Castiel was freaking out. He looked desperately through his closet, trying, to no avail, to find something to wear. He had thought of texting Jo and Charlie, but didn't quite know how to phrase the question without making it very obvious what he was doing. Looking out his window, he saw the cloudy, grey sky of a fall afternoon. It wasn't too cold yet, but at night it got down into chilly territory.
Do I dress warm? What if we'll be indoors? Will it be too hot?
He pulled out his phone, painfully aware of how little he new about tonight.
So, about this mysterious date.
D: I'm not telling you, if that's what you're asking.
C: You're no fun.
D: I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise.
C: Will you at least tell me what attire would be appropriate? I don't want to wade through a river in a three-piece suit, you know?
D: You own a suit...?
C: You don't?
D: I'm a teacher, not an FBI agent.
C: Well EXCUSE ME
D: Dress for being outside, but nothing too rugged. We aren't going far. Ditch the suit.
C: Alas, not everyone can be as bespoke as I.
D: In your dreams, pretty boy.
Castiel laughed.
He turned back to the closet and sighed, hands on his hips.
Alright, what am I doing?
He began pulling out options and laying them out together on his bed. He put on the first outfit and took a few pictures at different angles. He repeated this for the next two, then sent them all to the group chat he had lovingly named Charlie's Angels.
Cas: Okay ladies. Mini fashion show. I needa look hot so pick your fav
Charles: Hmmmmmmmmm I like the second one
Jo: I like the jacket from the first one, but I like the overall vibe of the second one
Cas: Second it is. Thank yooouuuu
Jo: Any reassoonnn??? 😏
Charles: DOES CASSIE HAVE A D A T E
Cas: NO
Jo: DO YOU
Cas: NO JESUS. I'm just trying things out
Jo: You'd tell us if you did tho??
Charles: HE BETTER 😡
Castiel bit his lip. It didn't feel great lying to them, but he knew it was for the best.
Cas: Yes I would oml I literally only talk to you two
Charles: well who knows if you finally decided to take Balth up on his offer 👀👀😛
Cas: C H A R L I E
Charles: WHAT he's liked you for like three years Cassie
Jo: He did tell Garth that you're...what was it?
Charles: the only guy he'd ever let ram him into next week
Cas: i'm throwing my phone in the toilet
Cas: bye
Castiel threw his phone on his bed, shuddering. Gross. Sorry Balth.
He changed into the winning outfit: a gauzy white t-shirt, a pair of fitted and cuffed jeans, a thick, black bomber jacket, and a pair of Union Jack Docs. He added a delicate, black velvet choker and a circular pair of silver chain earrings.
He surveyed his work in his full-length mirror.
That'll do.
~~~~~~~~
"Hey, I'm gonna go watch movies at Charlie's. I'll be back later." Castiel said, leaning against the crisp molding edging the wall of the entry into the living room. Anna looked up from where she sat on the couch, book in hand.
"Okay, don't stay out too late." She said turning back to her book.
Castiel twirled his keys on his finger as he swung open the front door and practically skipped out.
There was only one thing on his mind tonight.
Dean.
~~~~~~
When Castiel pulled up to the park, he checked the time on his dash.
6:52
I'm a little early.
Castiel's thoughts were racing, his stomach tight with nerves. What were they going to do? What if he said something stupid? What if he DOES something stupid? What if-
He was jolted out of his head by a small knock on his window. His eyes shot to the window in question. He saw Dean leaning down and smiling at him. He laughed nervously, pulling the keys out of the ignition and opening his door. Dean stepped aside to let him out.
"No suit?" Dean teased. Cas rolled his eyes.
"Disappointed?" He said lowly, stepping towards Dean, effectively backing him against his car.
"Can't say that I'm ever disappointed when it comes to you." Dean said, resting a hand on either side of his hips.
"Is that so?" Cas was whispering now, breath hot on Dean's lips as he ghosted across them. Dean gulped. Abruptly, Castiel spun around and waltzed away from him, peering over his shoulder. "Lucky me."
Dean shook his head, kissing his teeth.
This kid...
Castiel laughed and turned around, walking backwards.
"So, what's this plan of yours, mystery man?" He inquired.
Dean took his weight off the car and began walking towards his own.
He gestured to the Impala. "Our chariot awaits."
Cas walked towards the car and reached for the handle of the passenger door when Dean stepped in.
"Allow me." He said.
"Wow, I'm really getting the princess treatment tonight, huh? Thank you." Cas smirked, patting Dean's ass as he stepped in. Dean smiled goofily, pleasantly surprised.
He rushed around to the opposite side of the car and entered, turning the key in the key in the ignition.
"So this is the infamous 'baby'." Cas said, glancing around at the leather interior.
"Does she live up to expectation?" Dean chuckled, backing out.
"Even if she didn't, I don't think I'd be allowed within ten feet of you if I said so." Cas said, gazing out the window at the orange, coral, and pink wash of the sky as the sun lowered further and further down beyond the horizon.
When he felt a large, soft hand grip his own, his head snapped in Dean's direction. Dean's eyes were focused on the road, a small smile on his lips. Castiel laced his fingers through Dean's, feeling his chest warm and his lips curl.
~~~~~~~~
Dean pulled off of the long stretch of road they'd been on for the last ten minutes onto a craggily patch of asphalt leading into a patch of trees. He continued along the bumpy path, and soon the only light that could be seen in the thickening woods was the headlights of the Impala.
Castiel was nervous for a myriad of reasons now: he was going on a date with the most attractive guy he had ever laid his eyes on, but said guy (that he didn't know very well) was also taking him into a very remote patch of woods near a body-dumping-esque river. He subconsciously turned to his best defense tactic.
"So, do you take all your dates out into horror movie forests or am I just special?" He said, putting up his casual, flirty facade. Dean chuckled.
"Just you, I'm afraid, but our situation is a bit special, isn't it? Can't exactly go out on the town." Dean said, rubbing his thumb across Castiel's knuckles.
"Yeah, I guess it is." He replied softly. Dean parked in a small, circular offshoot of dirt. He looked over at Cas.
"You ready?" He said, raising his eyebrows.
"I suppose, I just wish I knew what for." Castiel smirked, grasping the door handle as he clicked it open.
"Hey, hey, hey! I'm trying to be a gentleman over here!" Dean said, scrambling out and rushing around to the other side of the car.
By the time he reached Castiel, he was already standing, elbows propped up on the door and the roof of the car. He raised a brow at Dean, smirking.
"Gentleman, huh?" He said, chuckling as Dean huffed. He stepped out, shutting the door and Dean clicked the locks shut. "Lead the way." Castiel said, arms out.
Dean offered a hand, and Cas took it, letting himself be led along to their destination.
As they walked, hands clasped together, Castiel gazed up at the speckling of stars above them.
"You know, for being a pretty ominous date location, it's actually really nice out here." He said wryly.
"You haven't even seen where we're going yet, just you wait." Dean said excitedly.
"Can't wait." Cas said quietly, lost in the sight of the trees around them.
They walked in silence for a while, though Castiel didn't feel as though it were uncomfortable. He would often glance over at Dean, occasionally earning a small, shy smile, and sometimes just to admire the rosy cheeks dotted with freckles amidst his perfect skin and impeccable profile.
About five minutes in, Dean turned their direction slightly, saying "It's right over here."
They stepped out into a small clearing in the trees with a carpet of wildflowers lining its floor. A small, grassy path had been made, leading to a circular patch of soft grass in the center. In the very center of THAT was the large stump of a long fallen tree, its slightly jagged edges indicating the natural separation from its tree. It was quite an odd formation to have occurred naturally. Castiel's eyes wandered over it in awe.
"This is beautiful. How did you find this...?" He said, breaking his bewildered gazing to look back at Dean.
"My brother and I came across it when we were younger. I don't think anyone else really knows about it." He said, stepping forward to place an arm around Castiel's small waist. He looked down at Cas, the wonder still clearly present on his face as his eyes darted around the large break in the trees.
"Do you like it? I hope it's an okay first date spot." He laughed nervously, looking at Castiel hopefully. He soon met the younger boy's eyes.
"It's amazing, Dean." He said simply, smiling widely up as he shifted his body to face him.
Castiel snaked his arms around Dean's neck and leaned forward, slowly bringing his lips closer to Dean's. Dean closed the space, pressing his lips into Castiel's as his arms enclosed his waist. They moved in perfect harmony. Castiel couldn't help but think:
Kissing someone has never felt so right.
~~~~~~~~
Sometime later, they lay next to each other in the soft grass, staring up at the stars.
"Cassiopeia is the W shaped one."
"Cassiopeia....?"
Cas laughed. "She was a queen banished to the stars by Poseidon for saying her and her daughter were more beautiful than all of Poseidon's sea nymphs. The W is supposed to be her arms because she's chained to her celestial throne." He said, pointing to the constellation above them.
"Huh. How do you know that...?" Dean said, turning his head to look at Cas.
"Astrology camp." He said simply, shrugging at Dean.
Dean laughed. "You went to ASTROLOGY camp?"
Cas smacked his arm. "Shut up." He groaned.
"What a nerd." Dean smiled fondly at Castiel.
"Says the guy with life-size posters of Lady Macbeth and Titus Andronicus." Cas retorted.
"They are HANDS DOWN the best Shakespeare characters!" Dean exclaimed. Cas sat up and leaned over him.
"Who's the nerd now?" He said, kissing him gently. He pulled back and smiled, then laid back down next to him.
They lay silent for a few moments.
"Where did you learn to sing? Or did you just pop out a rock star." Dean asked.
"I took lessons when I was younger, but I stopped to focus on viola and piano." He said. Now it was Dean's turn to sit up.
"Wait, you play viola too?"
Cas chuckled. "Why else would I be in orchestra?" He said, smirking at Dean.
Dean laid back down. "Wow." He whispered.
"What?" Cas asked. Dean took a moment to reply.
"There's just so much I don't know about you." He said gently.
"I hardly know anything about you." Cas said, matching his soft and wistful tone.
"I'd like to change that." Dean said.
"Me too." Cas replied. "So tell me everything I need to know."
"What do you want to know?" Dean asked. Castiel thought for a moment.
"How are you only 24, but you're already a pretty established teacher here?" Castiel asked a question he'd been curious about for a while.
"I went to college here, so I student taught here throughout me getting my degree. I also went to LHS when I was in high school, so I already knew a lot of the teachers that worked there. I shadowed your brother for a semester too, actually." He said.
"So, you have a Bachelors??" Cas asked.
"Yeah, two actually. I double majored in English and Education." Dean said shyly.
"Damn. You wasted no time. Double majoring AND finishing residency before your graduate. That's amazing." Cas said, impressed.
"I went to a local college, it really wasn't a big deal. And what about you, hot shot? Where are you going to college?" Dean quickly changed the subject. Castiel sighed.
"This is very un-rock and roll of me. It's actually pretty nerdy. I don't know if I want to tell you." He said, smirking at Dean.
Dean groaned, "Come on! I told you my nerdy secrets."
Castiel laughed. "Fair point. New England Conservatory."
"Oh, wow. That sounds fancy." Dean said, surprised.
Cas looked over at him.
"They have some of the best string programs in the world. It's super tough to get in, so I'm not banking on anything." He sighed, looking back up.
"I mean, I just wouldn't have expected you to want to go somewhere so...." Dean chose his words carefully. "Stuffy? I don't know, it just seems like they'd tie you down, you know?"
Castiel chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure they would."
"So, why go there?" Dean asked slowly.
"I think a classical education is important. Knowing the fundamentals builds a foundation for everything else. Plus, Gabe's really been pushing me towards the conservatories. He really wants me to play viola professionally." Castiel muttered. Dean looked at him, attempting to study his blank face.
"But..." he said, Castiel glancing over at him. "But what do YOU want to do?"
"Get a record deal, tour in a band, be a millionaire, burn an effigy pile of violas in the backyard of my mansion." He said. Dean laughed.
"And I'm guessing New England Conservatory isn't quite your rock and roll fantasy, huh?" Dean asked.
"More like my brothers wet dream." He rolled his eyes.
"So, and I may be out of my lane here, don't go." Dean said simply. Cas looked at him, the pair studying each other's faces.
"Well, I'm applying to some other schools too." He said weakly.
"If it won't lead you to what you want, then why pursue it at all?" Dean said. Castiel nodded.
"I know, it's just, it's hard to know what WILL take me where I want to go." Cas said. Dean leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"You have time to sit on it for a while, no need to stress about it now." He said, hoping to lift Cas out of his stupor. He smiled up at him.
"You're right. I'm sorry I got all heavy there, we're supposed to be on a date right now, not Castiel lament about college time." He said, sitting up and looking away.
"And getting to know you is the perfect date activity. So thank you. For telling me." Dean said, sitting cross-legged and facing him.
Cas smiled. "Thank you for listening."