"That was interesting" Sam commented from where the brothers were sat on their beds that night.

Dean, running true form, pointedly ignored him and honestly, he hadn't expected much else from Dean to begin with. His brother was a walking fortress if nothing else.

"It was really nice of Cas to actually wait with you" Sam prodded again.

"Shut up Sammy" The older sibling barked.

"Really? You aren't gonna say anything?" Sam questioned.

"Sure. Can we also braid your hair and make this a proper sleepover?" Dean snarked.

"You are impossible Dean" Sam huffed with all the superior dignity a fourteen year old could muster.

"Whatever bitch" Dean shrugged.

"Jerk" Sam threw back, then waited a full minute before trying again "It's nice to actually make friends isn't it?"

Dean remained silent. The only friend he considered himself having, was Caleb, and that did not go down well with Sam, because according to the little brat, other hunters did not count. And Dean was having Cas enough on his mind already, without Sam spending the evening bringing the other boy up. Subconsciously, his finger reached up to trace his lips, the taste of Castiel still fresh in his memory.

"Ugh!" Sam threw a pillow at his face, making Dean snap out of his haze.

"The hell was that for?" He demanded.

"I know that look" Sam complained, and when Dean raised a questioning eyebrow, he was faced with the prime bitchface "it's your how-soon-do-I-get-her-into-bed look"

Dean rolled his eyes and tried to look unaffected, but of course Sammy would know. And that made him realise that he was indeed imagining ravishing the dark haired boy.

"I thought you spent the day with Cas and he's in all your classes? Where did you even find the time for some stupid girl?" Sam demanded, and when Dean smirked, the younger brother sighed.

"It was the first day Dean!" He bemoaned, already resigned to his fate.

"What can I say Sammy, quickscore" Dean grinned but the words felt wrong. Talking about Cas like that was somehow unsettling. He was a friend, not just another ribbon on Dean's bedpost.

"Why can't you try to keep the friend you astonishingly made and be normal for once?" Sam asked before resolutely turning away on his bed and switching the night lamp off.

Dean sighed inaudibly and rolled on his side. They would move again, there was no doubt about that and he had no idea how soon that would be. So what were his options? Keep the friend like Sam suggested or try having more and lose Cas anyway?

Little did he know that neither Sam nor Cas were planning to give him much of a choice in the matter.

- SPN - SPN - SPN -

"Good morning Cas!" Sam greeted enthusiastically as they spotted the other boy the next morning.

"Good morning Sam" Castiel responded politely "Hello Dean"

"You ever actually take off that trench coat man?" Dean greeted only to see Sam rolling his eyes at him.

"I never got to thank you for waiting with Dean yesterday" Sam said instead.

"It was no problem Sam" Cas replied, his lips tugging up in the slightest smile.

"No really, its one thing to make Dean wait, but you didn't have to. That was really nice" Sam insisted, and it was Dean's turn to roll his eyes.

"Why don't you buy him a thank you card and a bunch of flowers too Samantha?" Dean asked sarcastically.

"Don't be such a jerk Dean, I'm only thanking him cuz I'm pretty sure you never did" Sam snapped

"It's quite alright Sam, I enjoy Dean's company" Castiel intervened.

"Well, at least one of us do" Sam muttered, throwing a dark look towards his brother, before facing the dark haired boy again "I will be late today too and-"

"Goddamnit Sammy what is-" Dean began when Sam continued right over his brother's swearing.

"And it would be really nice if you could maybe come over for dinner after?" Sam finished stubbornly.

The younger Winchester always had a tradition of inviting any new friend he made, over as soon as they moved, but inviting Cas was entirely uncalled for and Dean could only glare quietly.

"I would like that very much, thank you Sam" Castiel replied, obviously pleased.

"Great! It's pizza night! I'll see you then Cas. Bye Dean" Sam informed happily.

"Why don't you two go on a date then?" Dean griped as he watched Sam wave and turn away towards his own class.

"I would prefer to go on one with you Dean" Cas told him, face entirely earnest and all too close to Dean's for any form of coherence.

"You are asking me out?" he asked, slightly stunned. After all he was always the one that did the asking, not to mention he knew Cas for all of one day...

"It is the expression of romantic interest, correct?" Castiel questioned, his head tilting to the side again.

"Yes" Dean mumbled.

"Then yes, I am asking you out" Cas repeated, complete with air quotes. Dean was caught between groaning in embarrassment, laughing at the adorable being that was Castiel and balking at the fact that he had just been asked out.

"I uh Cas, I don't - I don't do that. Date, I mean. Not that you aren't - I just - I'm - I don't - relationships aren't for me" Dean had no idea why he was stammering or why he could feel his face go red, and Castiel's intense gaze wasn't helping.

"I understand" Castiel answered solemnly, making Dean's jaw go slack.

"That's - that's it?" Dean asked and when Castiel looked genuinely confused, the hunter drew in a long fortifying breath and mumbled "we are going to be late" and hurried away.

- SPN - SPN - SPN -

Dean was oddly silent as they sat through economics. The laid back attitude from yesterday was gone. His shoulders were tense again and his lips were pressed into a thin line as he sat rigidly in the seat next to Cas. The entire hour passed that way and Castiel, accustomed enough to Dean's moods kept to himself.

When they walked to English though, the angel noticed Dean shoot contemplative glances at him, and that kept up for the duration of their lesson too. He was tempted to ask, but was wiser than that, and waited for the hunter to bring it up himself.

And knowing Dean, his anger always surfaced sooner rather than later. That happened to be during their walk across the campus, to their lab, when Dean abruptly grabbed him by the elbow.

"Dean?" Castiel questioned patiently.

"Are we good?" Dean asked, his tone honestly worried.

"What do -" Cas began when he was interrupted.

"Us, Cas. You and me? We good?" Dean demanded tensely.

"Of course" Castiel assured with a smile, but it seemed to be the wrong response, because Dean visibly drew away.

"Right" The hunter answered shortly before stalking away wordlessly.

The next two hours saw Dean, putting as much distance as he could between the two of them, and Castiel was honestly confused. His added apology did not seem to help matters either.

Actually, as far as Dean was concerned, Castiel's confusion was only adding to his bad mood. A part of him wanted to put more distance between himself and Cas and honestly, he didn't even know why he was bothered. The guy said it was okay, why the hell should Dean care? He wasn't even the one that got rejected.

Oh right. Because Dean only ever messed with the douche bags. Screwing over those that needed to be knocked down a notch or two never bothered him, and he always kept his distance from the nicer people. Apart from Robin. That was a mistake he wasn't repeating.

Which he supposed was the problem with Cas. The dude was naive. That much was obvious from yesterday. He was also oddly... childlike. Curious and sweet and Dean was not going to mess that up.

"You look like you have quite a lot on your mind" A voice yanked him back into reality.

He was standing right at the end of the queue in the cafeteria, with a full tray, and by the look of things, had been here a little longer than he was supposed to be. The brunette from one of his classes was standing in front of him, openly eyeing him up.

"That was before I even noticed you" Dean drawled, more out of habit than actual appreciation of the girl in front of him.

"Well, I can keep you distracted longer if you join us at the table?" The girl offered, already slipping a guiding hand on his wrist. She was obviously one of the high and mighty, that assumed that being good looking, earned them the new hot guy just like that. And she was the exact kind of girl Dean generally screwed with, not people like Cas.

Speaking of, Dean paused to notice Castiel, a couple of steps behind him, and looking slightly unsure of himself. He also noticed Sam across the room, sitting at what was obviously the nerd table, and watching him. Which was, of course, just perfect.

"Got someone who can do that better than you, so another time sweetheart" Dean answered, drawing his hand away from hers. If she was going to be offended, Dean did not care enough to wait around and get a look. Instead, he turned on his heel and headed towards his brother.

"You just gonna stand there Cas?" Dean threw over his shoulder as he walked past the other boy, but resolutely avoided turning around to check if Castiel followed.

Only once he had flopped carelessly into the seat next to Sam, did he notice the bright smile he was receiving from the younger boy; and a part of him was already regretting this.

"Not a word bitch" He snapped.

"I wasn't going to say anything you jerk!" Sam tossed back, but he was still evidently pleased as he turned to the other senior next "It's nice of you to join us Cas"

"Thank you Sam" Castiel answered just as politely.

"Oh and by the way, this is Allen and Shawna, Tracy, James, Matt and Chris" Sam introduced.

"Hello" Castiel greeted pleasantly while Dean just rolled his eyes.

"Right, Math geeks?" he enquired in greeting.

"Dean!" Sam began to protest when one of the girls suddenly piped up.

"Yes, but we aren't all that boring. And we like fun. And we like boys. especially hot ones like you. I mean my sister thinks you are completely hot, not me. I - I mean, I do too. But-" The girl was going to run out of air and was flushing bright red when Dean decided to show some mercy.

"Breathe" He advised, even as he threw a questioning glance towards a very resigned looking Sam.

"Her sister Amy is in your history class" He offered in explanation. Dean only shrugged.

"No clue" He commented before catching his brother's look "What? It's been two days Sammy! Excuse me if I didn't bother with names yet"

"Amy is the quiet girl in the second row. She looks very much like her sister" Castiel offered in explanation, making Dean's head snap up to meet blue eyes.

"You know people in our class?" Dean demanded.

"I have been here longer than you Dean" Castiel responded, entirely neutral.

"Yeah, a week doesn't count as much Cas" Dean countered "Besides it's not like you knew barbie doll over there?" He questioned, glancing backward towards where the brunette from earlier was seated.

"That's Bethany Mills! She is amazing!" One of the boys at the table jumped in before Cas could reply.

"She seems to think so" Dean dismissed before returning his attention to Cas.

"Well?" He questioned, but once again Cas wasn't given a chance to answer.

"And she is coming here" The boy from before interrupted.

"With Zoe Tate and Emily Ross" Was the excited whisper from beside Sam. And every person at the table, Sam and Cas included seemed to glance towards the approaching trio while Dean continued to keep his attention on his food.

"Not your type?" Sam questioned wryly. Dean noticed Castiel watching, and threw him a questioning look.

"Perhaps the blonde" Castiel answered remembering several fair headed women he had seen Dean with previously. The answered reignited Dean's previous spark of irritation in full force.

Swinging his legs over the seat and turning around fluidly, Dean put on his best smile as he noticed the girls.

"Hello ladies" He smirked.

"You could have told me you wanted to sit with your brother" Bethany cooed.

"It's really sweet of you Dean" One of the other's added.

"Would have mentioned it if I knew it would get you here" Dean grinned, relaxing against the table almost lazily.

"You should have just asked" The blonde suggested, before turning her attention to the gaping group that was Sam's friends "You lot, scuttle"

"I don't think so." Dean intervened before Sam could even fully form his bitch face, but the next part of his rude comeback died when he noticed Cas chewing calmly at his food "Besides, you don't need the extra space"

With that Dean grabbed her wrist and motioned for her to sit on his lap, something she seemed more than eager to comply with.

- SPN - SPN - SPN -

Lunch hour had been tediously long, and though Dean had managed to keep his smile and flirt shamelessly, his attention had been solely focused on a very unperturbed Castiel. Every passing minute made Dean irrationally angrier than the last, and containing his irritation stopped being an option once it was just him and the dark haired boy heading for their next class.

"We need to talk" Dean insisted, suddenly grabbing Castiel's stupid coat and halting their progress.

"Of course." Castiel nodded solemnly, his attention turned wholly towards Dean.

"Don't say that" Dean snapped, tired of the constant calm.

"Don't say what Dean?" Came the curious question that had Dean letting go of the fabric and throwing up his hands in frustration.

"Ugh. forget it. Just…. never mind." Dean mumbled, pushing past the confused boy and entirely prepared to storm away.

"Dean -" Castiel began but the young hunter was not having it.

"Class. That way" Dean growled, trying to walk away, when Castiel finally pulled him back with a little force.

"Something is bothering you" The other boy assessed.

"Bothering me? Bothering -" Dean huffed with the effort to lower his volume as he continued "I kissed you!"

"What?" Cas questioned, a flicker of hurt stealing over his face and making Dean feel ever angrier.

"I kissed you. And then I said no. And I flirted with some random chick right in front of you. You don't see anything wrong with that?" He tilted his head and frowned heavily.

"You did do all that but I do not understand what-" The clearly spoken words grated at Dean.

"I did all that and you are supposed to be pissed about it you idiot!" Dean informed, frustration spiking further.

"I don't see why" Castiel insisted, his confusion too reaching new levels.

"Forget it." Dean declared, giving up entirely.

If Castiel wasn't bothered by it then Dean was just going to count himself as lucky and move on.

A/N: Nothing is ever simple with Dean Winchester is it? :) Please do leave reviews!