Strings Attached

Chapter 59

"That's nice of you," Castiel replies. "I didn't realize that. You're sweeter than I thought."

"Well, don't tell anyone. Don't want word getting out," he jokes.

"Don't worry," Castiel assures him with a slight laugh. "Your secret's safe with me."

"Alright, I've gotta go," Dean tells him.

"I'm gonna go, too, then," Castiel replies. "Good luck with them, and I'll see you soon."

"Are you walking home?" Dean inquires.

"Yeah, why?"

"You're not anymore," Dean tells him. "Go find Sam and Gabriel, and I'll drive you home in a few."

"I'll pass," Castiel replies. "I've missed walking to and from school. But thanks anyway."

"You're going to be getting home way later," Dean warns him.

"I know. Bye."

After a quick kiss, Castiel walks out of the school and begins his journey home. Dean is right; they get home long before Castiel does. He doesn't care. He can deal with being later than them. It's Friday; it's all fine.

Castiel looks around, but by the time he's home, everyone else is in bed. It makes sense; walking home from a game that late was not his brightest idea. He quietly walks up to the room he and Gabriel share, and he sees the light on from under the crack of the door.

He opens it quickly but softly to see Gabriel lying in his stomach with a large notebook in his hands. His eyes that were previously skimming the pages dart up to see Castiel standing in the doorway, and Gabriel quickly puts the notebook under his pillow.

"Oh, you're home," Gabriel observes in a whisper so he doesn't wake anyone up.

Castiel marches up to Gabriel and pulls the notebook out from under his pillow. He can tell just by the handwriting what it is. It's his song notebook — the one he threw out not even a week ago.

"What the hell, Gabriel?" Castiel demands.

"Shh, people are sleeping," Gabriel whispers.

"I told you not to read this," Castiel hisses.

"I know, but it's so good!" Gabriel tells him softly. "I couldn't just let you throw it out."

"That's not your decision," Castiel tells him. "My book. I choose, and I threw it out. Leave it."

"But why?" Gabriel whines.

"Because it's mine," Castiel repeats.

"I know it's yours. That's why I'm reading it."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm reading it because you wrote it," Gabriel explains. "Because even though you've started talking to me, you never tell me anything important, like what's going on with you or how you feel. This is the only way I get to see what goes on in your head, even if it is super cryptic."

"That doesn't mean you can just take it," Castiel replies. "It's mine, and it belongs in the trash."

"No, it doesn't," Gabriel insists. "One day, you're going to wish you still had it to look back on."

"I doubt that very much," Castiel replies. "I'm not the sentimental type. I'm throwing this out, for real this time, and you're going to leave it in there."

Gabriel quickly jumps out of bed and grabs the notebook from Castiel before he can throw it out. "Don't do that. This is amazing. It's too good to throw out. Like — like this line here. I like this line." Gabriel show the open page to Castiel and points to a line.

"His eyes burned threw me like the fires in hell. I should've known that it wouldn't end well. But I was captivated and I thought he loved me 'til I all broke down,'" Gabriel reads aloud in a hushed voice. "That right there is award winning material. No joke. This is amazing. You could sell these songs to freaking Carrie Underwood or something, they're that awesome."

Castiel doesn't question his choice of a country artist. "I'm not selling these. I'm getting rid of them, and you can't stop me. Hell, I'll shred it if I have to, but I'm done with it. The end."

Gabriel clutches the notebook to his chest. "Nope, you're not. Just trust me. I'll get people to agree with me and convince you to keep it tomorrow. Lord knows Lucifer will help. He's all for that. Until then, you're leaving it alone."

Castiel hesitates. Is it worth pursuing this, when he likely won't be able to pry the book from Gabriel grasp anyway? Or should he just give up now and save himself the trouble? He opts for the latter and sighs. "Fine. But you can keep it for the night. Only for the night. Then I'm throwing it out, whether you want me to or not. And no reading it."
Gabriel nods. "Of course. Whatever you say, Castiel."

That should have been the hint that he needed that it wouldn't be that easy, but Castiel doesn't put it together until the next morning.