(Go ahead and play It's Not Living (If It's Not With You) off of A Brief Inquiry...Relationships ((the title is so long)) by the 1975 if you feel so inclined )
Dean sat on the faded blue carpet, head leaning against the wall of lockers behind him. He nodded with the infectious beat and smiled, eyes closed, hands clasped, arms resting on his upright knees as he listened to what he had learned was 'Bathtub Dahlia'. They were playing a very upbeat song, and Dean could hear a lot of guitar, specifically multiple guitars. Instead of just Cas singing, Garth and Balth were on backup vocals. It wasn't quite the style he liked to listen to, but he had stopped giving a shit a while ago.
If Cas sings it, I don't care what it is. I'll listen.
He had positioned himself in just a spot where he was hidden from the views of both the band and the hallway, both behind the row of instrument lockers as well as behind the left hand wall of the front entry way. He didn't want anyone to see him, especially not Gabriel. After their...CONVERSATION a few weeks earlier, he knew that he'd get the wrong idea about Dean being there.
What AM I doing here?
This thought interrupted his intake of the music behind him.
I'm just appreciative of their art.
This explanation seemed to satiate him. He sat back once more.
All I do is sit and think about you
If I knew what you'd do
Collapse my veins
Wearing beautiful shoes
It's not living if it's not with you
All I do is sit and drink without you
If I choose then I lose
Distract my brain from the terrible news
It's not living if it's not with you
God, they're good.
(You can pause the tunes, or finish the song cause it's dope. You do you)
~~~~~~~~
Castiel waved to Balthazar heaved his backpack up onto his shoulders and walked out the door. Cas looked around the band room, making sure they didn't forgot anything or leave anything out. Spotting a cable laying on the floor, he sighed and picked it up.
Ash. Of course.
He began to wind it up, careful not to stretch it out. He thought about it while he wrapped, and came to the conclusion that it might be for the best that Ash can never pick up his cables after rehearsal. He pictured what Ash usually did with them, which was tightly wrapping them around his hand and elbow like an absolute barbarian and chucking them into the large locker they all shared in the band room.
Yeah. Probably for the best.
He pulled out the small key and unlocked the padlock on their locker, taking it off and setting the cable on top of an amp. He was too preoccupied to hear the light footsteps entering behind him. As he shut the door and began the lock the door back up, he heard a throat clear. He nearly dropped the padlock he jumped so hard. Whipping around he saw Mr. Winchester smiling shyly at him, hands in his pockets.
"Hey." He said. Castiel swallowed thickly.
"Hi." He replied.
"As usual, you sounded incredible today." Dean said, slowly walking in Castiels direction.
"Well thank you, I'll be sure to let the guys know, they'll appreciate it." Cas said, laughing nervously, hands fidgeting with the padlock he was still holding.
Dean had meant to direct that towards Castiel specifically, but he wasn't going to correct him. "Oh, by the way, I liked your lily. It was a pretty color." He said, wanting to tell him that it reminded him of Castiel's eyes. He thought better of it.
Cas felt his cheeks warm and his stomach churn. "Thank you."
They stood awkwardly, Dean clearing his throat once again, and Castiel shuffling around. He suddenly remembered what he was doing and turned to finish locking up the cabinet. After it had been successfully clicked into place, he flipped around and suddenly found himself much closer to Dean than he was expecting. While he had been locking the cabinet, Dean had taken a few steps forward, and now they were only about an arms length away from each other.
"So, uh, Cas." Dean said a bit gruffly. He began to say something else, but was interrupted by a sharp knock.
"Castiel. Anna wants us both for dinner tonight. We should get going." Gabriel said flatly, standing in the doorway, his eyes locked into Dean.
"Oh shit, right, sorry. The guys and I went a little late today." Castiel mumbled, scooting around Dean and hurrying over to Gabe. His brother put a hand on his shoulder protectively, glaring at Dean.
"Let's go." He ushered Castiel out into the foyer of the band room, but not before Cas waved at Dean.
"See you tomorrow, Winchester."
"Bye, Cas." He gave a small wave in reply and shoved his hands back in his pockets.
After Castiel was out of sight, Gabe stood for a moment longer, staring at Dean with a clenched jaw and intense eyes. Dean could see the murder that shot out of them. Gabe walked out and Dean let out a sigh of relief.
Fuck.
~~~~~~~~
Cas sat at the kitchen table, drawing. He has set aside his book after he was finished with the actual homework portion of the latest English assignment, and now was completing his favorite part. As he drew, he could see Gabe and Anna in the kitchen making dinner out of the corner of his eye. Gabe said something Cas couldn't quite make out to Anna before setting down the towel he was using to dry his hands and walking over to the table.
"Homework?" He asked casually.
"Yeah." Cas said.
"What class?" He asked.
"English." Castiel replied, fixated on his work.
"Didn't think you'd have to draw for an English class." Gabe said, sitting down in the chair adjacent to him.
"Oh, I don't. I just want to." He said, choosing his words carefully. He thought it best to keep his intentions very vague so as not to reveal the truth behind them.
Gabriel nodded. "So what do you think of your teacher? Mr. Winchester? You like him?"
The question made Castiel stop and look up at his brother. "Yeah, why do you ask? I thought you guys were friends."
"Just curious." Gabe said, studying his face intently.
Does he know...? Can he tell?
Cas quickly looked back down at his work, continuing to move his pencil. Gabe leaned over, trying to see why his brother was working on.
"What are you drawing?" He asked, unable to make it out. Castiel felt his palms start to get sweaty and he tucked his feet under his chair nervously.
"Nothing, just a car." He said, attempting to casually cover his piece with his hands.
"Lemme see!" Gabe said, reaching for the paper. Castiel ripped it away. "As your big brother, I reserve the right to look at all your art whenever I please." He said, grabbing at the paper Castiel was desperately clutching close to him.
"That's bullshit, no you don't!" He said, laughing as he got up to avoid Gabe.
"Oh, don't I? I have my ways." His brother said evilly as he chased after him, eventually wrapping an arm around his waist and tickling him relentlessly.
Castiel couldn't help but screech with laughter, "STOP FUCK NO OH MY GOD I SURRENDER I SURRENDER" he screamed. Gabe snatched the paper and looked over it, stomach dropping.
He looked over at Castiel who was huffing and puffing on the floor, trying to regain his breath.
"Is this Dean's car?" He said, holding up the paper. Cas froze.
He let out a large breath. "Is it?" He asked nonchalantly.
"Yeah. It is." Gabe said, but there was almost a warning in his tone.
"Oh. That's odd. It's just what I pictured the car in the book we're reading to look like, what a coincidence." Castiel said defensively, getting up and plucking the paper from his brother's hands and gathering up his homework from the table. He began walking towards the stairs when Gabriel grabbed him arm to stop him.
"Don't worry, I'm just setting this down, I'll be-"
"Castiel. Is there something you're not telling me?" Gabe said, looking directly into Cas's eyes.
"No, everything is fine." Cas said, shrugging. "What?" He asked when this answer did not cause him to be released. Gabe looked from one eye to the other before sighing and dropping his arm. Castiel hurried upstairs, throwing everything down onto his desk and picking up his assignment for English. He smiled as he quickly scrawled a note and rushed back down the stairs.
~~~~~~~~~
"Alright, guys, bring your Chapter 5 reading questions up." Dean said, lookng up from his desk. He heard a few sighs and groans from around the room. "I better have 23 finished worksheets on this desk by the end of class, and I don't need to hear your bitching." He called our over the collective moan of the class. He glanced over at Cas, who was currently attempting to hide his fervent laughter. Dean's chest warmed. He loved watching Castiel laugh. The way his perfect teeth shown just under his soft, pink lips. The way his nose wrinkled and his eyes shut in pure joy.
Castiel looked up, making eye contact with Dean and smiling. He got up, bringing a piece of paper and holding up his hand in what Dean assumes was an offer to take Jo's. She handed it to him and he began walking towards Dean's desk. As the other students files away, Castiel took his place behind them, waiting until he was next up to turn in his work. He simply handed them to him with Jo's on top, as usual and sauntered away, maintaining eye contact over his shoulder as he walked away.
Dean watched, sighing heavily.
God damn.
When Castiel had finally sat down, Dean stood, rubbing his hands together and prepared for class to begin.
~~~~~~~
"You guys have about 15 minutes left. Get started on the next reading." Dean said, glancing at his watch and sliding back into his desk chair. He shuffled his paper around until he found Castiel's latest work. He covered his gaping mouth.
A sleek, black, '67 Impala appeared to speed across the bottom of the page. The words beneath it read:
Since you love your car so much (seriously who calls a car "baby"?), I thought I'd pay homage to the only thing I've ever seen you talk about that lights up your eyes. Hope it does her justice.
Dean ran a hand down his face and hummed excitedly. Cas was one of a kind.
~~~~~~~
Authors note: Exposition kills me. I just wanna get to everything I've planned out in my head I'm SO IMPATIENT GAH