Secrets and Camera Flashes

Chapter 71

"If we're just spitting out random reasons," Sam says, "I think Jess and I should get the last two remotes because this is our post-engagement trip."

"Bullshit!" Dean and Jo say in unison.

"This isn't your 'engagement trip,'" Dean says. "You were gonna come whether you got engaged or not."

"Christmas is no more about you this year than it has been for the last couple years," Jo adds.

"To be fair," Jess says, "it was me and Sam that got the outside world to care about any of us yesterday. We did you a huge favor. You should repay us with Wii time."

"Yeah, no one cared when you posted pictures," Sam says. "They liked my pictures and they liked Jess's pictures and then everyone started talking about our comment sections, so the rest of the world would beg to differ, Jo."

Dean is about to go off about how ridiculously irrelevant that is when he catches Castiel walking away out of the corner of his eye. Everyone else is fully committed to this back-and-forth war for the game, but it just occurs to him that Castiel didn't even seem to want to play. He honestly couldn't look any less interested in the game now; he just wants to see what Cas is up to.

"You know what?" Dean says finally. "I concede. I'll take my turn when someone else is done."

"Dean, are you okay?" Sam asks cautiously.

Dean bites back a laugh. The fact that this was Sam's response says way too much about Dean as a person. "I'm fine. I'm just..." He shrugs. "Last night was a hell of a night, man. I think I need a break."

Sam shrugs. "Hey, I'll take it if it means I have a better chance at playing."

"Now, I'm gonna peace out before you guys drive me insane," Dean tells them. "You guys have fun with your war, though."

Dean leaves them to fight it out in the kitchen and makes his way to the living room instead. Cas is already there, sitting on the couch on his phone and ignoring everyone and everything else. Well, he never was the most social person.

"Hey," Dean greets him.

Castiel immediately locks his phone as he looks up at him. "Hey to you too."

Dean takes a seat on the couch by his side. "Whatcha doing?"

Castiel shrugs. "Writing."

Dean decides against asking what he's writing about. If the guy wanted to share, he would. He's probably writing some secret poetry that he doesn't want to show anyone, and Dean's not going to push.

"Mind if I join you?" Dean asks. "I got a pounding headache and I don't think I'd survive a round of Mario."

Castiel chuckles. "I'm not surprised. You looked like you had a little too much fun last night."

"That I did, Cas," Dean agrees. "That I did." Especially the kiss, but he's pretty sure bringing that up when everyone else is in the room next to them would be a bad idea. "I'm glad you decided to stick around, by the way. I have a few more Wayward Sisters YouTube videos to show you." He hopes the way he says it is enough to prove that he's not actually talking about YouTube videos, and the small smile that creeps up on Castiel's face tells him it worked.

"I can't wait to see them," Castiel says. "I'm sure it'll be the highlight of my stay."

"I'd like to think so, too," Dean replies, and he will admit, the fact that Cas is so openly into this — into him — is doing wonders for his ego.

"How soon do I get to see these videos?" Castiel asks.

"I don't know," Dean admits. Abandoning everyone during Super Mario Bros would definitely raise some eyebrows, so now would probably be the wrong time. "Some time today, I hope."

"Thank god," Castiel says. "I mean, when it didn't work out yesterday, I was almost thinking..."

"That I didn't want to?" Dean finishes for him. "I was trying really hard pretty much all day to prove otherwise." He'd almost been afraid he was being too obvious about it. It's a goddamn miracle no one else noticed -- and probably a miracle he didn't scare Cas away, either. He just... he really wants this. He's never been with a guy before. He'd never really processed that he wanted to be with a guy -- though, in hindsight, he definitely would have been up for some drunk sex with Lee from Swayze's Bar if he'd had his bi epiphany earlier -- so this is really a first for him. He doesn't want to mess this up.

Fortunately, Cas responds immediately with, "No, no, I got that. You made it pretty clear that you still did."

Ah, so Dean did succeed in being overly-horny-and-proud. That's always a plus.

"I was just starting to think it wasn't going to happen," Castiel says. "I mean, if it didn't work out at all yesterday, I almost thought..."

Dean shakes his head. "I'm still down and you're still down, so it's gonna happen. We just gotta find the right time."

"Alright, cool," Castiel says, and he seems to be feeling better about it. Dean is, too. It's still going to work. They still both want to have sex. They have an unspecified extra number of days to make it happen. What's not to love?

"In other news," Dean says, changing the subject before someone comes in asking questions, "I couldn't help but notice that you didn't volunteer to play Mario with us." With a teasing smile, he adds, "Were you just afraid I was gonna show you up?"

Castiel chuckles. "Dean, I am so bad at that game."

Wow, Dean wasn't expecting to be half-right like that. "You can't be that bad."

"I used to lose all my lives before any of my brothers would lose one," Castiel tells him. "I am the definition of 'the weak link.'"

Dean almost begins to think he should cut this conversation short. Has he wandered into territory he shouldn't be on? Cas rarely mentions his family, and he's made it pretty clear that he's not too fond of them. Is the fact that he's bringing them up now a sign that Dean should change the subject.

But at the same time, he doesn't seem to be uncomfortable. Dean knows he's a good actor -- that's literally his job, after all -- but he genuinely seems indifferent to talking about it. Dean would like to think that if he really didn't want to talk about it, he would make sure Dean knew it. He wouldn't leave it up to interpretation.

Dean decides to proceed with caution, continuing the conversation without talking about his brothers. Cas will open up on his own time, if he ever decides he wants to. Dean doesn't want to ask any questions that are going to make him uncomfortable.

"That's the cool thing about playing with us," Dean tells him. "You don't have to be good." He snorts. "I mean, you should see Sam play." Sam's actually not half bad at the game, but he's really easy to make fun of.

Castiel chuckles. "As much as I enjoy watching you drag your brother, I'm going to preserve my dignity and pass."

"Well, I'm not just gonna let you sit here and be anti-social," Dean says, though, admittedly, he wouldn't be so opposed to Castiel being anti-social and writing poetry if Dean got to read the poetry. "Even if you're not gonna play the game, you still hang out and yell at the screen with us. This is, like, the Winchester-Harvelle Super Bowl."

Castiel shakes his head, amused. "I'll pay attention, but don't expect me to start yelling at the screen with you."

"Again with the whole 'dignity' thing," Dean says teasingly. "But hey, that's good enough for me." He just wants Cas to really be involved with them. Dean didn't want him to stick around just to have sex (though he's sure as hell looking forward to it). He wanted Cas to stick around because he wanted him to have a family to spend the holidays with, and sitting around on his phone doesn't quite cut it.

The Super Mario Bros gang chooses that moment to join them in the living room, their enthusiasm showing through their loud conversations. Dean looks around to see who didn't make the cut. Dean and Cas are out, but that still leaves five people competing for four remotes. Who else...?

Jo sits down on the arm of the couch by Castiel's side. "I got kicked to the curb, too, so I'm joining the rejects club."

Dean chuckles. "Welcome aboard, Jo." If anyone was going to third-wheel, he's glad it's his best friend.