Secrets and Camera Flashes

Chapter 50

He opts for a more neutral approach with, "She's pretty cool."

"Just 'cool'?" Dean asks.

Since that apparently was not where Dean wanted him to go, Castiel gives up trying to guess. "What type of answer are you looking for?"

"Well..." Dean frowns. "If I say something, will you not tell Jo I told you?"

Castiel raises an eyebrow. "I guess?"

"Last time you said that, you did the exact opposite of what I asked you to do," Dean reminds him.

Castiel chuckles softly. "Okay, what if I said 'no' and I promised not to tell her?" Because he's really interested in where this is going.

"That would work much better," Dean says. "So you won't tell her?"

"Scout's honor," Castiel says, despite never having been a boy scout and the phrase meaning absolutely nothing to him.

"Cool," Dean says. "Because Jo kinda wants to go out with you -- like, for real, not just for publicity -- and she's been really paranoid ever since she found out you were spending the holidays with another girl. I'm supposed to be her wingman, but honestly, I have no idea how to wingman and being subtle is just not happening. So, like, do you wanna go out with her, and if so, can you tell her that?"

Castiel frowns. "She... what?"

Dean nods. "I'm honestly kind of surprised you haven't figured it out, because she hasn't exactly been subtle."

"What do you --" Castiel pauses. Now that he thinks about it...

She invited him here because she thought he was bringing a male friend, and she seemed disappointed to hear that wasn't the case. She greeted him with a hug despite the fact that the paparazzi were nowhere to be seen. She wanted him to sleep in her bed. She really does like him, doesn't she?

"Great," Castiel mutters, quietly enough that he doesn't think Dean will hear it. He lols his head back, exasperated. Maybe he should have taken Dean's advice and faked sick so he didn't have to deal with this.

"I take it you don't feel the same way," Dean guesses.

"No, I really don't," Castiel says, still staring at the ceiling. "And I'm glad you told me, obviously, but... god, this fake relationship is going to be so weird now."

"Yeah..." Dean says awkwardly. "I'm sure this is a long shot, but as Jo's wingman -- who is doing a spectacularly bad job, for the record -- I do have to ask if you think there's any chance you might grow to like her? You know, as more than a friend?"

This is such a shitty conversation to be having with the guy you would absolutely fuck if you could.

"I won't," Castiel says, and he doesn't elaborate.

"Then... should I tell her that?" Dean asks, and he really seems to feel as awkward and uncertain as Castiel does.

"I don't know," Castiel says. He picks his head up and looks up at the man "If you think it will help, go for it. If you think she's going to try to talk to me about it, please don't."

"Can I ask why you're so confident you won't ever start to like her?" Dean asks. "I mean, I know everyone has their own taste in girls and that you have to have chemistry, but --"

"No, you can't ask," Castiel interrupts, his voice a little too cold, but it's not like he could help it. The second Dean mentioned a "taste in girls," he realized this was not at all a conversation he wanted to be having. He hadn't exactly planned on his response making Dean more interested, but if the look of both surprise and confusion on his face is any indication, that's exactly what he did.