Dean hated the first week back to classes: he was still getting used to his new schedule, people were being loud and crowding the street and acting like jackasses, and back at work he had no idea who the hell anyone was.

It's something you expect in classes, right? Especially at a huge fucking university, you were very unlikely to have the same people in your classes even twice in four years, so you go to new classes, you meet new people.

Except working in a university affiliated coffee place, the employees come and go like the seasons. Fucking literally. With a new semester, people quit work to focus on their new course load and people got hired to make up the deficit.

It was only Dean's third year and he could probably name maybe two people who had been there when he started. They were so impressed with his ability to actually keep the job that he was hired as a student manager. Dean Winchester was in charge of people. Dean. It was both hilarious and sad but Dean got a pay raise and authority to delegate the bitch work to noobs so he wasn't complaining.

He glanced at his watch and groaned. Well, he was complaining a little.

"Pam, when the hell can I get off this god-for-fucking-saken machine?" Dean called over to his supervisor as he steamed milk and queued shots. Dean was really good at his job but the monotony was killing him. "I've been standing in this spot for three fucking hours."

"Language!" She scolded him while washing dishes. They were always saying something while doing something else because this was a university coffee shop and didn't have much in the way of free time. "What time is it again?"

"Like five to eight!" he nearly cried. He knew when he proposed the hours for his Monday closing shifts that they would be a bitch but being actually in it, and not even being halfway done, was agony. Pam looked over briefly with sympathy before returning her eyes to the sink. Dean took the milk off the steamer and started steaming the next drink. There were a lot more steps in between – it was a system – but all Dean's mind was doing was 'steam, queue, poor, steam queue, poor' and honestly he wanted to die. "Didn't you say relief was coming?"

"Yeah, they should be here soon, but they're not trained yet." Dean made a noise that was half groan half-shout. "Fine! You big baby. I'll move people around so you can be in the back for a while. I'll take over here."

"You beautiful woman," Dean almost went over to kiss her cheek but that would have disrupted her work. He pat her on the ass instead. "I'm also gonna steal a cupcake from the pastry case."

"Dean Winchester, I didn't hear that!" But she sent a sly look at Dean who grinned and grabbed a cupcake.

Pam was cool.

He managed to wait until he got into the back room until he shoved the entire cupcake in his mouth. He moaned around the pastry, cupping his hands under his chin to catch crumbs, but otherwise being content to bask in the smooth sugary bliss.

"Classy, Dean." Dean didn't even bother opening his eyes as his coworker scoffed at him. He gave up trying to be cool around these people years ago: they never lasted long and who gave a fuck what they thought anyway? He met this particular coworker last spring and she managed to stay on. Good for her.

He hadn't realized she was talking to someone else untils she said his name again. "-Dean. He's gonna be your student manager." He thought he could hear a smirk in her tone. "Dean, say hello to Castiel. He's going to be closing Mondays with you this semester."

Dean opened his eyes so he could make eye contact with the newbie and give a perfunctory wave but when he actually saw the guy he choked on his only partly chewed cupcake.

His coworker, the girl – Rachel? – laughed at him as he wheezed and gasped around his mouthful of food. Couldn't she get him so water or something? Damn.

Castiel, for his part, looked concerned and like he'd have liked to help if he could approach close enough. This was impossible without him getting hit as Dean windmilled his arms and violently bucked his body as if hoping to dislodge the blockage in his windpipe by impersonating a chicken.

He finally managed to swallow and catch his breath as he leaned against the ice machine, avoiding eye contact with Castiel. The guy didn't seem like the type to laugh cruelly at Dean's embarrassment but Dean needed to avoid looking at him anyway: for his own physical safety.

Because Castiel was hot enough that he'd make Dean choke at first sight: who knows what would happen if Dean allowed himself a closer look.

All of that kind of went out the window, though, when Castiel put a hand on Dean's arm and Dean's head snapped in his direction without his permission. After the initial wave of hot oh my God beautiful so hot he's so hot hot hot eyes goddamn hot, Dean registered that besides Castiel's face projecting all of that, it was mostly expressing concern. "Are you alright?"

And shit fuck damn that voice. Dean thanked every god that he hadn't taken a sip of water like he wanted to because he would have just choked again. Dean hoped his stuttered breathing could be passed off as recovering from the near-death by cupcake.

"Y-yeah." He tried to smile. Castiel smiled back. "Thanks, Cas."

Cas blushed and Rachel snorted, reminding both boys that she was even still in the room. "Cas? Is that what you like to be referred to as, Castiel? Because I can tell people."

Cas's eyes tightened but he gave a small smile. "Whatever is fine."

Dean made a weird decision. "Nope! Everyone calls Cas 'Castiel'. What are you, a bunch of heathens? You will give this man respect and call him by his full angelic title!"

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "But you just called him 'Cas'."

Dean smirked and slung an arm across Cas's shoulders. "Boss privilege. I'm taking Cas under my wing, here. That means I get to use a nickname. Not you."

Rachel rolled her eyes, looking mildly pissy but she didn't care enough to fight. Dean looked over at Cas where he was hunched under Dean's arm to see if he'd done anything uncool but Cas looked perfectly comfortable with the situation: both the parameters on his name and being tucked into Dean's side like he was.

At that moment, another coworker came from the front. This one was a little more seasoned, though not as much as Dean, and he couldn't quite remember what her name was. "Rachel, Pam needs you to take over for Dean on bar. Dean, you're stuck training the rookie."

Dean grinned and gave a lofty bow to the girl. Only one handed, of course, as the other was still securing Cas firmly to his side. She shot an exasperated look at Rachel who Dean can only assume she returned before they both made their way back out to the front.

Dean finally released Cas so he could turn to face him. Cas was smiling too, a bit shyly. "Student managers are allowed to train people?"

"That's right!" Dean clapped him on the shoulder. "So that means you're totally my bitch forever! Or, at least until you get certified."

Castiel still had a slight blush on his face and there was still a touch of shyness in his smile, but Dean could clearly see a challenge in his eyes when he stepped confidently into Dean's space. "Well then, student manager," he cocked his head, his grin turning wicked, "I look forward to working under you."