Dean picked the book up and handed it to Cas, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"What do you mean you know?" Charlie asked Dean, confused.

"I gave your friend a ride to the hospital one day."

Charlie looked back and forth between her two friends. Cas could see the wheels turning in her head.

"Dean, do you mind talking to me for a minute?"

He nodded brusquely at Charlie before following her until they were out of earshot.

Charlie glanced at Cas, as she spoke to Dean angrily. He shook his head repeatedly.

What are they talking about? Cas wondered.

Charlie dragged Dean over to Cas, with a forced smile.

"Well, Cas. Dean seems to be under the impression that he made you… uncomfortable, or something, but he won't tell me why..."

He knew what she was talking about. At some point in the car ride, Dean had placed his jacket on Cas to keep him warm. But to Cas, it had seemed like he made Dean uncomfortable, or embarrassed, not the other way around.

Cas suddenly realised why he hadn't been himself lately. Sure, his siblings were hurt, but he was angry and concerned about that. No, this was about Dean.

I… like Dean? How did I not see this sooner. I was distracted because all I could think about was the fact that he was ignoring me. It hurt.

Cas shook his head vigorously and looked at Dean"No. I'm pretty sure it's the other way around. He's been ignoring me."

Dean glanced up, surprise apparent on his face.

"Cas, I-" Dean ran his hand through his hair, "I didn't know… I thought I had scared you off."

Charlie smiled sagely, "I think it's time to repay you, Cas. I was hoping something like this would happen one day, but you're such a recluse..."

Dean, whom had been able to look Cas in the eye now, looked towards Charlie. "What?"

"Cas 'found' me a girlfriend," she said proudly. "He set us up on a date because I wasn't brave enough to ask her."

"So... " Cas said, worriedly. "What do you mean by you're 'going to repay me'?"

"I'm closing early." she explained, "I mean- Sarah and I are going on a date, but… I think you guy's should get to know each other."

Cas groaned internally, trying to interpret Dean's reaction, but he had a good poker face. "Well…" he mumbled, "Only if he's okay with it."

Dean gave Cas a small smile, 'I'm starving."

"So, what happened to you? I asked our Myth teacher and he said you had 'family matters'."

Dean set down his burger, "It was nothing. I just needed to get a break," he said, offhandedly.

Cas didn't respond. He didn't really know Dean that well, but he felt there was more to the story. However, he didn't push it.

"Where'd you get the car?" Cas asked, changing the subject.

"It was my dad's," Dean said, his expression unreadable, "He decided it was time for him to get something 'slower, with better gas mileage,'" He chucked, "I don't mind, though."

A waitress walked over with Dean's milkshake, and started flirting.

He grimaced, looking away from the two of them.

"Do you do that with all the girls?" Cas asked, once she had left their table.

"What?" Dean asked, a bored expression on his face. "Oh! That? If it makes them happy, then why not?"

"Oh, I think she was more than just happy" he tried joking.

Dean dipped a fry in his milkshake and shrugged nonchalantly.

"What are you doing?" Cas wrinkled his nose in disgust.

After putting the fry in his mouth, "Have you never done this before?" Dean asked.

"No, never!"

Dean sat up, interested, "C'mon… Never? You've never lived until you've dipped a fry in a milkshake."

"I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I'll try it." Cas shook his head, exasperated.

Dean smiled, his face lighting up. "Really!?" He grabbed a large fry and dipped it in the vanilla milkshake, making sure to get some whipped cream on it. He gingerly handed it to Cas, watching him.

Cas took the fry, still unsure, and took a small bite of it. "Wow!" was all he could say.

"Understatement much?" Dean joked.

"It's perfect! Salty yet sweet. The fattiness of the fry goes perfectly with the creaminess of the ice cream!" Cas explained, excitedly.

Dean laughed, and pushed the milkshake towards Cas. "Here, you can have it."

He watched as Cas munched on the ice cream covered fries.

"So, what are you planning on doing, Cas? For a career, I mean."

Cas felt his cheeks warming. "Oh, I- I," he stammered.

"Hey," Dean said softly, "I won't laugh."

"I want to be an ultrasound technician" he said quickly.

Cas had expected Dean to laugh or tease him, but he just smiled nicely. "Wow, Cas, that's actually really cool. I feel lame now."

"Why? What are you studying for?"

Dean hesitated, "Mechanic."

"That make sense," Cas grinned, "You seem to really like cars.'

"My dad taught me everything I know," he said, before frowning.

Cas sensed there was tension between Dean and his dad.

"My father and I don't get along either," Cas added empathetically.

"Really?" Surprise coloured Dean's voice. "What happened ?"

Cas fiddled with a fry, his hand trembling slightly, "He, um, he-"

Dean, noticing, placed his hand on Cas', steadying him, 'Hey, Cas… look at me," he spoke gently, "It's okay. You don't have to tell me."

Cas shook his head stubbornly. "It's dumb." He hesitated before telling Dean, his voice shaking. "My father- he disowned me."

"What?" Dean exclaimed, shocked. "Why?"

"Because…" Cas took a deep breath, afraid he would regret this decision, "I'm gay."

"What do you mean he disowned you?" Dean didn't mention Cas being gay, for which he was relieved. But if Dean was friends with Charlie, he probably wasn't homophobic.

"He refused to help with college, and told me not to ask any of my siblings for help." Cas explained.

"How- how have you been paying for everything?" Dean asked incredulously.

"I haven't." Cas could hear the shame in his voice, 'I've been… sleeping in my car because I couldn't afford accommodation."

"That bastard," Dean muttered under his breath. "That's it. You can stay with me."