Music sounded and applause filled the air. Castiel's makeup artist patted Castiel's cheek with a makeup brush once more before pushing him towards the stairs that lead up to the glowing red lights of the stage.
"Okay Castiel. On in 5,4,3,2,1-" She pushed him sharply onto the stage, making Castiel stumble as he fell into the light.
"Castiel Novak!" A voice announced. Castiel smiled brightly, a surge of excitement running through him.
He waved at the large crowd of people laid out before him and gave the head of the talk show, Graham Norton a hug. He took his place then, standing before the infamous big red couch. He clapped and greeted the other two stars that would be joining him that night on the Graham Norton Show. Benny Lafyette, Charlie Bradbury, and a nameless third party.
Finally the applause died down and everyone took their seats.
"Alright, time to cut to the chase. Castiel," Graham started. Castiel raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Me?"
"Tell us about Sean West," Graham replied with a grin that sent a shiver down Castiel's spine. Well, that or the name itself sent shivers through him.
See, Castiel was a writer and Sean West was the name of fictional character Castiel had created for one of his books. However, he used the term 'created' lightly.
He wrote the book that he was being interviewed about to do with the intention of basing every character off a person he knew and his relationship with them. An intention he kept very well. Every character in his book was true to a person he knew in real life. He had even taken a risk of adding his crush into the story, figuring that the character and Castiel's obvious feelings would be missed by his readers.
He was so very wrong. Every since the first day the book came out, people had been obsessing over the relationship Castiel's character and Sean had in the book (or lack thereof). It was the first thing anyone spoke about when they talked to Castiel about his book and apparently Castiel wasn't even safe on the Graham Norton Show.
"Everyone knows about Sean. He is a fictional character I made up and wrote into a book. The main character of the book happened to look a bit like me and that character just happens to have an interest in Sean. It is nothing, I insist," Castiel stated, however even he admitted that the words leaving his mouth sounded rehearsed.
"That's not what I've heard brother. You can't fake the love felt for Sean. That was all real, from the heart," Benny interjected with a raised eyebrow.
"Love?" Castiel spluttered. "The main character is barely in high school he can't be in love!"
"Sure he can," Charlie said with a soft chuckle. "Love doesn't not feel just because someones young."
Castiel shook his head.
"This is just some fans blowing everything out of proportion, Sean's character, he was completely from my mind."
"You recall your high school friend Anna?" Graham interrupted suddenly. The flow of the conversation fell and Castiel went nearly breathless.
Of course, he remembered Anna. She was one of his closest friends in high school, one of the only ones who knew that Castiel had written all his feelings for his high school crush into the book. He loved her, as anyone would their best friend, but he also hated her.
"Please god I hate her," Castiel mumbled, lowering his head to his hands.
"As you should," Graham agreed "Because she says, word for word, 'Castiel? Oh yeah he had a major crush on this boy in high school, he based Sean off of him. Honestly he needs to talk about it boy is whipped'."
Graham smiled and looked directly into the camera.
"Thank you Anna."
All eyes fell on Castiel and it was like no one was breathing. Castiel finally took a deep breath, and looked up.
"Alright, fine. Sean was based off a boy in high school I had a crush on alright!"
"You still like him!" Charlie accused, her face alight with joy. Castiel sent her a glare, for once looking past her amazing career and instead looking at the woman herself.
"I haven't seen him in years, who's to say I still have a crush on him?" Castiel demanded. Charlie grinned and glanced at Graham who also smiled.
"I'll bet you money," Graham said. Castiel nodded firmly.
"It's on."
Honestly, Castiel knew from the start that he would lose that bet.
"Look, the guy I based Sean off of was a friend of mine. We weren't horribly close but we were close enough. I wouldn't call it love. Sean never saw me as more than a friend, he never asked me out and he never acted like he liked me alright? I haven't seen him since graduation, so can we please just leave it at that?"
Graham chuckled.
"Only because our late last person has arrived. Everyone please welcome Dean Winchester to the stage!"
By that point Castiel was about ready to kill himself. Not literally, but mentally... maybe socially, because Dean fucking Winchester was his old high school crush, and those damn feelings Castiel had tried so hard to smash into the ground rose into his throat. Dean shook hands with Benny, and hugged Charlie and when his eyes fell on Castiel, Castiel almost felt happier than he ever had before.
"Hello Dean," he murmured. Dean grinned.
"Cas!" He pulled Castiel into a tight hug. "It has been ages! I had no clue you would be here."
"I had no idea you would be here either," Castiel admitted, he cut Graham Norton a short glare, only to find the older man literally brimming with pride. At this point the audience had quieted down and everyone sat down, taking their seats. Dean sat next to Castiel and laid his arm over the back of the couch behind Castiel's back. The act made Castiel lose the breath in his lungs but luckily he was able to hide it with a bright smile in Dean's direction.
"So Dean, welcome to the couch! Late, I noticed," Graham Norton teased. Benny nudged Dean in the side, laughing.
"We would almost think you didn't want to hang out with us," he joked.
"Honestly, if I had known Cas would be here...I would have shown up a lot earlier," Dean chuckled. Castiel nearly blushed in response.
"It is always a pleasure to see your face Dean."
"Speaking of Castiel, we were just talking to him about his book and he was telling us that his character Sean West is based off of his high school crush-"
"You had a high school crush?!" Dean exclaimed with a grin. "Now that I did not know about you."
"Well, I didn't advertise it," Castiel murmured. "And I certainly didn't just throw that information out there."
"I doubt you did, now who was it? Come on you can tell us!" Dean urged grabbing Castiel's hands.
"Yeah Castiel tell us," Charlie basically sang.
"Well, I wouldn't want him to know. He might get a big head," Castiel bit out, gazing sharply at Charlie.
"Oh a clue! That narrows it down to… Geez…" Charlie paused, giving Dean a hopeful look.
"Crowley or Balthazar." Dean wrinkled his nose. "Please tell me I'm wrong."
Castiel smiled nervously and scratched the back of his head.
"Well-"
"Let's check the character description!" Benny announced.
Castiel's heart dropped in his chest.
"Of course!" Graham said triumphantly. "And I have a copy of the book right here."
Graham picked up a copy of the book and passed it over to Benny. Beny flipped through the pages, and with every turn Castiel began to worry more and more about his secret being revealed.
"If only I knew the page number," Benny muttered, everyone leaning over the book to try and figure it out.
"No one would know the exact page number," Charlie agreed.
"If only someone did," Graham added. The pressure built up in Castiel's gut. He tried to keep from bursting but he couldn't help himself.
"Page 150!" He shouted. Everyone looked at him, with amused looks on their faces as Benny flipped to the correct page.
"Wow, I guess Cas really knows his stuff," Benny murmured in surprise. "It's right here, okay. 'Kyle glanced up from where he had fallen to find himself staring into the most beautiful pair of green eyes. They were practically indescribable, not as bright as the crisp grass on a spring morning, but not dull like the green of an olive and his eyes were not even the best part. His cheeks were scattered with freckles, backed by a redness on his cheeks that just highlighted his features making him feel warm and friendly. This made his cheeks contrast with his eyes, which sparkled with mischief and confidence. His hair, was light brown and everywhere, whilst his body was somewhere between lanky and average.
"Wow, we've died and gone to heaven," Kyle muttered in awe. The boy in front of him chuckled, in a way that made Kyle's heart melt.
"Not quite, I'm Sean, and you are..?"
"Breathless? Astonished? Literally struck with surprise that a human as perfect as you exists?" Kyle mumbled in a rush of words. Kyle's closest friend nudged him shaking his head.
"I think he was asking for your name."
"Oh Kyle!"'
"How sweet," Charlie swooned.
"This is so romantic, and you didn't think people would ship this?" Benny chortled.
"Yeah well, whatever. As you can tell, the person in the book matches neither Balthazar or Crowley," Castiel insisted. "So that's it."
Dean had been quiet for a while and it made Castiel worry a lot more than he liked to admit. He set a hand on Dean's hand.
"What's wrong?"
"It's not Crowley or Balthazar," he murmured. "Because it's me."
Castiel's mouth fell open.
"Wha-"
"Green eyes, freckles, my hair, my composure, friendly but cocky. For once I am not trying to toot my own horn, but genuinely seems to represent me," Dean said. Castiel bit his lip.
"Right, right okay," Castiel took a deep calming breath. "While Sean West may seem like y-"
"Sean West, Dean Winchester. You switched the first letter in my name and took the first letter of my name and made up the rest," Dean accused.
"Even if you were him," Castiel said quickly. "I would definitely not do something like give him a name that lacked so much creativity. I am a creative writer, emphasise on creative."
Dean stared at Castiel, eyes blown wide.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Sean isn't you really," Castiel defended weakly. Dean pressed his lips together and frowned. It really hit Castiel in the heart to lie so much to Dean like this, especially now with how pathetic he sounded. Everyone knew he was lying, it was obvious.
"Well, whoever is Sean West, he's lucky," Dean said. "Anyone would be lucky to date a guy like you."
Castiel stared at Dean for a long time and then he looked away.
"Uh, shouldn't we talk about someone else and their current releases?" Castiel asked Graham. Graham gave Castiel a sympathetic look and nodded. For once, Castiel was grateful to him for something.
"Yes, Charlie Bradbury, you're in a new movie… Passenger's right?"
The time on the show passed and as it went on Castiel tried his best to pretend he wasn't upset. Dean however wasn't helping out. He kept brushing Castiel's hand, and getting close to him and laughing in his ear, and watching him with his eyes. Finally the big red chair had gone by and Castiel found himself happily waving goodbye to the audience and making his way back into his changing room. He entered his changing room and sat down rubbing his hands over his face stressfully.
"I fucked up so much, fuck Dean will never like me now."
Castiel stared at the book on his desk and smiled just slightly to himself.
"At least I have the book. At least I wrote Sean, that got it out of my system. He's out of my system."
"You sound like you are trying to reassure someone of something."
Castiel raised his book in front of his face, chest heaving as he turned to face the intruder, Dean.
"What are you doing in here?" Castiel asked, breathing in relief.
"I came to see you," Dean replied. He sighed, and lowered the hand Castiel had raising the book. "Why didn't you tell me that you had a crush on me in highschool?"
Castiel clutched his book, suddenly wishing he was holding it up still.
"You sure you don't believe that I never had a crush on you?" Dean crossed his arms over his chest and raised a single eyebrow. Castiel sighed and rested his head against the book in his hands. His book, the book he wrote.
"I mean, it wasn't all that bad of a crush," Castiel started.
"Was Kyle's crush based on yours?" Castiel nodded. "I've read the book and Kyle literally thought of Sean every two pages. Every two pages, guaranteed there is a reference to Sean, Kyle thought about him that much."
"That's nothing, just normal friend stuff," Castiel assured. Dean chuckled,
"We both know that isn't true."
Dean sighed and his smile faded.
"I wish you had told me Castiel. After all that time. I fake flirted with all our friends around you, I went through how many different girlfriends-"
"You were living your life," Castiel replied. "I didn't mind."
"Everyday your heart must of been breaking-"
"Love is different the anything you could imagine. It didn't hurt," Castiel assured.
Dean snorted and Castiel sighed, giving in to Dean's whims.
"Okay. I admit to everything. I have been in love with you since highschool… I, well, I deny it but I am definitely still in love with you."
Castiel let out a breath of air and shook his head slowly.
"Why do you care?" He asked.
"I was thinking, if you like me so much maybe I could grant you with a date. So you could see how horrible I really am," Dean said, grinning slightly. Castiel's mouth dropped.
"You're joking," he breathed.
"Well we have to cure you," Dean teased. "No one can have a crush on me for that long. Clearly we'll have to cure you of that."
"And a date will cure that?"
"We won't know if you don't try," Dean replied cheekily. Castiel's cheeks warmed up, still a little unable to believe that Dean was asking him out.
"Are you serious?"
"Really it's the least I can do," Dean replied. "And you definitely left an impression on me when we were in high school."
Castiel stared at Dean unsure of what to say, which seemed to prompt Dean to speak more.
"And I kinda had a thing for you back then. So, please, will you go out with me?"
Castiel nodded slowly, and Dean held out his hand. Castiel took it and they shared a smile, the first smile they would share while holding hands of many.