Stay Awake With Me - Destiel College!AU - Part 2

Part 2 - Intentions of Spying

Once Cas started thinking about Dean, he couldn't stop. He saw a dog and thought of Dean and that fluffy beast that had attacked him. He drank coffee in the cafeteria and wished that he was sitting in a comfortable silence with Dean smiling to himself across from him. Cas went through classes without really paying attention. His professors all asked him if he was feeling okay and he nodded and smiled at them as he wandered off, head in the clouds.

Once again, Cas was dreaming of Dean. There was a sense of urgency in the dreams. As if Cas had to protect Dean from something very big and very bad. He didn't know what, but the events in his dreams were quickly taking a bad turn. Cas and Dean were fighting. Then they weren't talking, and when Cas woke up, his cheeks were wet with tears and he was panting.

As he pulled himself out of the bed, he groaned and lifted up his shirt. His stomach was patchy and bruised and looking around the room, he noticed a few things had fallen from their usual places. Cas got dressed and limped outside.

Balthazar sat in the hallway, drinking from a flask, a silly look on his face. Drunk already. "Wow… you look like crap," he said and Cas just rolled his eyes and staggered past.

He prodded at his stomach as he walked, wondering if he should put an Ice pack on it or something. He decided against the idea. He'd just go for a walk until he felt better.

"Hey, angel boy!"

Cas turned around as he walked towards the café, trying to ignore the cold that came along with forgetting to wear a jacket.

Dean was smiling and sauntering across the road towards him, earning an angry honk from a car that he forced to stop. He chuckled as he got to the other side and clapped his hand on Castiel's shoulder.

"Hello Dean," Cas said and felt his ears burning.

"You okay, Cas?"

"Castiel."

"Right…. Yeah…. Um…  You look like you're in pain…"

Cas shifted his gaze, staring down at the plain old concrete path. "I just had a rough night." He winced and shivered at the same time and his teeth began to chatter.

Dean smiled softly and gave him a little nudge. "Come on, want to see my baby?" He grinned mischievously as he tugged lightly on Castiel's sleeve. He looked like a little kid, eager to show off a new toy.

Dean's 'baby' was sitting in a garage with a small store out the front. Dean announced that it was his. Well, he worked there anyway, by himself most of the time. The car was black and shiny and was blasting classic rock when Dean and Cas arrived.

"It's… uh… nice…." Cas mumbled. He didn't know anything about cars.

"She's beautiful!" Dean rubbed the bonnet of the car affectionately. "1967 Chevy Impala," he said and looked up at Cas as if for approval.

Cas took a step back. His foot landed on a tube of metal and he slipped, crashing back into the work bench and sending things flying.

Dean burst out laughing and held out a hand to pull him up.

Cas took hold of it, but when he tried getting to his feet, he merely succeeded in falling back down again, dragging Dean down with him. Cas laughed breathlessly as Dean hovered over him, his eyes raking up and down his body. Cas took a deep shaky breath and tried to calm his heart, which was rapidly speeding up.  He half closed his eyes and lifted his head up a bit so that he was closer to Dean.

Dean rolled to the side, panting slightly, and eyes wide. "Let's try that again, shall we?" he whispered, a smile in his voice. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, streaking oil along it.

Cas couldn't help but smile.

"Oh and hey," Dean said, glancing at Cas out of the corner of his eye. "Happy Thursday, Cas." He smiled. A smile so warm Cas was afraid that his insides would go all mushy. Cas shivered and got to his feet. His teeth began chattering again, and they didn't stop. "You're not going to correct me?"

"For what?" Cas tipped his head on the side, puzzled.

"I called you Cas…" Dean smiled smugly.

"So you did… I guess I don't mind… I let my friends use my nickname…" He was quiet, but Dean heard him.

Dean shook his head, a smile stretching across his face. "Let's go get you some place warm," he said and they headed to the café.

The full realisation of what was going on smacked into Cas as Dean ushered him along the footpath. He'd called Dean a friend. Dean was his friend. Attractive, strong, mechanic Dean could now walk around saying that he was friends with Castiel.

It started to rain as they walked. Light rain, slowly drenching the pair. They hurried into the café and Dean ran his hands through his hair, letting droplets of water fly in all directions.

"CASTIEL! Where have you been? You said you'd be here early!" Anna shrieked and leapt over the counter, throwing her arms around the man who stood in the doorway, stunned.

Cas smiled guiltily. "I bumped into Dean and well…" his hand went to the back of his neck and he looked away.

Dean grinned at Anna. He stepped closer to her. "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" he whispered into her ear. He obviously didn't expect that Cas could hear him… but he could.


Castiel stayed in the café well after Dean had left. "So what did you guys talk about?" He asked after finally re-joining his friend. She and Dean had whispered privately for what felt like an eternity. Then Dean had left and Cas had suddenly had the urge to throw something at the wall.

Anna shrugged. "He asked me if I'd go to this party thing with him."

Cas felt his stomach drop. "And uh…. What did you say?"

"I said yes," she raised an eyebrow. "What is it to you anyway?"

It was Cas' turn to shrug. He scratched at a bug bite on his arm and tried his best not to care. But Dean was going out with Anna, and that hurt.

The mere thought of Anna and Dean being along together was enough to make his stomach churn. Cas got up, flashed a smile in Anna's direction and headed back out into the cold, kicking at the ground angrily.

After a while, he decided to ask Anna a bit more about the party. He pulled out his phone and sent her a message.

Sorry I left like that. Really needed to go to the bathroom. Where's the party?

*sigh* I'll only tell you because I know you hate parties like that. Promise you won't mention it to anyone else?

I promise.

Anna texted him back the details and Cas thanked her. He didn't know what he was planning to do, but he was definitely not alright with his best friend going out with a man he'd just met.

It was strange that she was attracted to him at all actually… She'd been the one to point out how good looking he was to Cas… Then again, it may not have meant what Castiel had assumed it to mean.


The next night, at the very last minute, Cas decided to go to the party. He was alone. He wouldn't have come at all if he hadn't had the intention of spying on Dean and Anna. Flashing lights could be seen from a mile away, and Cas felt a bit woozy as soon as he entered the building.

There were people everywhere. Dancing, standing around or pressed up against a wall, about to do something they would regret.

Cas shuffled to the stairs and moved up a few, looking around for a flash of Anna's red hair, or Dean's leather jacket.

The people bumped and grinded against each other in a way that should not be called dancing as the music pulsed through every fibre in of the house.

He sighed and moved from the stairs to enter the fray. It was a suicide mission and he knew it. Thankfully, the song ended, replace by a much softer one. The people around him slowed down and Cas looked at them.

He saw Dean then. His arms were wrapped tightly around Anna and hers around him. Anna was smiling as if she was daydreaming and Dean was staring vacantly over her shoulder.

As Castiel watched, Anna pulled Dean's face down to hers and kissed him. Dean kissed back. Cas' breath caught and he felt a bit light headed. Since when did kissing affect him like this? Since it's Dean kissing , his brain reminded him. He felt sick. And dizzy. Like he was going to pass out. People whizzed past him in a blur, bumping into him and jostling him around. The swarm of bodies closed in on him. He collapsed, finding it difficult to breathe.

"Cas?!" The voice was loud, even with the music filling Castiel's head.

Cas tried to find its source, but all he could see were legs and feet. The world spun once again and he crumpled in on himself, head smacking against the floor as he blacked out.

--

"What were you even doing there Castiel?" Anna asked, her tone sad.

Cas blinked away the last of the fuzziness and opened his eyes.  

Anna sat over him and Dean stood behind her.

Cas pushed himself into a sitting position and looked down at the red bug bite on his arm. He didn't want to have to speak right now. He didn't trust his mouth.

"Dude, you okay?" Dean sounded so concerned that when Cas looked up, all he could see was Dean. It was as if Anna wasn't there at all.

"I'm alright. Thank you for your concern," he nodded, not taking his eyes away from Dean's.

Dean smiled and Cas felt as he would burst. Everything was green eyes and smiles, throaty chuckles and light and Castiel was lost, but a good lost… the kind of lost where you never wanted to be found.

Anna eyed him suspiciously. "You should have said something," she hissed when left to piss.

Cas jolted back into reality and turned to his friend. "Huh?"

"Why didn't you tell me that you like him?!"

"I… I don't…" even as he said it, Cas knew it was a bad lie.

Anna rolled her eyes. "God, I feel awful now! I mean I kissed him! Ugh."

Cas frowned. He remembered the ache that had spread through his body at the sight of them kissing. It was confusing. It was certainly nothing he had ever felt before. He didn't LIKE, like Dean did he? Well… maybe he did…. "I don't…"

"You so do!"

Castiel knitted his fingers together and looked at his best friend with that calm expression that he was so good at. "I doubt I'm his type anyway," he said before zipping his lip as Dean came back in. His stomach tied itself in knots and he prayed that Dean hadn't heard him. It was difficult to tell.

"I'll drive you both home," Dean said tossing his keys in the air and catching them again.

Cas got to his feet. Two sets of eyes were on him as he swayed momentarily.

Anna smiled once he was steady and headed out the door.

Cas looked around the room. It hadn't occurred to him that he was still at the party. He'd assumed that he was at his, or Anna's, or even Dean's. Cas took a wobbly step forward and his legs felt so much like jelly, that they just fell out from underneath him.

Dean caught his arm before he crashed to the floor. "Do I have to carry you?" He asked, a smile playing at his lips, but a very serious look in his eyes.

Cas' cheeks burned and he shook his head furiously.

Dean grinned and swept Castiel off his feet.

"No. Dean! Dean, I can walk!" He shouted, but Dean happily ignored him as he whistled and carried Cas as if he weighed nothing.

Anna burst out laughing when she saw them. Tears formed in her eyes as her laughing went quiet and she had to lean against the wall for support. The booming of the weird, pop music was still making everything vibrate.

Cas folded his arms across his chest and thought heavy thoughts. "This is not funny."

Anna wiped her eyes and stood up straight. "I'm sorry. BUT YES IT IS!"

Cas growled. He looked up at Dean. "Please, Dean?"

"You're just a big baby in a trench coat Castiel," he chuckled and set Cas down.

Cas blinked a few times and turned away from the man. It wasn't the first time someone had called him that. His older brother had said the same thing when Cas had first shrugged on his father's coat. He did not like it.

"I think you just hurt his feelings," Anna mumbled, rolling her eyes. "Come on, let's go already! This party was sucking anyway!"

Dean made to scoop Cas up again but received a sharp jab in the stomach and got the message. He beamed at the Impala proudly and slid into the driver's side.

"Shotgun!" Anna shouted and hopped in.

Cas sat grumpily in the back seat as they set off. When they got to Anna's place (she didn't live on campus), the goodbye was a bit awkward.
She hugged Cas, whispering "Go get him tiger," and giggling as she stood back. When it came to saying goodbye to Dean, she blushed slightly and held out her hand.

Dean shook it awkwardly and smiled. He looked slightly confused and Cas didn't blame him.

"I had a fun night, Dean. Thanks," Anna waved and skipped up the stairs to the house she shared with 2 other girls.

Dean hopped back in the car and motioned for Cas to follow.

Cas slid into the passenger seat watched Dean as he started the engine.

"Do you mind if I turn the music up?" Dean asked, his voice going quiet.

Cas shrugged and turned to look out the window.

The song that started playing got louder and Dean began singing along loudly. Very loudly.

Cas had to say, he had a lot of enthusiasm. He rested his head against the window and shut his eyes, listening to the sound of Dean's voice. It was a good sound. Carefree and light hearted and fun.

"Come on, Cas, you must know this song! Join in!" Dean laughed and hit Castiel's stomach playfully. He hit one the bruises.

Cas winced and frowned. He still wasn't sure how he got them and he didn't particularly want to find out. "I'm sorry, Dean. I don't know the song."

Dean slammed his foot on the breaks and turned to face Cas who was holding himself from the dashboard, wide eyed. "Do you live under a rock, man?"

Cas smiled slightly. He found Dean amusing.

Dean noticed Cas' hand on his stomach and frowned, reach out to pull his hand away.

Cas let Dean take his hand. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through his veins and he gasped for air.

Dean carefully lifted up the shirt and examined the bruised skin. "What did you do?" he asked.

"I have no idea…. I just woke up one morning with all these bruises."

Dean smiled cheekily. "Maybe I should stay the night and watch what happens…"

If Cas had been eating, he certainly would have choked on his food at that moment. As it was, his eyes widened and he spluttered something that did not sound like English.

"Relax, angel boy," Dean patted Castiel's knee and took the handbrake off, beginning the drive again.

It wasn't a long car ride and Cas was almost sad when it ended and he had to get out into the cold and the florescent light of his dorm. Cas tugged his coat around him and headed towards the entrance. It felt like an unusually long walk…

"Cas, wait up!" Dean shouted and there were footsteps from behind Cas.

Cas turned around.

Dean grabbed him by the collar and pulled him forwards, smashing their lips together.

Cas closed his eyes and leaned into the man that was holding him, breathing him in as he let a different dizziness than the one from the party over take him. He swayed slightly, but Deans strong arms were wound tightly around his waist and Castiel felt safe.

Dean pulled back and raised an eye brow questioningly.

Cas smiled, eyes half closed and shirt crinkled. "What was that for?" he asked, completely out of breath.

Dean licked his lips. "Just a little experiment," he whispered, placing a kiss on Castiel's forehead. "The results were rather interesting actually…."

Cas blinked as if he were waking from a dream and a slightly panicked look flashed in his eyes. "And?" he knew how nervous he sounded and mentally hit himself for it.

Dean nodded slowly to no one in particular before smiling. "If you'll meet me in the park and 11 o'clock tomorrow, I'll let you know the conclusion I draw…" With that, he grinned, swaggered back off to his 'baby' and left.