Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Dean? Ya here, Boy?" Rufus's voice bellowed through the sweltering air, cutting through the last chorus of Blue Oyster Cult.

Dean shoved himself out from under the car he was working on to yell back, "Yep! Back here." Dean pushed up from the ground, popping up into Rufus's line of sight. "Whaddya need?"

"Where are the keys to Bobby's truck?" The older alpha asked, checking the hooks by the counter.

Dean shrugged, squinting. "I don't know. He hasn't used that piece of shit in months. It's not even fit to drive!"

Rufus shook his head. "He doesn't need it for the truck keys. He needs it for the rental's keys."

"Oh, he's finally painting the kitchen?" Dean chuckled as he walked up and grabbed the keys from their regular hook.

Rufus just glared at him as he snatched the keys. "Nah, he's letting someone take a look at it."

"Who?" Dean asked. He hadn't heard of anyone needing a new place, and Lawrence was small enough that everyone knew everything about everyone.

There had been a time when he hated it, like when he got hauled down to the principal's office for fighting during senior year and everybody had known about it by the time he left the office—and he did mean everybody. Henry had called him right after school to give him the "No grandson of mine!" speech.

But that's the way it was in Lawrence; everybody knew about everybody. If someone was looking to move into Bobby's rental property, it meant that a) some couple had split, b) some ne'er do well adult child had finally gotten kicked out, or c) someone new had come into town. Dean hadn't heard about any of that happening.

Rufus shrugged. "Don't know; don't care."

Dean rolled his eyes. Rufus was the only person in town who didn't subscribe to the gossip mill, and of course he would be the one that Dean got stuck with first.

"Well, does anybody know?" Dean wondered.

Rufus just spun away and hurried out the garage with a call of, "If you like yappin' so much, head on down to Ellen's. You can sit with Mildred and Missouri."

Dean rolled his eyes as he turned back toward the interior of the garage. He'd promised Chuck that he would have his car done by noon. Maybe he'd run down to Benny's later to see what he could find out.

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

As it turned out, he didn't have to go to Benny's to get the news; the news came to him in a whirlwind of book bags being slammed down onto the counter and uniform blazers being tossed over chairs.

"Dean! Dean!" Sam yelled as he ran into the garage, Sully and Kevin hot on his heels.

"What's the word, Boys?" Dean called. He wiped his hands on a rag, but the perpetual smears of grease and oil remained.

"Someone just moved to town!" Sam cried excitedly.

Dean arched a brow at him. "Lemme guess, they're renting from Bobby."

"Not 'they,'" Kevin corrected. "'He.'"

"It's a he?" Dean confirmed, and all three boys nodded.

"And get this," Sam started, but Sully suddenly burst out with, "He's an unmated omega!"

Sam shot his best friend an annoyed glance at having his thunder stolen.

"Sorry," Sully muttered.

Dean smirked, but he couldn't deny the spark of interest in his chest. An unmated omega in Lawrence? Maybe... Dean pushed the thought down. Just cause his body hadn't responded to any of the omegas he'd grown up with in Lawrence didn't mean that it would respond to this new one. And who knew? Maybe one of the other unmated alphas in town, like Ash or Victor or Garth, would bond with him. Or maybe he wouldn't choose any of them. Or maybe he would choose Dean...

Dean shook his head and forced himself to focus back on the boys' conversation. They'd already moved on to whatever senior drama had happened in school that day.

Dean jerked his head toward the office. "Look, I'm about to close up for the afternoon, so grab yourselves some sodas and get."

Sam shot him a glare. "Jerk."

"Bitch!" Dean shot back. The boys hurried back to the office to grab the offered soda before running back out of the shop, discarded book bags and blazers retrieved.

Dean locked up the office and shut off the lights, checking the utility locks on the garage doors before heading out the front and locking that up as well. The extra security probably wasn't necessary, given the atmosphere of Lawrence, but Samuel had always stressed the importance of security.

He trudged down to the diner, waving at the different shop owners as he passed. He paused to speak with Elmer and Jax, constant as ever in their spots in front of the grocery store, their usual game of chess between them.

"So I told the missus that she could fix her own damn cabinets!" Jax finished. Elmer rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"And how did Mildred take that?" Dean asked, his eyes crinkling at the corner.

Jax glared down at the chess board. "I fixed the cabinet."

"That's what I thought," Dean teased.

Right then, the front doors of the supermarket whooshed open, releasing a blast of cold air into the stillness of the bright, sweltering afternoon. But the cool relief wasn't what caught Dean's attention.

No, what caught his attention was the amazing scent that carried on that cool blast of air.

Dean froze, his entire body tensing as that scent, so warm despite the cold air that carried it, curled around him, pulled him toward the store. Before he even realized what he was doing, his feet carried him forward, through the double doors. He didn't even hear Jax and Elmer calling after him, so focused was he on finding that scent.

He walked through the produce section, past the misters spraying the broccolis and cucumbers. He walked past the dry goods, ignoring the screaming toddler begging for a box of chocolate cereal. He finally came to the refrigerated section, his eyes focusing on a head of dark, wavy hair waiting to be served at the deli counter.

He suddenly froze again. Now that he was so close, he found he couldn't move any closer.

"You met him yet?" Someone whispered from right behind Dean, causing him to jump. He turned his head to find Ash right next to him, his head practically resting on Dean's shoulder.

Dean couldn't even bring himself to chastise the town's resident IT expert and only man brave enough to wear a mullet. He was too keen on getting his attention back on the omega, back on that delicious scent.

"No, do you?" Dean asked.

"Nah. I just saw you over here, then I saw him," Ash explained, jerking his chin toward the omega.

Dean drew up short, looking back at him. "You...you don't smell that?"

Ash stared at Dean in consternation. He leaned forward to sniff at Dean's neck. "No, I don't... Did you try a new body wash?"

Dean slapped him on the back of the head. "Not me!" He pointed toward the omega still waiting at the deli counter. "Him."

"Oh, nah. I don't," he pointed at Gordon, who was stepping up behind the counter to serve the omega. "Maybe you should ask Gordon."

But Dean wasn't paying attention to Ash anymore, because his attention zoned in on Gordon and the flirtatious smile that he was flashing the omega, that he was flashing Dean's omega...an omega whose face Dean still hadn't seen.

He watched with bated breath as Gordon smiled widely.

"So, you're new in town?" He asked.

"Obviously," the omega muttered. Gordon drew up short; Dean smirked from his partially-hidden spot.

"It's always nice to have new fish in our little pond," Gordon offered.

"I'm not a fish," the omega replied shortly. "Please give me a pound of Gouda."

"Gouda, eh? It's a pretty good cheese, but I'd recommend..." Gordon began.

"Just the Gouda please," the omega muttered.

Gordon's eyes flashed, and Dean knew from numerous interactions with the other alpha—going clear back to high school—that he had a short fuse. He stepped up to the counter.

"Gordon!" He cried. "How's it going, man?"

Gordon turned to glare at him. "Winchester. What do you want?"

"Actually, a pound of Gouda sounds great," Dean replied, carefully keeping his eyes on Gordon and away from the omega.

"Give me a second," Gordon grit out. "I'll get that for you straight away."

He stepped down the counter to the Gouda cheese, cutting the cheese and weighing it before bringing it back to Dean. "Here you go, Winchester. Now get lost."

Dean grinned falsely. "Thanks, man!"

He drew a deep breath, steeling himself, and then slowly turned to face the omega. As his eyes landed on that face, he felt his heart flutter in his chest. His eyes met bright blue, and everything stopped.

The cheesy overhead music faded away, the screaming toddler was gone, the dull thrum of the overhead lights absent. He couldn't even care that Gordon and Ash were standing there, staring at them.

A tiny little smile flickered at the corners of his mouth.

"Here you go," he murmured.

The omega stared down at the cheese for several long seconds, and Dean felt unease rise in his chest. Maybe the omega would refuse his help?

But then the omega's long, slim fingers curled around the cheese block, nearly brushing against Dean's.

"Thank you," he murmured, and then he spun and hurried away, taking the cheese with him. It wasn't until he was out of sight that Dean realized he still didn't have his name.

As he slowly came back to his surroundings, he glanced over to find Ash standing next to him.

"Damn, that was smooth!" The other alpha praised.

Dean nodded, but his mind was still whirling. Had it been smooth?

So then why did he feel so shaky inside?

Chapter Text

F

Dean couldn't keep the new omega from his mind. Everywhere he went for the next few days, his senses were on high alert, waiting for another whiff of that scent. It never reappeared though, so at the end of each day when he returned to his quiet apartment, he silently mourned yet another day that lacked those blue eyes.

At first he thought that maybe he'd imagined it, the delicious scent. No one else had smelled it, not even Gordon and Ash, who'd been right there with him.

He didn't mention it to anyone else, because he knew how they would react. Sam would get too excited and shove him toward the omega, uncaring of the consequences. Mary would get too happy, eager to finally see her oldest son settled. John would be too skeptical, claiming Dean had inhaled too many fumes in that garage. Everyone else would just pity him, the forever-alone alpha who was obviously clinging to some fragile hope.

So after nearly a week of the daily let-down, Dean determined to stop looking for the omega. Lawrence was a small enough town that they would run into each other again. And when they did, Dean would just treat the guy like he was anybody else: cordial, maybe even friendly, after a while. But nothing more than that. He wouldn't expect anything.

Of course, Dean had no sooner made this decision than he saw him again.

He took Sam to lunch at Benny's that Saturday for some much needed brotherly bonding time. They walked into the diner, waving at the other regulars as they headed for their usual booth.

They didn't even look at their menus as they waited for their server; they always got the same food every time. Dean asked about school, Sam asked about the garage. Same as always. Until it wasn't.

"So you asked Jess out yet?" Dean asked, mostly to see Sam blush. Sam opened his mouth to rebut Dean's question, but Dean didn't hear a word he said, because suddenly all of his attention was otherwise occupied. It was that scent again, the scent from the grocery store, the scent that had haunted Dean's every waking and sleeping moment.

Dean almost got up to start searching for the source of the scent, but the nagging voice in the back of his mind reminded him about his previous decision. He wouldn't look for that scent; he wouldn't treat that omega any differently. He'd no sooner reminded himself of this than he heard the soft, "What can I get you, Boys?"

Dean glanced up, only to find his gaze caught on bright blue. Holy fuck, so he hadn't imagined those eyes. They were gorgeous, inspiring, deep, mysterious. He stared into their depths, and those blue eyes stared right back. He could barely find it in himself to formulate a sentence, but he finally managed the ever eloquent, "Hi."

"Hello," the omega responded, his own face perfectly blank. Dean realized that he still didn't have this guy's name. Friendly people knew each other's names, right? It wouldn't be weird for him to ask that.

"I'm Dean," Dean announced.

"Hello, Dean," the omega replied flatly, offering nothing more. Dean's brow furrowed. Maybe he should've specifically asked... But he didn't want to have to force it from the guy. The omega's expression grew impatient, but still neither said anything further.

Sam suddenly spoke up from his side of the table. "He wants a bacon cheeseburger, extra bacon. I want a salad, light ranch. Waters for us both."

The waiter nodded, jotting their orders down before grabbing the menus and hurrying away. Dean watched his retreating back. He blinked once, twice, trying to figure out what had just happened.

So the guy obviously didn't want to talk to him. Dean tried to tamp down his hurt feelings. It didn't really matter that one omega didn't want to speak to him, right? He was just one person, a person that Dean didn't even know. And if the guy was that adamant about not talking to him, who was Dean to deny him? Dean would just...have to stop looking at him or breathing when he was in the general vicinity. Because he knew there would be no way he could give the omega his space if he could scent him even the tiniest bit.

He suddenly remembered that he was still there with Sammy, and glanced over at his younger brother. He tried to smile easily. "So, about Jess..."

"Nuh-uh!" Sam contradicted. "What the hell was that?" He motioned toward the kitchen doors where the omega had disappeared. Dean shrugged nonchalantly.

"Brain fart," he lied. "Now come on, what have you done to talk to her?"

Sam glared at him. "Dean, don't try to pull your emotional constipation crap with me. You looked like you'd seen...I don't know...a ghost!"

Dean arched a brow. "Ghosts aren't real, Sammy."

"Don't dodge the subject, dickwad," Sam growled. He raised his eyebrows imploringly.

Dean smirked. "Nope." At Sam's deflated look, Dean sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Don't worry about it, okay? It's silly. Now when's your next nerd competition?"

Sam almost looked like he might argue, but he knew better than anyone that when Dean made up his mind, that was it. He allowed the subject to change, but the next time their waiter came out, he watched Dean carefully. But that time, Dean didn't even acknowledge the omega past a quick smile and "thank you," before he looked back down to his plate. He was so busy staring at his food that he completely missed the soft blush that spread onto the omega's cheeks as he spun away to return to the kitchen.

After that, Dean and the omega studiously avoided each other's gaze. Every time the waiter came out to refill their drinks or bring more napkins or bring the check at the end of their meal, Dean would suddenly be fascinated with the ketchup bottle or the streetlight outside the window.

When they were ready to leave, Dean left the money for the bill on the table, along with a very generous tip.

"That's a lot for a tip," Sam pointed out.

"Don't have any smaller bills," Dean lied with a shrug as he stood from the booth. "Come on, I need to get back to the garage and finish up that Ford."

He ushered Sam from the restaurant without stopping to talk to Benny or anyone else like he usually would. He just had to get out of there as soon as possible. He'd made a total ass of himself in front of the guy, and it would be better for him to leave before he could do anymore damage.

He sighed heavily. It looked like he wouldn't be back to Benny's for a while.

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

He never realized how often he'd frequented Benny's place until he started to avoid it. More than once he set out for a slice of pie and coffee, only to remember halfway there that he wasn't going back just yet. So then he'd end up buying the cheap stuff at the store and eating sub-par pie alone in the garage.

He almost convinced himself to return a couple of times, but then he'd recall his stuttering and bumbling around the omega waiter, and he'd remember why it was so essential to stay away. He'd already done more than enough to embarrass himself and make the omega uncomfortable; he didn't need more opportunities to make it worse.

It would've worked, his plan to stay away, if it hadn't been for Sam. He should have known that his brother wouldn't keep his mouth shut. He'd just never counted on him stooping so low as to involve Mary.

"We were thinking of going out for family dinner this week," she hedged when she called the Thursday after Dean and Sam's Saturday lunch.

"Okay," Dean agreed absentmindedly as he signed some paperwork.

"Perfect! We'll be going to Benny's tonight," she announced proudly.

Dean froze. "Benny's? You sure about that?" He floundered for an excuse to not go to his favorite diner. "I mean, if we're going out to dinner for family night, we should really go somewhere nicer. Maybe we can drive over to..."

"Dean," Mary interrupted. "Your father's had a hankering for some of Benny's pie for a while now. Plus we're not fancy people! Benny's wil be perfect, just like always."

Dean sighed heavily. "Sure, mom. I'll meet you all there at seven?"

"Sounds perfect. Love you, Sweetie!" She called as she hung up.

Dean groaned and dropped his head into his hands. He was gonna kill Sam. But then a thought popped into his head. If the omega wasn't there, his mom couldn't pull any of her tricks.

He yanked out his cell phone and shot off a text to Benny. "who's working @ diner 2nite?"

The answer came back a few minutes later. "Jo & Meg. Y?"

Dean let out a sigh of relief as he typed his response. "Mom wants to go for dinner there bc Sam imagined somethin between me n the new guy on Sat. But since he's not workin, bullet dodged, eh?"

Dean thought that would be the end of the conversation, but his phone dinged again minutes later.

"His name is Castiel."

Dean stared at the screen, his chest swelling the tiniest bit. He didn't even try to hide his dopey smile as he studied the name. Castiel.

He shook his head to clear it. It's not like he'd ever actually use the name, since he wouldn't be talking to Castiel again any time soon.

He set back to work, whistling lightly. He assured himself the whistling was because he'd dodged a bullet with his family, definitely not because he finally knew the omega's name.

Castiel.

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

Dean sauntered into the diner, waving at Meg behind the counter and heading straight for the usual booth where his family was already seated. He bent to peck Mary on the cheek and shook John's hand before he shoved Sam in so he could scoot in across from them.

"Hey!" Sam squawked indignantly.

"Hello to you too," Dean replied, grinning unrepentantly. He looked at his mom. "How were the kiddos today?"

"Hyper. How were the cars?" She replied.

"Hyper," Dean teased with a grin. He turned to John. "Hey, could you possibly swing by after dinner? Missouri's Toyota is acting up. Won't accelerate."

"Did you check the filter?" John asked.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yes, I checked the filter, and all the plugs, and the plug wires."

"Spark plugs?" John offered.

"I just said all the plugs," Dean groused.

John held up his hands in an appealing manner. "Just thought I'd double check. It's probably the ignition system."

"That's what I thought, but I want a second opinion before I go scanning the whole thing, you know?"

"Yep, I'll head down there with you after," John decided.

Dean had been so distracted by his conversation with John that he didn't catch the scent right away, either that or he was finally getting used to it. He didn't have time to prepare himself, so when the omega (Castiel, some distant part of his brain reminded him) stepped up to their table with his notepad in hand, Dean couldn't stop his double take.

"I thought Jo was working tonight?" he blurted. He was too busy staring at Castiel to catch his family's angry glares.

Castiel arched a brow. "She was, but she had a family emergency, so Benny called me in."

Dean was about to call bullshit. If something had happened with Ellen or Bobby, he would've been one of the first to hear. Before he could say anything else rude, Mary jumped in.

"Hello! You must be new to town," she guessed, even though everyone knew about the new omega by now.

Castiel smiled wanly. "I am."

"Well, my name's Mary Winchester. This is my husband John, and these are my sons Dean and Sam," she introduced, pointing to each in turn.

"Yes, I met Dean and Sam on Saturday," Castiel said.

Mary smiled broadly at the fact that he remembered. "Wonderful! Well, listen, I work a couple blocks over at the daycare. If you ever need anything, come find me."

"Thank you," Castiel murmured, but it was clipped and short. "Do you know what you want to order?"

Mary nodded. "I'll have the chicken pot pie, John will have the country fried steak, and Sam?"

"Chicken Caesar salad," he announced.

Castiel glanced at Dean, his cheeks heating softly. "Bacon cheeseburger with extra bacon?"

Dean nodded, avoiding his gaze. "Yes, please. Thank you."

Castiel took their menus and hurried back to the kitchen. As soon as he was out of earshot, Mary reached across to slap his hand.

"Didn't I teach you any manners?" She scolded.

"Ow!" Dean muttered, pulling his arm away. "I was just surprised, okay?"

"That's no excuse!" Mary chided.

"Look, it's not like he cares," Dean defended. "He barely even looks at me."

John smirked at the admission, and Dean fought the urge to groan. Great, so now his family knew about his pathetic little crush. Because that's what it was. Dean, a grown-ass alpha, had a hopeless crush on an omega who would hardly look at him.

Dean shot them each a glare. "Look, I tried being nice to him, and he didn't want it. So we're just gonna drop it, okay?" The others all looked ready to argue, but at another glare from Dean, each nodded reluctantly.

When Castiel returned with their food, Dean smiled warmly and offered a quick "thanks" to the omega then forced himself to look down at his food as Castiel set down the rest of his family's plates. They all dug into their meals, saving Dean from any further embarrassing conversations.

Castiel came out a few minutes later to check their drinks. He paused by Dean's spot and asked, "Everything taste all right?"

"Everything's delicious, thank you," Mary responded kindly.

Dean expected Castiel to rush away again, so he was slightly shocked when the blue-eyed man murmured, "Dean?"

Dean's head shot up, and their gazes locked again. He forced himself to smile and nodded. "Yeah, it's great. Thanks, Cas."

The omega's eyes widened, and it was only then that Dean realized his slip-up.

"Sorry," he mumbled, blushing as he looked back down at his plate.

"It's okay," Castiel replied hastily. He hesitated for a moment before grabbing Dean's cup from the table. "I'll just refill this for you."

As he walked away, Mary arched an eyebrow at Dean. "Barely even looks at you, my ass."

The others burst out into laughter, and even Dean managed a chuckle through his embarrassment.

At the end of the meal, Dean volunteered to leave the tip. He waited until after he'd paid to return to the table to leave the cash. He claimed it was because he needed to make change to leave the tip, but honestly it was so that the others couldn't see that he left too big of a tip again.

He knew what they'd say, that he was trying to take care of Castiel, to fill an alpha role that wasn't his. Dean really couldn't say one way or the other what his intentions were. He felt that it was more of an apology for his perpetual blubbering around Cas (Castiel, he reminded himself) than anything else.

He turned around to follow his family from the restaurant, when he caught sight of Castiel behind the counter. He lifted his hand in a silent farewell, smiling kindly, and the dark head nodded in return, but there was no smile to be seen.

Dean sighed internally. He really hadn't expected anything to change, but at the end there, it had almost seemed...well, that didn't matter. Things obviously hadn't changed much, if at all.

He turned and strode toward the door with the usual calls of goodbye to Benny and Meg and the other regulars. He ruffled Ben's hair and clapped Ernest on the back and pecked Mildred on the cheek and offered Lisa a warm hug.

He'd just stepped out onto the street, pulling in deep breaths of the night air that was untainted by that sweet, addictive scent, when the door to the diner jingled.

"Dean," someone called.

Dean spun around to find Castiel standing there, the tip held out on the palm of his hand.

"I think you mixed up your bills again," Castiel explained, not quite meeting his eyes. Dean blushed heavily and ran a hand over the back of his neck.

"It isn't a mixup," he mumbled.

The omega's eyes widened as he realized what Dean meant. "This is too much!" He protested.

Dean shook his head. "Look, just count it as an apology for me acting like an asshole."

Castiel's head tilted to the side in confusion. Nope, that was definitely not the most adorable thing Dean had ever seen. But it was pretty high up on the list.

"You didn't act like an asshole," Castiel assured him.

Dean shrugged. "I'm not taking the money back, Cas."

"Dean," Cas huffed, his mouth settling into a thin line. "You can't possibly keep giving me such big tips. It's not right."

Dean glanced away to hide the flash of hurt that the words inspired. "Well, I'm not really planning on coming back for a while, so you don't have to worry about me leaving tips that are too big."

"Why?" Cas murmured softly, and then his eyes widened, like he was shocked he'd asked such a question.

"Because I can't be around you without acting like some kind of bumbling idiot," Dean explained honestly. "And I know that it probably makes you uncomfortable."

Castiel didn't respond to that, didn't deny it, so Dean tamped down on the hurt and took that as his cue to leave. "Good night, Castiel."

He forced himself to turn away and walk back up the street toward the garage. He could feel Cas's gaze on his back, so he kept his head high. Then he heard the shop door jingle behind him, signaling that Cas had gone back inside. It was only then that he let his shoulders slump.

He was a fucking idiot. Plain and simple.

Chapter Text

"Morning, Castiel," Missouri called as she strolled through the front door on Monday.

Castiel offered her a wan smile from where he was polishing silverware at the counter. "Good morning, Missouri. I'll be over with your coffee in a moment."

Missouri chuckled as she settled onto one of the stools at the counter right near where Castiel was working. "You know, I think I'll sit right here today."

Castiel arched a brow at the seat change but didn't comment on it. She'd probably move back to her usual spot once Mildred came in. Those two gossips were thick as thieves, inseparable as sisters.

"I'll get you that coffee," Castiel murmured as he stepped away to grab the coffee pot from its base. When he returned with the promised coffee, he found that Mildred had come in as well. But instead of Missouri joining her at their usual booth, Mildred had sat down next to Missouri at the counter.

Castiel felt unease well in his stomach. If he'd learned anything about these two, it was that they loved sticking their noses in where they didn't belong. Castiel swallowed uneasily, but still plastered another smile on his face.

"Good morning, Mildred."

"Good morning, Castiel. How've you been?" she asked as she held her mug out for Castiel to fill.

Castiel shrugged. "Since you were in here Saturday night? Same."

Bringing her mug up to her perfectly painted lips, Mildred chuckled. She took a short sip then set her mug back down and patted daintily at her mouth.

"Castiel, Dear, you'll find when you get to be our age that little more brings you joy in life then seeing everyone around you settled as they should be."

Castiel hid his frown. Hopefully they weren't getting any ideas about him being settled. He didn't need that, not now when he'd just managed to get his life unsettled.

"Usual?" he asked. The two women nodded, already falling into their usual pastime. He stepped up to the window between the dining room and kitchen to call out "Mildred and Missouri are here."

"On it!" Benny called back.

Castiel returned to his polishing, ignoring Mildred and Missouri's chatter. He didn't know most of the people they were talking about anyway. But then a name came up that he did know.

"Dean said that he should have my car finished up today. John went by last night to double-check, and they think they got it worked out fine," Missouri confided. "Remind me that I have to go by the bank later to get the cash out to pay him."

Mildred hummed. "You know he won't let you pay."

"Like hell he won't! He's not gonna have a choice," Missouri assured her friend. She sighed. "That boy is too good for his own good."

"Amen," Mildred murmured. "He looks too good for his own good!"

"Oh, Mildred!" Missouri chided with a chuckle. "You're too much."

"Are you disagreeing?" Mildred challenged.

"No, ma'am!" Missouri replied. "I may be old, but I ain't dead!"

"Preach," Mildred agreed, clinking her mug to Missouri's in a toast.

Castiel's fingers worked faster, eager to be done with his task so he could walk away. He didn't want to hear about the alpha who'd already captured his attention far too well. It was bad enough that his scent left Castiel weak in the knees and light in the head, or that his green eyes haunted Castiel long after they'd parted.

His mind returned to Thursday night, when Dean had promised to stay away. Castiel ignored the sadness that fluttered up in him at the thought that Dean was avoiding him. It was for the best, right? If Dean wasn't there, he couldn't get distracted, he couldn't get sloppy.

"But you know we're not the only ones who've noticed," Mildred cautioned. Castiel stiffened minutely; he'd thought that he'd hidden it so well... Mildred shook her head. "Did you see the other night when he and Lisa hugged? Mighty friendly."

Castiel tamped down on the growl that threatened to rise up in him. He had noticed it when Dean hugged the dark-haired beta woman. He'd seen the way the green-eyed alpha had smiled at her and teased her son and made them both laugh.

He'd tried not to be jealous, but watching the easy way they all interacted made his chest ache. It made him want like nothing had in a long time. And he'd be stupid to think that it had nothing to do with Dean. But he couldn't... He didn't dare.

"I did always say that there was something between them," Mildred reminded in that long suffering way of someone who's been proven right.

"You did!" Missouri agreed. "And sure, Lisa went off and did her own thing for a little while, but Dean's steady as they come. You know he'd never hold it against either of them."

Castiel sighed internally. Dean did smell steady, and strong, and patient, and kind, and sweet, and so unlike any other alpha. He smelled so much better than any other person Castiel had ever met, whether alpha, beta, or omega.

"What do you think, Castiel?" Missouri suddenly asked, her tone a little too innocent.

Castiel froze, his gaze slowly lifting from the silverware he'd been vigorously rubbing.

He attempted to play dumb. "What do I think about what?"

Missouri smirked knowingly. "Dean and Lisa?"

Castiel found he couldn't look at her as he lied. "I don't know. I don't really know either of them well enough to say."

Mildred and Missouri shot each other knowing looks. "Sure. So you follow every customer out of the restaurant?" Mildred asked casually. When Cas froze, they both chuckled. "Did you seriously think we didn't see you on Thursday?"

Cas blushed furiously, glancing down at the fork in his hands. "I just...he left a... I mean..." He suddenly found himself unwilling to share about the larger tips Dean had been leaving behind, because he knew that it would only inspire more speculation about him and Dean. "I just needed to give him something he'd left at the table."

Mildred and Missouri hummed in unison, their expressions suspicious. Castiel glared at them, his blush worsening.

"Stop that!" he chided.

"Stop what?" Mildred asked lightly as she and Missouri slowly lifted their cups in unison to take another sip of coffee.

"Never mind," Castiel muttered.

Missouri sighed and shook her head. "You know, Castiel, Dean is good people. He may have his off days, and he may bumble a bit around the edges, but he's a nice guy." She threw him a knowing glance. "And I miss having him around."

Castiel's eyes widened. "How did you know..."

Missouri rolled her eyes. "How long have you lived here, boy? You should know by now that we," she pointed between herself and Mildred, "know everything. So what did you do to chase that poor boy away?"

"I don't...I don't know what you..." Castiel started.

"Oh, I think you do know," Missouri interrupted. "And you also know that you need to make it right, because that dumbass," she looked at Mildred, "and you know I say with all the love in the world," Mildred hummed in agreement as Missouri continued scolding Castiel, "he sure ain't gonna make the first move."

Castiel's shoulders slumped in defeat. "I know. I just...I mean, he's so..." he gestured futilely with his hands toward the street, "and I'm..." he gestured toward himself. "And I'm just not sure..."

"You're not sure what to do, we know. That much is obvious," Mildred interrupted. "So we're going to help you." She pointed toward the display case at the end of the counter. "You are going to wrap up a slice of that pecan pie, which is Dean's favorite, and then you are going to walk straight down to that garage and offer it to him and invite him to lunch here."

"Um...I work during lunch," Castiel hedged.

"He's not coming to lunch with you; he's coming to lunch with us," Mildred corrected. She winked. "But we'll still let ya look at him."

Castiel shook his head, his smile rueful. "I don't really have a choice in the matter, do I?"

"Nope! Now go grab some plastic wrap for that pie," Missouri urged.

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

Castiel's knees shook as he stepped into the auto shop, his fingers gripping tight to the plate he held. He drew in a deep breath to steel his nerves. With that deep breath came a wash of that warm, comforting scent that clung to Dean, the scent that drove Castiel crazy. But now, it soothed him, steadied him. Castiel could practically feel his system relaxing with it.

He dinged the bell next to the register, hoping against hope that the gorgeous mechanic was out. But even as he told himself that, he could feel his heart pick up a beat at the thought of seeing Dean again.

"Be right with ya!" A deep voice called from the back. As Castiel waited, he felt simultaneously doomed and relieved and scared and eager and... What if Dean didn't want to see him? What if he'd only used Castiel's discomfort as an excuse to avoid the diner? What if Castiel was only making a fool of himself?

Castiel almost turned and bolted right then, but before he could, Dean was stepping out of the back office into view. His eyes widened at the sight of the omega.

"Cas!" He gasped. "What, uh...what are you...I mean, what can I help you with?" Dean finally stuttered out.

Castiel held up the pie plate, a deep blush staining his cheeks. "I brought pie," he announced unnecessarily. Dean's gaze latched onto the pie, and he unconsciously licked his lips. Castiel tried not to stare.

"Uh, thanks!" Dean enthused. "Can I ask why?"

Castiel glanced away guiltily. "I felt bad...about everything. And I've heard how much you love Benny's pie, and it must have been hard to not get some just because of me. So, I brought you some to make up for it."

Dean nodded thoughtfully. He hesitated for a moment, studying Cas. "Missouri and Mildred put you up to this, didn't they?"

Castiel didn't speak, but his guilty blush and shifting gaze was more than enough of a giveaway.

Dean chuckled ruefully, shaking his head. "Look, I appreciate this, I really do. But you shouldn't let them push you into doing stuff you don't want to do." He suddenly grinned. "Sounds like I'm in some cheesy after-school special about peer pressure, huh?"

Cas giggled despite his nerves. He held out the pie toward Dean. "They did recommend that I come down here, but I don't tend to do things that I don't want to. I..." he faltered for a moment. "I want you to come to lunch at the diner today, my treat. I'll be working, but Missouri and Mildred will be more than happy to keep you company."

Dean still looked uncertain. "Look, Cas..."

"Dean," Cas interrupted. "I want you to eat at the diner, okay? I know how much Missouri and Mildred and Benny and Lisa," he tried to keep his voice neutral on that last name, "miss seeing you there. It would be selfish of me to let you stay away out of some misguided concern for my comfort."

Dean stared at him for a beat or two longer, obviously torn, before glancing down at his feet and shrugging. "I'll see if I have time. I'm trying to finish up Missouri's car by the end of the day."

Castiel sighed defeatedly. Dean wasn't going to come, he could see it in the set of the alpha's jaw and tense shoulders. Castiel had been an idiot to think that a single slice of pie could cancel out all of his rudeness from the previous days. "Of course. I understand. I'll, uh, see you around, Dean."

He carefully set the plate down on the counter and left the garage. He trudged back down to the diner, trying to fight the sadness inside of him. He hadn't meant to be rude, hadn't wanted to hurt anybody. But he couldn't afford to get involved with anyone, especially someone as good as Dean.

Castiel slipped in through the back of the diner, pausing for a moment to collect himself and his emotions before he grabbed his apron from its hook and tied it on. When he walked back out to the dining room, Mildred and Missouri glanced up at him expectantly.

"Well, how did it go?" Missouri asked.

Castiel shrugged. "He said he'd come if he had the time." He tried to keep his voice neutral, tried to act nonchalant, but both women could see right through it. They smiled warmly.

"Don't you worry; he'll come," Mildred assured him.

He smiled like he believed her. "More coffee?"

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

Despite reminding himself again and again that he would not get his hopes up, Castiel couldn't seem to keep his gaze away from the front door as lunch time drew nearer. He tried to remain calm, to not act too antsy. The knowing looks Mildred and Missouri kept throwing at him weren't helping.

The first lunch rush passed through, but Dean wasn't among them. Castiel tried not to let his disappointment show every time the bell over the door jingled, capturing his attention, only to admit someone other than Dean.

The second and third rushes passed in similar fashion. By the end of the lunch hours, Castiel had accepted that Dean wouldn't be coming. He would keep avoiding the diner, and by default, avoiding Castiel.

Castiel had just finished up wiping the counter when the bell above the door jingled again. He didn't even bother glancing up that time. He'd been scrubbing at the same jelly stain for a while, so it was easy to keep focusing on that.

But then he smelled it. That scent washed over him, filling him, steadying him, enthralling him. He slowly glanced up and found Dean standing there, a shy smile on his face.

"Heya, Cas."

Cas felt his chest swell with relief. He smiled widely, the first real smile he'd worn in a long while.

"Hello, Dean."