all he wanted to do was comfort her in any way he could. She gave him a weak little smile, but he could tell she appreciated the gesture. "It'll be okay, I uh–where is Sarah by the way? He's not watching her is he?"

Laura shook her head. "God no. My parents are. I've been there since last night."

Castiel breathed a sigh of relief and let go of her hand after a reassuring squeeze. "Good, good, thats–"

"Castiel, what uh, what sort of man is Mat like? Truly."

And wasn't that one fucking loaded question. On one hand, Castiel had a lovely omega seated across from him, pregnant and close to bursting who needed all the love and support she could get from her mate and he didn't want to put doubts in her head about anything. But then again, Mat was a piece of shit. Laura needed to know. "Uhm, well, I won't claim to know anything about the nature of your relationship to him, but he was not a good person when I was with him. It just took me a while to see that."

Laura nodded, taking in the bit of information given to her. "What happened between you two? He's never really told me much, just that he was mated to another and that was that."

"We were mated." He began, taking a deep steadying breath. He hated recalling the memories, even now three years later. "He uh, he left me when I needed him the most. We were expecting a little girl and I was ecstatic. She came two months early, but uh–she didn't make it."

Laura gasped. Cas, not having realized he was boring holes into his coffee mug the whole time, lifted his gaze to see Laura's eyes shining with tears. "He didnt–he didn't leave you because of that, did he?"

Castiel nodded slowly.

"Oh my God, Castiel, I am so sorry. I can't even imagine. How could he have done such a thing?" She rested an arm protectively over her belly and wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye.

He offered her a reassuring, if a little sad, smile. "It's okay. I'm okay. I survived the worst of it and uh, you will too."

Laura smiled despite her anxiety. "Thank you. I'm just worried, you know? I thought I knew him fairly well. Like, sure hes always been attentive with me through this pregnancy and the last one, and yeah, we'd argue now and again about stupid stuff, but yesterday was something else. The way he goaded your partner–it was unbecoming of him. I mean, he's defended my honor before, gotten angry with others, but nothing like that. And then turn into a completely different person afterwards?" She shook her head.

"I'm not sure why he acted the way he did. I'd have thought he was past everything that happened. But–" Castiel shrugged. "-as soon as I was well enough, he wanted me gone. It was as though he only loved me for what I could have potentially provided him and that was a brood of pups. When I couldn't even do that - in his eyes - I was useless. I guess he just wanted to reiterate the fact." Although why, he couldn't even begin to fathom.

"That's just terrible. I never would have thought he was the type to just abandon someone like that."

"Neither did I."

Laura huffed a sigh, her gaze dropping to her glass of water. "I'm torn. I just-is it insane that in light of everything that's happened in the past twenty-four hours, my omega is telling me I shouldn't leave him? I mean, I need him–I can't just leave. Sarah needs her father."

"I needed Mat too, my omega begged and pleaded with me to go to him despite his clear rejection of me. It's definitely a weird place to navigate, especially in your situation. Has he contacted you since you left?"

Laura nodded. "I woke up to a few apology texts this morning but I ignored him. I fought with my omega over it. The urge to run back to him and pretend everything is okay is just…It's not okay. He yelled at our daughter and I don't know if I can forgive him for that. It's a terrible thing to still love someone who ends up not being who you thought they were."

"It's okay to give yourself time. And Mat, if he were smart, he'd understand that."

"I'm not so sure about that." She huffed, another stray tear rolling down her cheek. Castiel's heart broke for her. "You should have seen him, his eyes, they just, they changed in his rage. It was terrifying. I guess you never really know a person–"

Castiel was well aware of just how scary Mathew was capable of being. He saw evidence of it many times throughout the years they dated. Granted, seeing your significant other angry and pissed off for the first time is always scary. But Laura was right, the way she had seen him yesterday was something else entirely. He's seen it before himself shortly after Claire's passing. "Don't beat yourself up over it. It's okay. We both may have fallen for his made up persona, but there is a silver lining here."

"What's that?"

"You have little Sarah to dote on and protect and another one on the way."

Laura smiled, nodding her head. "I do, don't I?" A calm silence fell between the two for a moment, Cas sipping his lukewarm coffee. "What do you think I should do? In my case."

"I would probably talk to your parents. Open up to them and I mean truly open up to them. If his behavior concerns you as much as they do, then you're going to need as much support as you can get. I know it's difficult as an omega who is mated, but sometimes you've got to fight. You already made the first step when you took Sarah and left for your parents, the rest is truly up to you."

Laura seemed to really consider every word, mulling it over all the while her scent was spiked with anxiety and uncertainty. Fear. "Laura, trust me when I say everything will be okay. You have your family here, hopefully a few friends and me. I'm only a phone call away."

"You really mean that?" She asked, her voice choking on a sob.

"Of course. I'll be there for you if you need me."

Laura smiled and wiped away her tears. Even though she was still uncertain about the future, Castiel could tell by the slight shift in her scent that she felt a little bit more hopeful. "Thank you Castiel. I really appreciate it. I can see what your partner sees in you."

"Oh!" A slight blush spread to his cheeks. "Dean? Well, I honestly don't know what he sees."

"Oh come on! Don't sell yourself short. Mat may have stuck up for me a few times in the past, but he's never been, you know, murderous for my sake." She giggled as Castiel's cheeks turned a brighter shade of red. "Face it, seeing him like that was probably hot huh?"

A dorky grin spread across his cheeks and he looked away briefly. "Okay, you're probably right. It was uh, it was something else that's for sure."

"He really cares about you, Castiel. Seriously. Even from a distance I could see how protective he is of you."

"I uh--Thank you, Laura, truly." Castiel was at a loss for words when it came to expressing his gratitude. He never thought he'd find an ally in someone who was currently dating an ex of his, but if it was going to be Laura then he couldn't complain. She was really sweet, kind and she deserved more than what Mat was providing for her. And truthfully, that wasn't really a whole lot. His heart really broke for her. By the looks of it, she had a very long road ahead of her and Castiel vowed to be there for her should she need him. It's what anyone with a common enemy would do.

The rest of his visit with her was a bit more pleasant. They put the whole thing with Mathew aside for now and instead focused a little bit on getting to know each other before deciding to part ways with the promise of keeping in touch regularly. All in all, it had been a nice visit, despite the anticipation he felt before meeting her.

He had walked her to her car and hugged her goodbye, ensuring she would contact him if she needed any advice. "Of course I will, Castiel." She said as she pulled out of the hug and unlocked her car door.

"Cas, please. You can call me Cas."

"Well then, Cas, I really can't thank you enough for your support." She smiled as she swung open the door and slid in behind the wheel. "And uh, keep me updated on how things go with Dean. I want all the juicy details."

Castiel rolled his eyes at the wink she sent him, but he laughed. "Very well. I'll tell you all about it. Drive safe Laura."

"You too Cas."

Despite how pleasant the visit went with Laura, Castiel spent the rest of his evening wandering through a very strange sort of fog. He did his best to be present when Gabriel wanted to talk about the latest recipes he wanted to try at the bakery, or how entitled some of his customers are. But truth be told, it was incredibly difficult when all he could think about was how Laura was coping right now.

He wondered how many red flags she must have missed in the time that she's been with him. He was certain there were plenty of them too, considering how many Castiel himself had missed. As with Castiel, Laura has probably had to endure Mathew's weird nitpicking over every little detail. From how to dress in public to how particular he was about how the bed should be made. And truthfully, Castiel thought that that was just how Mathew was: particular.

But then there were the fights and the other little arguments they tended to have more often than not. He recalled one where Castiel and a couple friends had made plans to go on a trip out to a cabin months in advance. But when the day finally arrived Mathew came completely unhinged the moment he saw Cas packing a duffel bag.

Castiel swore he told Mathew about it in advance and about how excited he was to just get away from the city. He also swore Mat had smiled lovingly at him one of the many times it was mentioned and told him he deserved to go on the trip. The level of confusion Castiel felt when Mathew said he never heard a word of it left him feeling totally off balance and instead of hearing Cas out, Mat accused him of cheating and told him if he left then he could consider them done.

Tears threatened to spill as he recalled that particular memory that evening as Cas mindlessly watched whatever program played on the living room television. It was strange, really, to react in such a way over long ago memories he thought he was over. And he swore he was, or he at least was really good at the techniques given to him by his therapist. Speaking of, his therapist had told him it didn't matter how much time passed, triggers would happen. They'll come and go and sometimes they'll surprise the hell out of you. Logically, Cas knew this, and yet tears continued to prick at his eyes when he thought about the incident with the cabin trip.

God, he should have left Mat back then, it would have been super easy with the out he was presented with.

But he hadn't. Instead, Mathew had returned home the following evening from work with a bouquet of dandelions interspersed with little yellow buttercups and a box of chocolates. Castiel had been terribly upset, absolutely crushed when he had to cancel with his friends and unpack so the sight of a forgiving Mat lifted the weight of bricks that had settled over him, even just a little.

He had buried the disappointment, buried the sadness, the humiliation and ultimately refused to hear about all the fun he missed out on with his friends. Shockingly enough, Mat offered to drive him out there to the cabin, but Castiel refused. He knew exactly what he would be subjected to if he had gone and he hadn't been sure if he could even answer their questions in a way that made light of Mat's character.

Shortly after that incident, Castiel found out he was expecting and everything changed.

The sudden urge to be completely alone and locked away washed over him and Castiel left a passed out Gabriel and rushed upstairs. His heart pounded in his chest as he recalled fight after fight he had with Mathew, each one filling his stomach with dread. He feared for Laura and her safety and though he knew she was safe, he still pulled out his phone to text her as soon as he locked himself away in his room.

He had a couple missed texts from Dean.

Dean[2:40PM]: I am really not looking forward to working tonight :( Sundays tend to be really slow.
Dean[2:52PM]: You should come visit ;)
Dean[8:20PM]: Still plenty of time left to come get a beer or two from yours truly. If you want to, of course. No pressure.

Shit.

Castiel sat on the end of his bed, staring blankly at his phone, willing a conversation with Dean to unfold on the screen in front of him without having to put in the work. To his disappointment the conversation he had in his head was just that; a conversation in his head. He stared at the phone for so long the screen finally went dark after two minutes, jerking him back to reality.

Shitshitshit!

What does he even do now? He hasn't spoken to Dean since that afternoon and now, well, now the clock read 9:40PM. The Roadhouse would likely still be open for another hour or two, but fuck. The level of anxiety Castiel felt simply thinking about replying to Dean was ridiculous, he knew it was.

And yet, he still tossed his phone to the side and held his head in his hands, fingers roughly raking through his hair. He focused on his breathing, just as he had been taught in therapy. Slowly. In and out, in and out.

The thoughts continued to filter in, the doubts and the fears and the fucking memories of Mathew tainting the little bit of happiness he found in Dean. His breath hitched in his throat, once, twice, before he realized it wasn't working and he rushed to the bathroom across the hall and flipped on the shower.

Water is cleansing. Water washes away not only physical dirt, but also the emotional and the spiritual.

Castiel repeated the words quietly under his breath like a mantra as he stripped himself bare and climbed in under the hot spray. It seemed to help. The hot water hit his skin, heating him from the outside in. He released a sigh of relief and allowed his eyes to slip closed. He continued to breathe as he stood under the spray, in and out, slowly as he visualized the stress and the memories to slip away down the drain.

The shower was more than welcome, exactly what he needed. So, he washed himself clean, scrubbed his skin with a loofah and some body wash, and even shampooed his hair. He decided then that he'll text Dean when he got out. Yeah, that would be fine. He still wasn't entirely sure what he would say, but he figured Dean would understand either way.

Castiel finished his ablutions and stood under the spray for a few more minutes longer for good measure before shutting it off and stepping out. He stepped onto the mat and reached for a towel on the nearby shelf when he caught his reflection in the full length mirror attached to the bathroom door.

Everything suddenly came to a halt; his even breathing, his heart beat, the thoughts in his head. Everything. All he could hear was the whirring of the fan overhead that seemed to get louder and louder the closer he got to the mirror.

Castiel saw himself reflected there in the mirror, naked and wet from the shower. His toes curled against the wet tile, the muscles above just boney knees flexed beneath the skin. He cocked his head slightly to the side, watching the reflection mirror his movements, curious and yet--detached in a weird way.

He never thought of himself as super attractive by any means, if anything he was pretty much average. Average height, average cis-omega-male features. Hell, even his genitals were of average size. There wasn't much about him that was remarkable in his opinion. And honestly, Castiel can handle being average, he can handle being just another face in the crowd. It was safer that way.

There was one thing he couldn't handle though, one thing he refused to acknowledge on most days no matter how present it is or how true. Castiel lifted a hand and pressed his fingers against the stretch marks marring his soft belly. He let out a shuddering breath, his heart suddenly beginning the pound in his chest. He pressed his palm flat against the loose skin he had from his one and only pregnancy and dug his fingers in gently. There was a lot of give where there wasn't when he was younger and more fit.

And honestly, this too wouldn't be such a bad thing if only he had been able to succeed in giving birth to a healthy pup. He didn't deserve to be proud of the scars and the stretch marks. His soft belly, his scars from the c-section and the many pink stretch marks were there to remind him of his failures. Who the hell would see him as attractive or - God forbid - beautiful if they saw these scars?

Dean certainly couldn't. There was no way.

Fuck–Fuck!.

A sob caught in Castiel's throat at the realization. His eyes filled with tears and suddenly, his legs could no longer hold himself up. He crumpled in on himself on the wet tiled floor, heart hammering in his chest, blood rushing in his ears. Of course Dean couldn't possibly find him attractive. Okay, sure, maybe he does. Now. But what about during his Heat? Dean would be disgusted by the sight of him; soft and ugly around the middle, writhing with want and need and who the hell does he think he is to be so openly wanton like that with an alpha he barely knew?

The dam broke and suddenly Castiel was crying, sobbing and heartbroken. He tried desperately to remind himself this was just the result of a trigger or a collection of triggers and that it was okay, but goddamnit! He couldn't stop from curling in on himself and sobbing into his crossed arms. Mat's voice rang through his head, over and over.

You shouldn't eat that, you'll get fat.

You shouldn't wear that, you look like a bum. Here, I'll teach you how to dress.

Your friends will be fine without you. All you need is me, I'll take care of you.

You killed our daughter…I wouldn't have mated you if I had known you weren't much of a breeder.

Fuck!

He tried to think of Dean, tried to focus on just how happy the alpha has already made him. God, did he try but all he heard was Mathew's ugly voice reminding him just how worthless he was. Nothing made any sense. All he could conclude was that he couldn't possibly allow Dean to see just how much of a fucking waste of an omega he truly was. It was a sad realization, but his mind was made up. If only to protect his dignity and his heart, then he'd let Dean go.

Castiel wasn't aware of how much time had passed and truth be told he didn't really care. He'd hide out here in the bathroom for as long as he needed to. But as luck would have it, his time there came to an abrupt end when a sudden knocking sounded on the door followed by his brother's concerned voice.

"Cassie? Is everything alright?"

Castiel choked on another sob in an attempt to respond but his throat locked up. Gabriel's scent spiked with fear on the other side of the door and Castiel instantly felt a rush of guilt for making his brother feel that way. The door handle began to rattle and shake, Gabriel's voice coming through again clear and even but no less worried. "Cas. Are you okay? Can you please unlock the door?"

It took every ounce of strength left within Cas to reach up and turn the lock in the center of the door handle into the unlocked position. Everything happened so fast after the door was unlocked and Gabriel burst into the bathroom, scent spiked with fear, concern and the need to protect his family.

"Jesus Christ Cassie, you're freezing!" Gabriel pointed out the moment he gathered his brother into his arms. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"I–I–Mat."

"Okay." Gabriel gathered Castiel closer, wrapping a towel around his shoulders. He rubbed the fabric over his skin in the hopes to get him dry and warmed up. "It's okay, come on. Let's get you dressed and wrapped up in some blankets, huh? How does that sound?"

All Castiel could do was nod his head and allow Gabriel to help him back across the hall to his bedroom. He'll likely be more than embarrassed by what he allowed to happen come morning, but he'll worry about that later. He was exhausted, bone tired and with Gabriel's help getting him warm and cozy in bed he was able to drift off to sleep the instant his head hit the pillow.

_____________

Something wasn't quite right. That much Dean could tell. When he woke up the following morning without a text from Cas he just knew.

There were two sides that warred quite heavily within the alpha. On one side there was this gut instinct that told him there was something wrong with Castiel, like he was in some kind of trouble or distress. And wasn't that fucking strange? He felt this crazy sense of wrong deep in his bones and to the very core of him. His fingers itched to send text after text, or hell just fucking call him. Anything short of driving over there himself and risk looking like an obsessed knothead.

He couldn't believe it though. His alpha was chomping at the bit to make sure his omega was alright. The way Dean felt deep inside proved his gigantor of a brother right. There was something about Cas that just called out to him, something primal and all Dean wanted to do was to go over there and make sure everything was okay.

But then of course there was the insecurities and the self doubt that always crept in that told him he fucked up in some way. Whether it was his dumb brain working itself into overdrive overthinking or he was getting all of his alpha wires crossed. Probably all of the above. He just worried that maybe they were moving way too fast and Castiel just wasn't ready for anything serious, so he decided to cut Dean off. Wouldn't anyone have done the same if they weren't ready?

But shit! Was Dean even ready? Maybe he wasn't, but this was Cas! And he thought for sure that the omega was just as on board as he was.

Dean ran his fingers through his already sleep tousled hair, sighing in frustration. He grabbed his phone from his bedside table and opened up his text conversation with Cas. Another sigh escaped him as he re read everything, not finding a single thing amiss other than the blatant ghosting.

Just one more text. That would be fine. One more and then Dean could continue on about his day and deal with all this later. Preferably while drunk.

Dean[10:40AM]: Morning Sunshine :) no hard feelings about last night, you were probably pretty busy yourself. Hope you enjoy your day.

He hit send before he could second guess himself. But let's face it, no matter what the context of the text message was, he would still sound just as much of a desperate lover than he currently did. Whatever. It was fine. He needed to start getting ready for work anyways.

Which, to be frank, his day had turned out to be fucking trash. Dean was scheduled for the mid-shift at The Roadhouse; twelve-thirty to eight. Those days were usually super chill, he didn't have to spend his whole night cleaning up the bar until well after closing and even though it was his whole entire day, it was nice having less responsibility. More or less. The restaurant and bar business was a unique beast.

So on this particular day, with everything that was currently going on in Dean's life, it came as no shock that anything that could go wrong at work, went wrong. He fumbled drinks, he nearly tripped over his own damn feet a couple times, he got a couple food orders wrong. And the ranch. He forgot the fucking dipping ranch. Lord knows you should never forget the ranch if it's requested, you shouldn't forget any dipping sauce when it's requested! It's a carnal sin in the restaurant business, everyone knows this.

Even though Dean had a really shitty day tanking on tips, he still held out hope that he'd receive a text message from Castiel. Every buzz in his pocket - phantom or otherwise - his heart would lurch into his throat as he'd find a dark corner to pull it out of his pocket. It was no use of course. Castiel hadn't replied.

By the end of his shift it was pretty clear what the message here was. Sometimes not receiving an answer or a message is more than enough. Dean's certainly ghosted many people in the past. It just sorta sucked being on the receiving end of it by someone you were really interested in.

Okay, it sucked a lot.

All Dean wanted to do was to head home and stew in his own shit. Forget about the day and mope about the house with a bottle of jack. Which is precisely what he did when he got home that evening.

He stormed through the front door, thanking the universe or whoever that Sam wasn't there to ruin his already soured mood even further. Besides, he fucking needed a good stiff drink or two after the shitty work day he had anyways. So regardless of his worries over Cas, he'd likely still have come home and rummaged through the cupboards for the whiskey he had stashed away for special occasions just like this.

The first glass of whiskey went down a little rough, but that was to be expected. It did the trick though. Dean closed his eyes as he allowed his senses to focus on the heat of the liquor hitting his stomach and warming his entire body. Once settled, he poured himself another generous glass, this one going down much easier.

It didn't take long at all to start feeling good and by the time an hour had passed Dean was well on his way to not giving a shit about Castiel ghosting him. It was fine. It was cool, Dean could move on. He will move on. Cas could go do whatever the hell he wanted without him, he didn't care.

Except whenever Dean did find himself caring, he drowned the thoughts with more whiskey and even louder music. So when Sam did finally come home a few hours later, Dean was absolutely trashed and jamming out to some ACDC. It wasn't necessarily an odd occurrence but Sam could scent that there was something off in the air.

"Uh, Dean!" Sam quickly shut the front door, shielding his ears the best he could in the process. "Don't you think the music is a little loud!"

Dean grinned from where he was seated in the sofa chair and pointed to his ears. "Sorry! Can't hear ya! Music's too loud!" He took a swig from the almost empty bottle of jack, bobbing his head to the music and eyes glaring into the screen of his phone at the same time.

Sam let out an exasperated sigh as he set his things down. "Alexa! Turn off the music."

"Dude!" Dean cried as soon as the music ceased to play through the speakers. "I was listening to that!"

"I've had a long day, Dean, I don't need a headache either."

"Oh, psh, big whoop princess. Your life ain't that hard." In a fit of defiance, Dean ordered Alexa to turn the music back on. She did of course. Sam wasn't happy about it but Dean couldn't care not one bit. He laughed at Sam's obvious frustration and lifted the bottle to his lips for another drink but it was suddenly snatched out of his hands. "I was drinking that!"

"Oh trust me, I know and I think you've had more than enough."

Dean pushed himself to his feet, stumbling a little to gather his footing. It was only just then that he realized how drunk he was as the room began to spin in front of him. It wasn't so bad. He could handle this. He certainly wasn't ready to call it quits anytime soon. "Sammy, gimme the bottle."

"No! You're trashed!"

"'M fine!" Dean reached out to grab the bottle from his brother's hand but missed, stumbling some more in the process before catching himself on an end table.

"Apparently not! You can barely stand up straight!" Dean continued to try though. He desperately tried to reach the bottle even though the friggin sasquatch held it up and out of his reach. He wouldn't give up even when Sam headed into the kitchen with it and subsequently poured the remaining whiskey down the drain.

Dean watched, dumbfounded as though it were the last vestiges of hope to hear from Castiel again pouring down the drain instead of precious liquor. Sam tossed the empty bottle in the trash and turned to Dean with a look of indifference on his stupid face.

Something snapped within Dean as he watched his brother stand there in the middle of the kitchen, arms crossed over his chest. It was as though a switch had been flipped deep in his mind and all Dean saw was red red red.

"God dammit Sammy! I bought that bottle with my own money! You've no right!" He marched on over, chest puffed up in a display of dominance. Before Sam could reply in any way, Dean reared back a fist and punched the younger alpha square in the jaw. Drunk or not, Dean knew it hurt.

He also suddenly knew just how badly he fucked up when he saw Sam stumble backwards into the counter, a hand clutching his bruised jaw.

"What the fuck was that for Dean!" He turned and spit blood into the sink. He switched the faucet on and rinsed his mouth out the best he could, all while Dean watched, once more dumbfounded and panicked.

"I–I shit, Sammy, think 'm drunk." Fuck fuck fuck! He braced himself against the island counter for support as the kitchen began to spin around him, faster and faster with each rotation. His skin broke out in a weird prickly sort of sweat, his heart pounded and if he didn't slow his breathing he was likely going to puke up everything he drank.

"Dean?" Sam began as he closed the freezer door, a bag of frozen peas in hand. "Are you okay? You're hyperventilating."

"I–I–" Shit, he was so fucked up! How could he have allowed himself to get into such a state, and for what? Because he was stupidly smitten with an omega? Was he really that wrecked over someone he honestly didn't know a whole lot about?

A warm hand grasped onto his shoulder, squeezing gently. "Just breathe. Look, why don't you go to bed, okay? We'll talk in the morning."

Dean nodded his head, groaning in pain as the simple act of nodding had the room tilting in the absolute wrong direction. He eventually made it to bed after a not so quick trip to the bathroom, with the help of his brother of course. The room continued to spin as he settled under the covers but he couldn't care less. He needed sleep. Sleep will do wonders.

Except it didn't. Not really anyway. Passing out drunk never boded well for a good night's sleep, and this time was no exception. It was just that this time it happened to be so much worse. Dean noticed the rays of sunshine filtering in through the drapes first, the light beyond his eyelids growing brighter and brighter. Then he noticed the terrible pounding in his head, even as he tried to hide under the covers to block out the light.

But it was the body aches that struck him as odd. They just felt odd. And okay, so he spent some time hunched over the toilet which is never comfortable, but this was something else entirely. His whole body was sore and he itched to do something, anything, even though he was hungover as hell and didn't necessarily have the energy.

He was hungry too, no, he was fucking starving. Ravenous really. His stomach grumbled loudly as he rolled over and attempted to sit up. "Fuck–" God, even his canines hurt. They ached something awful and his skin itched. He couldn't tell whether or not he wanted to devour an entire buffet, kill something or fuck something.

Dean thought of Castiel then, a lazy grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. He ran the tip of his tongue over one sharp canine, imagining the way it might feel to pierce the omega's smooth flesh. With a hum, Dean reached for his phone on the bedside table and turned it on, but that's when everything came rushing back. He recalled the ruined picnic that surprisingly ended on a sweeter note, but then what followed was nothing but radio silence.

The anger from the night before returned in full force. Now he wanted to kill something.

With an irritated sigh, Dean emerged from his room and wandered sluggishly down the hall where Sam rounded the corner with a can of neutri-air poised and at the ready. Sam pulled the trigger, effectively spraying his brother right in the face. "Dude! What the fuck!" Dean swatted at the spray bottle and shoved his way through to the kitchen.

"You reek of rut Dean."

Dean rolled his eyes as he watched Sam cover his nose with the collar of his shirt. "I do not!" He swung open the fridge door and peered inside. His stomach grumbled a second time and though there wasn't a whole lot to choose from, he grabbed whatever the hell he could reach that looked edible enough: dill pickles, mayo, packaged salami, mustard and ketchup. Okay, so it looked like a sandwich was in order so long as they had bread that wasn't molded over already.

"Yes you do. You can't tell me you don't smell your own stench."

"Nope!" Dean dug through the pantry and low and behold, there was bread!

"Don't play dumb with me Dean." Sam paused to spray neutri-air into the kitchen, his stupid shirt still covering over his mouth and nose. "And! We still need to talk about what happened last night."

Dean scoffed. "There's nothing to talk about." He got to work on his sandwich all the while he tried his best to quell the building anger within him in his brother's presence. Just focus on the sandwich.

"Of course there is. Did you forget you punched me in the jaw? And for what? 'Cause I tossed your whiskey down the sink?"

"Sam–" Dean warned as he slammed the butter knife down on the counter, mayonnaise, mustard and the ketchup smeared on the surface. He sighed heavily and turned to glare at Sam, imploring him not to press any further.

"Or is this about Castiel?"

Something twisted in Dean's gut at the mention of the omega's name, the beast within him howled and clawed at the surface. God–fuck, Cas. Dean fucking ached for the man, to be near him, to see him. He was probably in heat now, or pre-heat at least and– "God damnit–" Shit. Sam was right. He was definitely in rut, all the signs were there; the fits of rage, the extreme hunger and the need to fuck or kill something. But then there was the desperation he felt with the lack of communication that really just amplified everything. It was only the beginning of course, but fuck, of course he was in rut!

"Did something happen with him?"

Dean sighed once again and leaned against the counter, the - probably gross - sandwich left forgotten. He gazed up at the ceiling as he gathered his thoughts. He hated this, hated expressing his problems to Sam or hell, anyone for that matter. But he couldn't stop now, not with his brother looking at him with a ridiculous amount of sympathy in his eyes; the dude still had half of his face covered behind his shirt and the neutri-air still clutched in his hand. "He refused me." Dean finally confessed.

"What? Why?"

"I don't know." Dean shrugged, defeated. The not knowing was what plagued him, it had his mind racing with all sorts of scenarios as to why Cas hasn't returned any of his messages, but most of all, it really solidified the fact that he wasn't fit for relationships. He wasn't built to want someone as badly as he wanted Castiel. So of course this would happen. Dean showed too much interest and offered himself up as a potential heat partner way too soon. It was only fair that Castiel was more uncomfortable with the idea than he let on.

Ultimately, Dean was angry with himself for pushing too far. If he hadn't offered himself up maybe he'd still be with Cas. That anger festered inside of him, and quickly too because the next thing he knew he was shoving his food off the counter and punching a hole in the cupboard.

"Whoa! Hey! Dean, calm down!" Sam stared in horror, the collar of his shirt dropping from around his nose as he reached out to steady Dean at the shoulders. He chuckled in disbelief. "And you really don't think you’re in rut?"

"I need to go over there." Dean blurted, a low growl rumbling deep in his throat. He nodded his head in agreement with himself. It was genius! Why hadn't he thought of it earlier? Okay, to be fair, he did, but that was when he cared. Now, though, he needed answers. His alpha demanded it. And if Cas wasn't going to reply or call then why the hell shouldn't he just drive over there?

"Dean, no. You're not going anywhere."

"The hell I'm not!" Dean tried to shove his way past Sam, a sense of determination firing up in his blood.

Sam kept him in place though, his hands holding him steady by the shoulders. "You can't go anywhere in the state you're in right now. You really need to think about this. You can't just run over there while your alpha is running wild."

"Sam–" Dean growled, his alpha pushing against his own defenses, ready to take down anyone who stood in his way. "-I've thought about this for the last two days, if I don't go over now, I'm going to go insane."

Another sigh left the younger alpha. To say he has never seen Dean in such a state would be a lie, more or less. He has seen Dean in rut before, but this was so much more–potent. Intense. He certainly reeked of it. Of rut and stale alcohol. "Okay–just, relax. Why don't you take a shower first and eat and then–"

"Then I'll drive over there."

Sam took a couple steps back once it seemed Dean was no longer ready to pounce and rip him to shreds. "Yeah. I mean, I get it, I do. What you're feeling right now is only–"

Dean visibly cringed and shoved past him. "If I have to listen to you get all touchy feely and weird with me I'm gonna punch you a second time!"

"Oh, yeah, 'cause I definitely deserved the first one huh?" Sam laughed, spritzing the neutri-air in Dean's wake as he followed him out of the kitchen. Dean threw up a hand, dismissing the argument and heading for the bathroom down the hall. "And don't think you're getting out of cleaning up your mess in the kitchen either!"

"Yeah yeah-" It was fine, Dean didn't care what he had to do so long as he was able to leave at the first available moment to go see Cas. God he hoped the omega was okay. Honestly, even if Castiel refused him to his face, it would be enough to just know that he was alright. It had to be.

Chapter Text

All Our Own

Chapter 8: Alpha and Omega Part 1

Castiel was in pain the following morning. He had awoken early to his stomach cramping up, the pain dull at first but it had soon worsened and spread to his entire body. He tried to sleep it off, unable to really move without the pain twisting deep in his abdomen. Cas was aware his heat was creeping up on him, most notably the morning after his freak out post shower when Gabriel found him apparently shivering on the cold tile.

He refused to talk about it, no matter how much Gabriel pressed him the following morning. He chalked it up to being nothing more than a weak moment of his that came as a result of his hormones freaking out and he wanted to leave it at that. Of course, that didn't really stop him from obsessing over it in silence.

Apparently Gabe had been well aware of the state of his body because when he was finally able to move just enough without the pain totally incapacitating him, he noticed a fresh glass of water and two pills sitting on his bedside table. He took the pain pills, finished off his water and once the ache in his body subsided some thirty minutes later, Castiel crawled out of bed, pulled out his yoga mat and did a few light stretches. The pain was still there unfortunately, but it was manageable.

"How are you feeling?" Gabriel asked him once Castiel made his entry into the kitchen and adjoining dining room.

He didn't respond right away. Instead he sat down at the table, deciding to mull over his answer. Physically, his body was trying to murder him from the inside out and he couldn't quite discern whether he was hungry or if he just hurt that bad, pain pills or not. And emotionally, well, he tried his best to stay neutral there. He didn't dare focus on the fact that it was only day one in what was more than likely going to be a very long and lonely ordeal. "I'm alright." Castiel decided. It was the truth, to some small degree. He had to be alright, otherwise he was bound to fall apart again.

Gabriel hummed as he finished preparing their breakfast which consisted of apple cinnamon crepes with whipped cream and a side of the usual eggs, sausage, and a stack of toast. It was, afterall, Castiel's longtime favorite, and with it all finally spread out before them Castiel's stomach growled loudly. Okay, so he was hungry then. Gabriel chuckled. "Eat up Cassie, there's plenty here."

In other words: You'll need your strength for later. Castiel inwardly scoffed at the notion. It wasn't like he'd have a partner to help him through the worst of it, all he'd have is his fingers and the generous amount of toys he's got stuffed in his bedside table. Perhaps he was impulsive when he decided to ignore Dean these past few days–besides, it wasn't really his call to make up Dean's mind for him, was it?

Nope. Nope, shut up. Don't think about it.

So much for remaining neutral.

Castiel set his fork down and pressed a hand to his stomach, groaning as his insides contracted suddenly with what he could only assume was longing and need. Luckily the presence of slick was currently at a minimum. That alone was a hassle in and of itself.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Gabriel asked with an arched eyebrow.

Castiel sipped at the apple juice set out in front of him.

"Not really, but I'll have to be."

Gabriel sighed. "Cas–"

"No. I don't want to talk about it. Doing this alone was my choice and I'm sticking to it."

"I know. I'm just saying that–"

"I had options and I threw them away, is that what you're trying to say?" Castiel snapped, glaring at his brother. He could feel the anger building, the frustration coming on suddenly. He knew it was irrational, but even so, Castiel didn't want to be put under a microscope and scrutinized and pitied.

Gabriel didn't flinch. Instead he sighed and resumed eating his breakfast, allowing a moment's silence to pass before speaking.

"If Dean did something to hurt you in any way–"

Castiel slammed his fork down onto his plate.

"He didn't! It was me. I'm the one who decided against Dean being a partner for me. He offered, but I–" He paused, unable to keep the emotions at bay, unable to think about why he chose to let go of Dean. He knew it was for the best, he was saving himself a lot of pain in the end should Dean see him as he truly was: a ruined omega, tried and failed and doomed to fail again. But fuck, there was no doubting the way in which his omega yearned for the alpha or how he itched to pick up his phone and give him a call.

He hadn't realized he was crying until he noticed his vision blurring with unshed tears. He quickly swiped at his eyes and ducked his head in a submissive gesture, a hand picking up his fork shakily.

"Sorry. I'm a mess." He mumbled.

"You're allowed to be a mess Cassie. It's okay."

Castiel scoffed. "Easy for you to say, you're an alpha. Sure, you have Rut - occasionally - but.."

Gabriel nodded in understanding, deciding against making any further comments on the topic. Thank God because Castiel was starting to get warm around the collar of his shirt with the way his emotions were switching back and forth. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and took a sip of his apple juice when a sudden knocking sounded on their front door.

Castiel looked up at Gabriel, noting the confused look on his brother's face as he stood from the table.

"Probably just the Jehovah's witnesses. Finish your breakfast, I'll send them away." Gabe rolled his eyes as he left the dining room.

Castiel resumed eating his breakfast. His mind was far away with so many thoughts running through his mind he could hardly comprehend them, which was actually so much better than being hyper focused on one sole issue or worry. He was completely checked out and focused on his breakfast even as there was a commotion at the front door. He chose to ignore it, besides, if it were the Jehovah's witnesses then it wasn't important.

Except–

A breeze must have blown in from the front door because the next thing Castiel was aware of was the heady scent of earth and leather and - fuck - the leather interior of an old classic car with an added bitter sweetness.

Molasses.

Dean. It was Dean, there was no mistaking it. Holy fuck–what the hell was he doing here?!

Castiel audibly whined, his omega begging for the relief he knew the alpha could give. He whipped his head around towards the foyer which was just around the corner, the commotion getting louder, though he refused to venture beyond to see for himself. What if he was wrong? What if he was just grasping at straws and it wasn't Dean afterall?

"Gabe please! I need to see him!" Came the telltale, deep rumbling southern drawl Castiel had come to know. He'd recognize that voice anywhere.

Before he could think better of it, Castiel leapt from his chair and rounded the corner only to see Gabriel trying his best to keep the one person he's missed beyond his better judgment from coming inside.

"No Dean, not in the state you're in right now. He doesn't need–"

"Cas!" Dean's eyes locked with his and the moment they did, Castiel knew there was something different about him. "Cas, hey–hi."

"W-what are you doing here?" Castiel's heart pounded in his chest as he stood there, just a few feet from the front door. He wanted to shove Gabriel out of the way, wanted to throw his arms around Dean and nuzzle his way into his neck, to scent him. Fuck, he needed it. But he refused to give in, not yet.

"Castiel, go back to the table." Gabriel commanded evenly, his alpha voice taking precedence. Castiel hesitated, unsure really of what to do. His hesitancy only further irritated his brother. "Castiel! I'm serious!"

"No, Gabe, just let me talk to him. Five minutes, I swear." Dean tried to push past Gabriel to no avail, his brother had a firm hold on the door, and a sure stance despite his short stature.

"Gabriel-" Castiel started as he took a step forward. The scent of desperation coming from Dean permeated the air, desperation and something so much more primal. His heart pounded as he gazed into Dean's eyes, the gold flecks within them stood out brightly against the green. It was then that Castiel just knew. The guilt he felt for forcing such a pressing situation on the alpha fell away only to be replaced with a desperate need of his own. "-Just-"

Gabriel turned to glare at Castiel then, anger and urgency evident in his features and his voice. "No! What did I tell you!" He growled in warning and slammed the door closed in Dean's face.

Normally, as an omega, Castiel would heed the warnings and commands of an alpha and bare his neck in submission, familial relations be damned. Not this time it seemed. The urge to submit was certainly there, but Dean was here, even after Cas chose to ignore him, Dean was at his doorstep. There was no way he was going to allow his brother to come between them. An alpha needed his omega.

So Castiel didn't flinch when his brother growled, he stood his ground and held his head up high.

"That's enough Gabriel."

Gabriel reared back, clearly affronted by Castiel's disobedience.

"Are you kidding me Cassie? Were you not aware of the stench coming off of him? He's in Rut Castiel! You don't need a knothead taking advantage of you in the state you're in."

"Do you not believe I can take care of myself? Or make decisions for myself? Dean would never hurt me, Gabe."

Gabriel scoffed.

"Of course you can, but alphas are unpredictable, especially during Rut. I'm only looking out for you."

"Gabe," Castiel sighed as he reached for the doorknob. "you're my brother and I love you, but you're being a dick."

And with that, Cas swung open the door and rushed outside, hoping and praying that Dean hadn't left yet. A cool breeze hit him, bringing with it relief from his Heat and Dean. The intoxicating, musky scent enveloped him as he rounded the corner to the driveway.

"Dean! Wait!" He spotted the Impala first and then the alpha - his alpha - pacing back and forth, clearly at odds with what to do. But at the sound of Castiel's voice Dean perked up and turned.

The only way Castiel could describe what followed was that it was magnetic. The moment they locked eyes it was as though nothing else in the world mattered, not Castiel's past failings, not even the panicked episode he had the other night that created this distance. It had been easy then to just decide to let Dean go, but having seen him on his doorstep and now in the driveway he couldn't help but wonder why he chose to let him go in the first place.

Fed up with the distance between them, Castiel ran to Dean with a whimper and threw his arms around the alpha's shoulders. Dean stumbled backwards into the Impala, speechless, but his arms wrapped around Castiel all the same.

"Cas–"

Castiel hummed at the touch of Dean's fingers threading through his hair and he nuzzled into his neck, scenting him. God, he smelled amazing too. It was strange though, how the moment he breathed in Dean's scent Castiel's body finally relaxed. He no longer felt the dull cramping in his abdomen, nor the ache in his lower back. It all faded away the moment he found relief in Dean's arms.

"Cas-" Dean started, his voice a deep rumble that had the hairs on the back of Castiel's neck stand on end. "-Cas, we need to talk."

"I know–" Castiel slid his hands down the planes of Dean's chest and curled his fingers around the lapels of his leather jacket. He didn't want to pull away, not just yet, because that meant having to face the reality of what stood between them. After a moment, Cas pulled back just enough to leave some breathing room between them. "I'm sorry, I–"

"No, I–I guess I'm a little confused. I–" Dean paused, pressing a couple fingers underneath Castiel's chin and lifting it to meet his gaze. "Why the radio silence Cas?"

The guilt came rushing back the instant Dean made mention of his lack of response. Not only that, but the despair was absolutely crushing. He was all too aware of what could be the only outcome. God, it would have been so much easier if Dean never showed up.

As much as he didn't want to, Castiel reluctantly took a couple steps back, his hands dropping to his sides.

"I just thought it best that we go our separate ways before things get too complicated."

Dean scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"And what, you didn't think to tell me right away? That's a load of crap Cas."

"I know, I should have. But you don't understand, I'm not–I'm not good enough, for you Dean." Castiel was afraid to look at Dean, afraid to see the disappointment and the anger that was no doubt there.

"Well now it just sounds like you're making up excuses. Don't you think I should be the one to decide if you're good enough for me or not?" Dean sighed heavily when Cas didn't respond right away. "Did I do something to make you uncomfortable? Did I–"

"What? No, Dean, you've been just fine. Perfect actually."

"Then what is it? 'Cause I gotta be honest here man, I've been going a little nuts the past couple of days."

"I know, and I'm sorry. It's just–"

"Cas, look at me." Dean's voice was gentle, coaxing, how could Castiel not obey? "There's nothing you can say that will make me walk away from this, you hear me?"

There was truth in Dean's words, an undeniable honesty that Cas could see in the alpha's eyes. As much as he knew Dean was telling the truth, he was still very afraid. Did the alpha even want pups? Didn't every alpha at some point? He wanted to ask, wanted to set the record straight but even as he opened his mouth to do so the words got stuck in his throat. What if Dean didn't want children, what then? Would Castiel be okay with that?

The thought pained the omega and brought tears to his eyes. The image of Dean in front of him grew blurry with them and there was no stopping the well of emotion that got caught in his throat. He knew how serious such topics were and to discuss them so early was always terrifying for any omega, but it was just so very important to him.

"Hey–hey, Cas, it's okay." The next thing Cas knew he was being pulled into Dean's arms and cradled against his chest. His warmth and his scent calmed him like nothing else ever could. A few tears slid down his cheeks to wet the front of Dean's flannel but the need to let everything out all at once subsided. He still felt at a loss about what to do, saddened by it really, but the fingers carding through his hair were a great distraction. Dean's alpha scent calmed the storm inside.

"I mean it, Cas." Dean whispered gently, his voice a low rumble beneath Castiel's cheek. He breathed against the omega's jaw, the sweet heat scent washing over him. Dean growled and held Castiel tighter. "God…your scent."

Castiel hummed, a shiver rolling down his spine that had nothing to do with the cool breeze. He nuzzled into Dean's neck, scenting him and welcoming the first stirrings of arousal low in his gut, the heat of it. That musky sweetness washed over the omega, sending him into a dazed sort of awareness where his sense of touch and smell were incredibly heightened. His sadness took a backseat for the time being, the only thing important right now was Dean.

"You too. It's–" Castiel breathed him in again and sighed. "--It's different."

Dean chuckled. "Yeah, funny story actually. I'm in rut."

Castiel pulled back just enough to look Dean in the eyes. It all made sense, the change in his scent, the desperation to see him this morning and even the shining gold specks in amongst the green of his eyes, how unnaturally vibrant they were. The implication as to why had the omega blushing. Was it true what some people said? He never did believe the fantastical, romantic notions that an alpha's rut can be triggered by their true mate's heat. But looking at Dean now, he wondered if there was something more to it other than simple biological reactions.

"So Gabriel was telling the truth–"

Dean nodded, chuckling.

"Yeah. Just ask Sam. Gave him a nice shiner last night."

"Dean!"

Dean continued to laugh.

"What? He had it coming, he poured my whiskey down the drain."

"That's no excuse." Castiel glared, but there was no heat behind it. "I hope you apologized to him before coming here."

"I did. Surprised he let me out of the house honestly." Dean sighed, though the smile never left his face. And Cas, well, he was a sucker for that Goddamn smile. He couldn't possibly be mad at him for too long, not now anyway.

"Speaking of, it's probably not really safe for us to be out here right now." Castiel chewed on his bottom lip, a blush tinting his cheeks. Anyone could scent them out and if they felt so inclined, it wouldn't be too far out of the realm of possibility for them to challenge Dean. Actually, Castiel wouldn't mind seeing such a display, he did catch a glimpse of it a few days ago at the park and he’d be lying if the thought of Dean posturing and competing for his affection didnt turn him on.

Castiel was selfish though. And needy. He wanted Dean all to himself, sooner rather than later and without the interference of another alpha. "Did you want to come inside?"

"You sure that's any safer than being out here?" Dean grinned. He leaned down and pressed his lips against Castiel's ear in a gentle kiss. It immediately sent a tingle of shivers down Castiel's spine and he arched his back on a sigh. "Cause' if you smell this good out here, I can only imagine how tempting your scent will be inside."

Jesus, fuck.

Dean's voice was a deep growl, seductive and languid. That man could easily make a fortune off of erotic audios if he ever wanted to, Castiel would support it. He whimpered, fingers gripping at the lapels of Dean's leather jacket in an attempt to keep himself steady. But Dean's kisses were distracting, the arousal began to mount and he could feel himself getting wet with slick. "I–well, there's food. Gabriel cooked. And–"

"Your brother is an obstacle." Dean interrupted, slowly kissing down Castiel's neck and over his scent gland.

"I can take care of him. It'll be fine."

"Hmm, so you do want me then." Dean moved over to the other side of his neck and kissed up to his ear. He pulled the lobe between his teeth and rolled it teasingly. Castiel shuddered.

"I've always wanted you Dean." And it was the truth too. One hundred and ten percent truth. He'd be lying if he said he didn't notice the attraction between them since day one and it apparently didn't matter what he saw wrong within himself. Maybe it was his heat that had him feeling all sorts of selfish and giddy, but what did it matter really? Sometimes it was good to indulge in a little selfishness.

With as much self control he could muster up, Castiel pulled back and out of Dean's grasp. He didn't stray too far though, his omega wouldn't allow it. Not that it bothered him of course. "Just come inside, sit at the table and eat and I'll handle Gabriel."

Without much preamble, Dean followed Castiel inside the house. Castiel took to opening the door carefully, calling out to Gabriel and announcing that Dean was coming inside whether he liked it or not.

Of course, as soon as the front door was closed behind him, Dean was hit with the distinct scent of omega in heat permeating the walls. There was also the distinct scent of neutri-air throughout the home and yet it didn't seem to touch anything. Or maybe it only seemed that way because Dean's alpha was so attuned to Castiel's scent. Fuck, it was everywhere.

Jesus, maybe this really was a bad idea coming here in the state he was in. For an alpha, being in rut by itself is an experience to say the least. There's already a competitiveness between alphas on the regular, the need to show off one's prowess to gain either approval from others or hell, maybe to even earn oneself a nice piece of tail for the evening. But to be in close proximity of an omega in heat whilst in rut? That was a whole other beast entirely. It was a shock Dean was able to control himself.

Which was why Dean was so glad that Gabriel wasn't found in either the dining room or the kitchen. He was also absent from the living room according to Castiel. Not that Dean would allow himself to do anything that would hurt Castiel's brother in some crazy display of alpha bravado, not intentionally anyway. But if his earlier interaction with the alpha was any indication, he wouldn't be surprised if Gabriel would be keen on squaring up with him again. He would be well within his right too in any case.

"I'll check upstairs and talk to him." Castiel decided, giving Dean a pointed look that told him he needed to stay in the dining room. As if he needed to be told to stay, the spread Gabriel had laid out on the table looked and smelled delicious. It was tempting to dig in and enjoy being he hadn't really had much to eat that morning, but all he could think about was Castiel.

So the omega bounded up the stairs and down a short hallway, leaving Dean alone. He let out a huge breath he hadn't realized he had been holding in, his shoulders drooping on the exhale.

Jesus, Dean was a mess, a ticking time bomb was what he felt like actually. He didn't want to wait down here, gripping the back of a chair as though his life depended on it. But he knew if he didn't hold on to something he was bound to act without thinking with his upstairs brain. All he wanted was to follow Castiel upstairs to where he knows his room had to be, lock the door behind them and do unspeakable things to him, make him fall apart and then–then-

The sound of footsteps emerging from the hall to the top of the stairs caught Dean’s attention and he looked up to see both Castiel and Gabriel. Gabriel carried a duffle bag over his shoulder seemingly packed full. Dean knew what that meant, and a part of him felt a little guilty for kicking him out of his own home but then again, his alpha couldn't help but feel a little bit prideful of the fact.

“Deano! It’s been a pleasure,” Gabriel began as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs. “But I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut this visit short.”

“Gabe, you don't have to leave, it’s - “

“Nonsense Cassie. It’ll be better for all involved if I weren't here to listen to you two go at it like a couple of wild rabbits.” Gabriel grinned as he slipped on his shoes and grabbed his keys from the rack on the wall.

Castiel’s cheeks were pink with embarrassment, hands clasped behind his back and feet shifting around on the wood floor. Dean couldnt help but notice the way his toes seemed to curl against the wood, how uncomfortable and bashful he seemed. It was endearing, really, and despite the fact that he could sympathize with him - ‘cause God, this was such an awkward situation - all Dean could think about was how badly he wanted to take those feet into his lap and massage the tension out of them.

“Earth to Dean!” Gabriel snapped his fingers in front of his face. “Did you hear me?”

“What? Oh, sorry, I was - “

“Yes, yes I know. Distracted.” Gabriel rolled his eyes. “I said to take care of him. The kitchen is well stocked but I want it tidy by the time the week is over, understood?”

“Oh! Yeah, sure, of course.”

“I already had the discussion with your lover boy over here, so if you hurt him in any way, I will know and I will not hesitate to call you out. I mean it, Dean. He doesn't need another douchebag knothead taking advantage of him.”

“Gabe, it’s fine. Dean wouldn't - “

“I know. I just feel better if he knows what the consequences will be.” Gabriel let out a sigh and smiled at his brother before pulling him in for a hug. “Remember, I’m only a phone call away.”

“I’ll check in with you when I can.” Castiel smiled as he pulled back from the hug. He followed his brother to the front door, all the while Gabriel reminded him about the importance of safe sex practices. From condoms to consent, most of it was just to embarrass the omega. It worked of course, it always did, and Castiel eventually had to just shove his brother out the door and lock it behind him.

With Gabriel finally gone, Castiel returned to the dining room to spy Dean white knuckling it on the back of one of the chairs. They stood there watching each other, silent, save for the gentle sound of their breathing. It was a struggle for Dean to keep himself in check when all he wanted was to touch and hold and kiss and allow the same in return. He thought he was doing a fairly alright job of it until Cas opened his mouth to whisper his name; Dean. He was a fucking goner.

“Jesus, Cas.” Dean rushed to the omega’s side and pulled him into his arms, guiding Castiel just so to encourage scenting. “I never thought he would leave.” Shit, he never thought he would even be allowed to stay.

Castiel tucked his nose into Dean’s neck, inhaling his alpha scent and sighing. He slid his hands up the expanse of Dean’s chest slowly until he could drape them over his shoulders. “Me either.” He hummed, scenting a trail up his neck to the bolt of his jaw. “I apologize for earlier. Gabe, he just–”

“I know. It’s okay.” Dean turned to kiss Castiel’s temple, his cheek. Their eyes locked in a shared smile. “I’m just happy I get to take care of you.”

“I must admit, I’m a little nervous.”

“That’s okay. Why don't we go sit down?”

Castiel nodded, offering up a sheepish little smile as he led him into the living room. He took the corner seat and brought his knees up towards his chest, toes curling against the cushion. It wasn't that he was afraid of Dean even though it probably looked like it, he was just extremely nervous. Dean was an alpha in rut that was brought on by his coming heat and that alone spoke volumes that were near terrifying for him to really sit down and think about. So yeah, it was a comfort to tuck himself in like so, an act of self preservation even though he didn't sense an immediate threat. “I’m sorry if this isn't really going how you imagined it. It’s not quite how I envisioned it either.”

Dean slipped off his jacket and draped it over the back of the couch before taking his seat on the opposite end, posture open but no less stiff. It was more than tempting to just crawl over there and curl up between his legs and burrow in his arms, to take a small nap and ignore the dull ache he felt low in his abdomen. At least for the time being until the ache became something more entirely. “It’s okay Cas, you don't need to apologize.”

“No, I do. I was a fool to ignore you these past couple of days. I just–”

“Did something happen?” When Castiel didn't answer right away, Dean pressed further. “What happened?”

Castiel sighed, thinking back on his meeting with Laura and the things she told him that triggered old memories and emotions he thought he had successfully buried. Dean deserved to know. “I ran into Laura, Mat’s mate. Well, she actually contacted me, asked if we could meet up.”

Dean growled low in his throat at the mere mention of Mathew’s name. He was skeptical, clearly, but Cas couldn't help but smile reassuringly at him. “She was fine, perfectly pleasant, but the things she told me–I’m scared for her. She said Mathew snapped later that night after the incident at the park. She took off with her daughter to her parents. I don't know, the things she said brought up a lot of shit and I shouldn't have taken it out on you.”

“Cas…” Dean sat up a little straighter and took Castiel’s hand in his, rubbing his thumb over the knuckles.

“To be honest, I didn't think I was so terrified of having a physical relationship with someone until I spoke with Laura. I saw myself in the mirror that night and I just-” Tears pricked at his eyes as he stared at their joined hands, a hot sort of pressure built behind his eyes with the sudden flood of emotion.

"Hey, hey, enough of that–come here." Dean reached for Castiel and he went willingly, curling up in Dean's arms with his head tucked under the alpha's chin. His alpha scent was calming and without a hint of urgent need to satisfy and claim. It was refreshing really, to be given time to sort things out instead of diving head first into a frenzy. Castiel was grateful. Soothing circles were rubbed into his back and Castiel purred, arching into the touch. "We don't have to be more physical than you are comfortable with. Okay? I might be in rut but I'm pretty sure I can control myself where my instincts are concerned."

"That's not what I'm worried about Dean." He picked at a loose thread in his pajama pants. "I have–I have scars. I'm afraid for you to see them because, well, I - I'm ashamed."

Dean growled low in his throat. "Did that waste of space alpha hurt you?"

"No." Cas replied quietly. "Not exactly."

Dean pulled back to look Castiel in the eye, confusion marred his features. "What do you mean? That man clearly hurt you and he is apparently a danger to his current mate. If it weren't for me needing to be here I'd be out there hunting his ass down and ripping him to pieces." Dean snarled, teeth bared, eyes flashing red in his anger. Castiel should have been afraid, terrified even. But he wasn't. He just smiled sadly, figuring it was better now to bite the bullet than to be disappointed later on.

"I was pregnant."

What followed was a stunned silence, Dean rendered speechless in the wake of Castiel's admission. He blinked, wetting his lips as he tried to find the words. "I thought you said you guys tried. Figured you weren't able."

"We did more than just tried. We succeeded. I carried almost to term, but she decided to come early." Castiel looked away, choosing instead to focus on the loose thread he had been tugging on. With a deep, steadying breath, he added, "She was stillborn."

Dean went still, rigid with the omega in his arms. His hand stilled where he had been rubbing circles on his back, everything grew quiet save for Castiel's breathing and the rushing sound in his ears.

It all made sense. Cas lost his daughter and Mathew, he– Holy shit, the alpha blamed him for it. Of course Castiel would feel ashamed. Mat must have made him feel like absolute shit, he must have– Dean spied the old bond mark on the side of Castiel's neck, he noted its dull appearance and the lack of life that should be present in a marking.

Fuck. Castiel had been rejected.

Dean tightened his hold around Cas, he shifted around and pulled the omega closer between spread legs. Cas squeaked in surprise, Dean's hold on him was possessive, solid. "Jesus Cas, I am so sorry."

A heat induced rut was definitely wild, unpredictable even. Dean had expected to be riddled with lust and desire, to be so overcome with it, and perhaps that would be true for later. But for that moment, the desire to protect and comfort Castiel was greater than anything else. It was an instinct that ran so fucking deep it should have scared him.

"I'll kill him." He growled.

Castiel huffed, shifting around enough so he was able to look at Dean. "There's no need to resort to violence."

"I'm serious Cas. You shouldn't have been made to feel like shit because your daughter was stillborn. It wasn't your fault."

"But–"

"No 'buts'. If he were a real man, a real alpha, he wouldn't have rejected you. He would have been there for you no matter what." Dean's voice shook with conviction, his eyes never wavering from Castiel's in the hope that he understood and believed what he was saying.

"It's just–" Cas sighed. "--Have you ever wanted something so bad and it's just barely within your grasp when it's suddenly ripped away from you? Mat was an asshole, he still is, but it wasn't just him that I let down. I let myself down too."

Dean sighed. He couldn't say for certain he ever felt how the omega described. He remembered desperately wanting his dad to let go of his drinking habits, which he never did. His untimely death had been a relief if he were being honest. He also recalled praying for Lisa and their unborn child to be okay when in the end they weren't. It was interesting how different that experience was for Dean compared to what Castiel undoubtedly went through. Dean hadn't been anywhere near ready for pups, financially or otherwise but he promised Lisa they would make due. But shit, the guilt he felt over feeling relieved ate a deep hole right through him.

He'd been constantly drunk and out of his mind with guilt knowing full well that he shouldn't feel anything near relief. Poor Sam had to be the one to talk him down and take care of him through every episode. He was grateful, of course, but he'd be damned if he was going to put his little brother through that ever again.

Shit.

Dean cleared his throat and glanced away from the intensity in Castiel's eyes for a moment. It was obvious what the omega wanted, longed for really and if anyone deserved their own little brood of pups it was Cas.

"Can I be honest and tell you that I really don't know what the hell I'm doing here, man?" Castiel tensed in his arms and his scent soured with unease. What was once sweet and alluring had turned sharp and bitter. But Dean tightened his hold around him. "I don't know what it is I want or where the hell I'm going in life. Hell, I've never once looked ahead five years knowing exactly where I was gonna be–"

"D-dean, please, it's okay." Castiel's voice shook.

Dean turned back to Castiel with a gentle smile on his face as he reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear. "I may not know what the hell I'm doing with my life, but when I look at you Cas, God damnit, there's this need and I just–" Jesus christ he never babbles on like this. He huffed a laugh at the realization of how ridiculous it really was. Dean Winchester wasn't ever much for sentiments and flowery displays of devotion. Maybe it was all the pheromones, but he couldn't find not one false statement.

"But when I do see myself happy, it’s with you. Cas, if you let me, I promise to never make you feel like a disappointment."

Cas stilled in his arms, blue eyes wide and shimmering with tears. "You mean it?"

"Of course I do Sunshine." Dean smiled and pressed a kiss to his temple.

Arousal coiled hotly deep within Castiel’s belly until it snapped and washed over him in a tidal wave of heat. He felt himself grow wet with slick and for a moment he thought it strange that it would be triggered by another’s romantic overtures. Then again, he supposed he was quite the romantic afterall and it turned him on something awful to see an alpha - Dean - be so overcome with affection and to know he was at the center of it.

“Kiss me.” Castiel purred. He didn't wait for a response from Dean, his need outweighed his patience and he surged forward, closing the distance with a searing kiss.

Dean groaned, his breath caught in his throat with surprise. He gave just as much as he got, parting his lips to allow the omega entry with his tongue. Blunt nails scraped at the back of his scalp and with each insistent press of Castiel’s lips and swipe of his tongue, Dean became even more lost to reason. He had a beautiful omega seated in his lap, an omega who needed him. Who was he to deny Castiel anything he wanted?

“Fuck…I can smell you.” Dean nipped at Castiel’s bottom lip. He cradled his jaw and deepened the kiss with a growl, the scent of slick permeated the air with a sweet sort of muskiness. It filled Dean’s nostrils with each labored breath and his cock swelled within the confines of his jeans. The knowledge that he was the reason why Castiel was wet sent Dean into a frenzy. “Jesus…”

“Touch me Dean.” Castiel’s voice was a low rumble and laced with a need so potent Dean could practically taste it in the air.

“Yeah?” Dean peppered kisses along his jawline to his ear. “Where would you like me to touch you? Where do you need it, Cas?” He pulled the omega’s earlobe between his teeth and sucked gently.

Castiel whimpered and rolled his hips forward, but with the way he was seated he found himself simply rutting against open air. It was an awkward angle sitting sideways in Dean’s lap, his upper body contorted just so he could kiss Dean. The alpha chuckled as he slid a hand down his side and over his hip. “Here?” His long fingers spanned over the globe of Castiel’s ass and squeezed.

A moan left Castiel’s lips at the touch, his back arched and his hips rolled forward again wantonly. A rush of slick trickled from his entrance, wetting the back of his thighs and his pajamas, but he didnt care. Dean’s fingers were so fucking close, they flexed and kneaded his flesh. He took pleasure in the way his cheeks were pulled apart with Dean’s methodical kneading. His ministrations tugged at his hole and had him leaking.

“Or maybe–” To Castiel’s dismay, Dean removed his hand from the round globe of his ass and instead, he slid his palm over to the front of his pants where his cock was tenting the fabric. “--Here?”

“D-dean–!” Castiel gasped as Dean cupped his erection with a sure hand.Those same fingers stroked him over his pants, the pad of a thumb rubbing over the wet spot at the tip of his cock.

“Jesus, Cas—” Dean’s gaze traveled down to the omega’s lap and he watched as Castiel’s cock twitched and swelled beneath his hand. Cas was a little larger than average for an omega, thicker too from what he could feel. A bead of precum soaked through the front of his pajamas, darkening the fabric further. “--I’ve barely touched you and you are already so wet for me.”

Castiel just looked at him with a desperation in his eyes, his breath was shaky and labored as he ground his erection into Dean’s hand. Dean growled low in his throat as he grinned. “How about we get you more comfortable, hm? I want to try something if that’s okay. Can you turn around for me?”

Cas hesitated a moment, uncertain about what Dean had in mind and definitely not ready to change position. If it meant Dean’s hand would no longer be on him, he didn't want it. But, the alpha did want to try something and if that something eventually involved more touching then he was more than willing to see what he had in mind. So with a bit of reluctance and mounting anticipation combined, Castiel turned around so that his back was pressed flush against Dean’s chest. He gasped as he felt the alpha’s erection press at his lower back and all he could think about was how badly he wanted Dean’s cock.

Dean hooked his chin over Castiel's shoulder and he nuzzled into his neck. Soft kisses were placed over his heated skin as he gazed down the expanse of the omega’s chest and to the bulge in the front of his pants. He hummed low in approval when Cas arched and pressed himself against his own arousal.

"Look at you," Dean began as he slowly ran his fingers down Castiel's arms and then to his thighs. Cas shivered, his fingers curling and gripping at the denim of Dean's pants. "Already so responsive to my touch."

"Dean, please-" The anticipation was mounting, the omega's arousal reaching a desperate point where all he wanted, all he could think about was Dean's hands touching him again and bringing him to the brink. There was a nervous flutter in his stomach, and perhaps he should be more nervous than he currently was since it was their first time being this intimate together. And yet, shockingly enough, he wasn't. Being there with Dean, being touched in ways he hasnt felt in so fucking long felt right.

"Take off your pants."

Castiel gave a full body shudder at the command and whimpered. His whole body flushed hot, his heart pounded in his chest. Dean had no business being so fucking sexy, it was overwhelming and intense. The fact it was directed at him no less was a shock all on its own, but it was real. Dean wasn't a figment of his imagination this time. Thank God he didn't have to spend this week alone.

So it was without further hesitation that Castiel hooked his thumbs under the waistband of his pants and slid them down over his hips, slowly of course, so as to give Dean a bit of a show. He gasped as soon as his cock sprung free and the alpha seated behind him growled in approval. "Jesus Christ…"

That fucking growl, fuck, it made Cas so god damn wet. He blushed as he felt a gush of slick coat his thighs and drip onto the cushion below him. Shit, Gabe will be so mad, and yet he almost couldn't find it within himself to care. He kicked his pajamas off of his legs and onto the floor and he spread his legs wide just for Dean.

"You're beautiful-" Dean allowed his fingers to trail up Castiel's thighs, the scent of slick heavy in the air. With the omega exposed like he was, the scent was even more heady and sweet, intoxicating. The urge to switch positions and bury his face between the omega's legs was insane, but he reminded himself that there was plenty of time for that later on. For now though, Dean wanted to watch Cas fall apart from something else entirely.

Dean’s fingers pressed into the meat of Castiel’s thighs, holding them apart as he slid his hands up his inner thighs, slowly. He sucked in a sharp breath when he felt the wetness there, his fingers coated in the omega’s slick just below his balls. Castiel moaned, his head falling back onto Dean’s shoulder as he spread his legs wider, his back arching. “Please…Dean, I need–”

“What do you need, omega?” Dean purred into his ear as his fingers continued to knead the flesh of his inner thighs, refusing to slide up any higher where he knew exactly where his touch was needed the most.

Castiel rolled his hips forward, rutting against the open air and silently begging to be touched. He didn't care how it happened, he just fucking needed. He gasped when he felt Dean’s teeth nip at the skin where his neck met his shoulder. He licked his lips and took in a steadying breath. “Oh God, Dean. My cock, please-” The anticipation was killing him, the mounting arousal reaching a certain tipping point that if something wasn't done about it anytime soon, Cas was likely going to be driven mad.

But then, finally - finally - Dean’s fingers wrapped around the length of his cock and he gave an experimental tug, stroking the length of him up and down. Castiel let out a desperate whine, his jaw going slack on a moan as he arched into the touch. He could feel the chuckle that came from the alpha behind him, could feel the puffs of breath on the back of his neck. The heat of Dean’s hand was everything he could have imagined and more. That was just it though, while his torturously slow ministrations were enough to drive him wild, he needed more. Luckily for him, it appeared Dean read his mind because the next thing he knew, the alpha was reaching further between his legs and coating his fingers in the slick that leaked fresh from his entrance.

The sight of it drove Castiel wild. But it was nothing compared to the sensation of Dean’s slick covered fingers wrapping back around his cock and stroking him in earnest. “Yeah, you like that Cas?”

Castiel cursed under his labored breath. He couldn't pull his eyes away. He watched with rapt attention as Dean stroked his cock, the pad of his thumb gliding over the head on the upstroke every fucking time.

"Yes-" The omega breathed. "-Don't stop, please - nng - Dean."

"Mmm, you do like that." Dean hummed as he cupped his balls in his free hand, the tips of his fingers teasing at his perineum, which - Holy shit - the omega was positively soaking. There was without a doubt going to be a wet spot on the cushion. That thought alone had him picking up the pace, the desire to watch Cas come overtaking all else.

He ground his erection into the small of Castiel's back, the constricting pressure just barely on the side of being painful. It was fine though, he could handle it. Besides, he knew Cas was close to falling apart if the way he was reaching for Dean's legs for purchase was anything to go by. And the fucking noises he was making. It really didn't take much longer before Castiel became a babbling, incoherent mess. His legs began to shake and tense up, his fingers wouldn't let up their grip on the alpha's jeans but instead they held on even tighter. It was a beautiful fucking sight, one Dean couldn't tear his eyes away from for anything.

But then Castiel gasped on a shuddering breath and cried out. "Oh..oh! F-faster! I'm gonna-!"

Dean complied and stroked Castiel's cock in a tight grip as fast as he could. He continued to tease and press at his perineum, not once letting up until the omega's spine bowed and his entire body locked up just before breaking.

Boy did he fucking break too. His orgasm washed over him like a tidal wave. He came with a shout, eyes screwed shut tight as he thrust into Dean's hand to ride it out. Dean cursed as he watched the long white ropes of come spurt from his cock and soak wet spots into his shirt. The rest dribbled over his hand and dripped between his legs as he slowed his ministrations, but it was the way in which Cas seemed to gush with slick that drove the alpha fucking wild.

"Holy shit, omega." Dean peppered kisses along the side of Castiel's neck, up to his ear and to his jawline, kissing praises into his skin.

Castiel's breath was extremely labored as he came down from the high, his body twitching with the aftermath of his orgasm. Dean's stubble tickled at his neck and he laughed as shivers rolled down his spine. "I uh–wow." His voice was rough, hoarse from his vocalizations and rough intakes of breath.

"I'll say." Dean grinned as he let go of Castiel's softening cock and lifted his hand to observe the evidence coated all over his fingers. "You made a mess of yourself."

Castiel blushed a bright red, groaning with embarrassment as he realized just how much of a mess he really made. He let go of Dean's pants and flexed his fingers as he shifted a little uncomfortably where he sat, grimacing. "Yeah, shit, Gabe is going to be so pissed."

Dean laughed. "I'm sure he could let this one slide."

"Oh, no, you don't understand. Gabe can be a bit of a neat freak. He definitely won't be thrilled." He shifted around again and made a disgusted sort of face. Slick coated his thighs in a way that while incredibly hot in the moment, it always made him feel a little grossed out afterwards in a strange way.

"I'll clean it up, don't you worry."

Castiel craned his neck to smile back at Dean and the look he saw there in those green eyes, it was–oh, it was everything. Dean had the sweetest smile on his face, it was gentle and full of something Cas was hesitant to name. It sent the butterflies in his stomach fluttering.

Cas leaned in and pressed his lips against Dean's in a gentle, lingering kiss. He hummed when he pulled back. "I should get cleaned up."

Dean chuckled and raised his soiled hand for Cas to see. "Me too."

Castiel laughed with a shrug of a shoulder before he carefully worked his way off the couch. His legs were definitely wobbly as he stood to his feet. It had been a long time since he had an orgasm so intense and so mind numbingly good. It was nice, really, really nice.

"God damn." Dean whistled as he reached out to give Castiel’s ass a firm squeeze with both of his hands.

Castiel squeaked, surprised by the contact but it was no less amusing for but a second or two. Slick was starting to dry on his thighs and he was still leaking just a little bit. "Dean, stop." Castiel laughed. "I need a shower."

"Nuh uh. Two minutes." And as though to press the issue of needing those two precious minutes, Dean wrapped his arms around the omega's waist from behind and hugged him close

_______________

“Thanks for this Sammy, I really appreciate it.” Dean took the duffle bag his brother dropped off a half hour later with a smile.

“Yeah, don't mention it.” Sam shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked a little on the balls of his feet. He stood there a little awkwardly on the front porch, nostrils flaring just a bit to scent the air. “So everything is okay between you two?” It should have gone without saying that everything was good, considering Dean could smell the scent of slick on his jeans and was certain Sam probably could too.

“Oh yeah, everything is fine. Turns out it was just a huge misunderstanding.” Well, sorta. Sam didn't really need to know about all the little details, it was Castiel’s story anyway, he wouldn't feel right airing out his dirty laundry so to speak.

Sam nodded his head in understanding. “That’s good, I’m glad. I’m honestly shocked you were allowed entry considering, well, everything.”

Dean shrugged a shoulder. “Eh, what can I say? Guess I’m just a really likable guy.” He wagged his eyebrows and Sam just rolled his eyes.

“Dean?” Castiel’s voice suddenly sounded from the hall. Dean turned to see Cas standing there dressed in a dark robe, his hair wet from the impromptu shower he rushed to take. He looked every bit like a friggin snack if he did say so himself; tempting in every way. “Oh, hello Sam.”

Dean grinned at the embarrassed little blush that creeped high up into his cheeks. He watched as the omega tightened the sash on his robe. He didn't budge from the foyer entrance, his posture stiff and awkward. Cautious. While Dean was confident that there wasn't reason to be cautious of Sam, he understood the reasoning behind it. Alphas could be unpredictable around an omega who was clearly in heat. Dean watched his brother though with a carefully arched brow.

“Hey Castiel.” Sam waved, smiling.“I should probably get going.”

“Yeah, hey thanks again for bringing me all this Sammy. You're a lifesaver."

“Of course. I’m glad you were, you know, allowed inside I guess.” Sam chuckled a little awkwardly. “Actually I’m really glad. I’d much rather have you here than at home, driving me insane. I've got one black eye to deal with, I don't need another one.” They both laughed.

"Alright, see you in a week–Bitch."

"Jerk.”

Dean didn't bother with waiting for his brother to get to his car before he closed and locked the door. He turned around and leaned against the door. "So, how was your shower?" He asked after a moment of just admiring his omega from a distance. Yes, his omega. The thought sent a thrill straight through him. Dean pushed away from the door and stepped up close to Cas. He dropped his duffle bag at their feet and reached to play with the sash tied around the omega's waist.

"It was good. Very refreshing." Cas slid his hands up Dean's chest and back down to his waist where he wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. His nostrils flared as he scented the air. "But you sir, you could use a change of clothes."

Dean threw his head back and laughed. "Are you sure you're not just trying to get me naked?"

Castiel hummed, feigning serious contemplation. He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, if that's what needs to happen in order to get you into some clean clothes then I won't complain."

"Yeah, you're just tryna get me naked." Dean teased and ducked down to pepper kisses along the expanse of any exposed skin he could find. Castiel's neck, his clavicle, below his chin. Literally anywhere he could reach just so he could hear the omega laugh and shiver because Dean's stubble tickled him.

"Okay, okay." Castiel shoved at Dean's arms until Dean finally ceased his attack. "You're definitely right, we’re going to need to get you naked. But first we should bring your bag upstairs."

"Upstairs?" Dean stilled as he watched Cas head towards the staircase. The omega paused when he saw Dean wasn't following.

"Yes, upstairs." Cas gave him a confused look. "Is something the matter?"

"Uhm, no, I uh–" Dean huffed with a little shake of his head. His alpha hesitated as though it really wanted to be sure about things first, about Cas. He never once turned down such an opportunity before, but perhaps this time was different. It felt different anyway. This was Castiel, an omega male who just so happened to be in heat. And this particular omega was inviting him upstairs, likely up to his bedroom. All Dean could hear in his head was nest nest nest. For an alpha, being invited to an omega's nest was fucking huge, monumental in some cases. An omega doesn't invite just anyone. "You're inviting me upstairs, to your room?"

Castiel smiled sweetly and padded over to Dean. He stood on his tip-toes - even though the alpha really wasn't that much taller than him at all - and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. He lingered a moment just so he could simply enjoy Dean's presence. And to think he almost decided to spend the coming week alone. If it weren't for Dean's persistence and the interesting timing of his rut he definitely wouldn't have had this time with him.

"Yes Dean." He began after he broke the kiss. "I am inviting you upstairs to my room."

"To your nest?" Dean gulped, suddenly extremely nervous. Jesus, if Sam ever found out he'd probably laugh himself to death making fun of him.

Castiel grinned. "You're cute when you're nervous. Yes, to my nest. You wanna join me?"

“Well, when you ask me so sweetly like that, how could I possibly say no?”