Class was almost over and it had only taken a full day for the mood to pick up. The whole day had been uneventful. In fact, Dean wasn't entirely sure he'd had a good day, really. But when the bell rang and class was dismissed, he was quick to leave the class, everything just tossed inside his school bag. A couple minutes later he was at his locker, tossing his bag inside. He never really did his homework anyway - or rather, he waited until the morning it was due and rushed through it all. He got good grades, so it didn't bother him too much if he did a half-ass job.

As he headed out the back doors though, he noticed the same thing that seemed to be happening everyday. He narrowed his eyes, watching as a few of his jock buddies seemed to be hassling one of the other guys. He recognized the guy they were bugging - Castiel was his name. He shared a few classes with him. The two of them had become sort of friends in a strange way.

In fact, the two had worked on a couple assignments together. He considered himself to be a bit of a friend to him. Though, his mind had always seemed to linger on other things when it came to him - and Dean knew exactly what it was as he watched Cas get pushed back into the fence.

Any other time, any other person, Dean would have walked away. In truth, he'd ignored this for the longest time. He just didn't think he could do it anymore. The way they called him names. The way he was looked down on and called stupid. Dean hated to see him suffer. No one picked on him or called him gay. No one said he was an embarrassment to everything in this world.

The fear on Castiel's face broke him inside as he dropped his back to the ground without a second thought and made his way over. One of the guys over there glanced back at him and smiled, "Hey! Dean-o!" the one in the black jacket said. Castiel looked to Dean as he jogged over.

"Alastair, what are you doing?" Dean asked, finding himself standing between Castiel and the three other guys. Alastair, Uriel, and Gordon. He hated the three of them. Uriel and Gordon were brothers and they were both dumb as rocks. Alastair? He was a completely different story. Someone who liked to cause others pain on a regular basis. Dean had become somewhat familiar with the tall tales of Alastair.

Alastair let out a small chuckle, "Oh, Dean-o.. We're just getting acquainted with our little gay friend here, that's all," Dean narrowed his eyes again, glancing back to Castiel. What did it matter if he was gay or not? Although, that wasn't what troubled Dean. It was how he had suddenly found himself standing between three guys who could kick his ass and a boy he'd found himself incredibly fond of.

Those few assignments they had together had opened up Dean's eyes. They'd gotten to know each other and Dean knew that Castiel was a good person, "I-It's okay, Dean," Castiel cooed from behind him. Dean flung his hand up, silencing the boy behind him. He was annoyed by the look in Alastair's eyes. The look that said he wanted to have some fun and mess with poor Castiel. He wasn't going to put up with that. Not in the least.

"No, you weren't - and don't tell me it's okay, Cas," Dean said, not realizing he'd spoken the little pet name he had developed for him. Alastair was slightly taken back and stood up right. He gave Dean a curious look, "It shouldn't matter whether or not the guy is gay, alright? Hell, you're the one who told me you went ahead and kissed Azazel when you both got high."

Uriel and Gordon both looked to Alastair who laughed hesitantly, gritting his teeth, "Dean.. what are you doing? You know what this will do to you," Gordon crossed his arms, eyes on Alastair.

Castiel stood with his back to the fence still, watching the back of Dean's head. He had noticed Dean walk by him all the time and ignore him. Watched him ignore things happening by turning a blind eye. So, why now? What was so special now that he had to intervene? He bit his tongue gently, trying to still his thoughts. Dean was a nice guy, he knew that - but getting picked on was a daily ritual for Castiel. It was something he could handle.

Dean felt a hand grasp his shoulder and he knew it was Castiel, "It doesn't matter if he's gay and we both know you did more than kiss another guy. You enjoyed it too," and now Gordon was laughing.

"Tell me you did not kiss Azazel?"

Alastair pulled at the collar of his shirt, stepping forward towards Dean, "I did no such thing and you better watch your tongue."

Dean cracked a smirk, not moving from where he stood, "You even tried to get in my pants and then tried to beat me up the next day. You called me a faggot and so on," he said, keeping his hands at his sides in case Alastair tried anything. But, the way Gordon was looking at him, he didn't think he had to defend himself really - yet, as he thought about the things Alastair had said that day, he stood more upright, "And you know what the funny part is? You were right about most of it."

Alastair opened his mouth to speak, but Dean shook his head, holding up his hand to silence him. Castiel was confused in general, his mouth glued shut as he watched the performance. He couldn't figure out what the hell was happening. He just knew as much as he wasn't grateful - he would need to thank Dean. Ask him why he had helped him. Yes, that would give him good reason to talk to him.

"It's assholes like you that make people like me turn another cheek and ignore what the hell is going on," Dean had a funny idea that he wasn't making much sense, which was why he stepped off to the side and looked to Castiel now, "It's people like him," he gestured towards Cas as he said this, "That make me comfortable with who I am. But, you morons can't even take two fucking seconds to think about what the hell you're doing."

Castiel felt his cheeks beginning to flush. He felt like he was understanding, but he didn't know. He didn't want to jump to conclusions as he looked to Dean. He was awestruck, "Dean.." he muttered out.

Dean looked to Castiel, "You're a great guy and.. son of a bitch," he laughed now, looking to Alastair.

"Even if you don't like it, who the hell are you to do anything?" Uriel said, "You're one person, Dean Winchester. And we know exactly how to return your little heroics," and this worried Castiel. Dean could see it in Cas' eyes, but he didn't show the same reaction.

No, he looked to Uriel, away of Alastair's silence and amused by it, "I might be one person, but I haven't actually done anything," he turned his back to them and looked to Castiel, "But I'd like to," he bit his bottom lip, looking to the highly confused boy before him. Dean couldn't help but think about the irony of the day and how his classes had gone. How he probably failed Math and English - but it all seemed to disappear from his mind as he looked to Castiel.

Dean shook his head, "Ah, what the hell," and he stepped forward, both hands touching Castiel's cheeks as he pressed his lips against the others. Castiel was completely confounded as his back pressed against the fence. Was Dean doing this help him somehow? Did it mean something?

Both of his hands were at his sides, doing an awkward sort of twirl as he thought about how to respond. Alastair laughed to the show, clapping his hands, "So, what, are you homosexual now, mister 'I like boobs'?"

Dean could feel Castiel's lack of response and he pulled away, stroking his cheeks gently as his eyes found bright blue ones, "No," his voice was firm, and this sent a nervous chill down Castiel's back, "I'm just the guy who punched you in the face."

Alastair blinked, "Wha-" but his words were cut short by Dean turning on his heel and suddenly slamming his fist against the other boy's face. Alastair was knocked back onto his ass, causing Gordon and Uriel to both jump back. Gordon was smirking though, not saying a damn word as he raised both hands when Dean glared at him.

"Go," Dean seethed, glaring at Uriel and Gordon. When Uriel went to speak, Gordon grabbed the sleeve of Uriel's jacket and pulled him away. Dean could have sworn he heard him mumble something to the other man, but he didn't care. Alastair was at his feet with a bit of a split lip and Dean was smirking, "Now, either you leave and never bother Castiel again.. or I'm telling everyone what you did."

Alastair got to his feet, brushing his jeans off, "I hope you are aware this isn't over just because you have humiliated me."

Castiel stepped forward now and pushed at Alastair's shoulders, earning a shocked look from Dean, "Go. Now," Alastair looked to Castiel, having stumbled back a couple steps from the sudden contact. He noticed the boy's hands on his hips and wanted to say something, but he was alone now. Gordon and Uriel had ditched him. Of course they had. That's what the assholes did when things turned against them. Though, he'd always wondered about Uriel sometimes.

When Alastair turned and suddenly took off, Castiel let out a deep sigh of relief and hunched forward, hands touching his knees, "That really just happened, didn't it?" he said, his voice practically breathless.

Dean looked to Castiel, clapping him on the shoulder, "Yes, yes it did. And I'd like to do it again," Cas was pretty sure he'd swallowed his tongue when he heard this. He stood up right, looking to Dean, "What?" he asked, curious.

"You mean.. like.. that?" Castiel asked, his voice hesitant.

Dean turned to face Castiel completely, giving him a curious look, "Depends on what you mean by that?" he teased. Castiel stood up right, ready to retaliate to Dean's usual sarcasm, but he was cut off by Dean suddenly kissing him again. Castiel placed his hands on his waist and gripped it, returning it this time. He didn't know why he couldn't return it earlier - but this time he could.

Maybe it was because the one person he had looked up to for the last three years of his high school term was returning the feelings he'd had this entire time? Perhaps it was because Dean Winchester had just done something he'd never done before and Castiel was completely drowning in the moment. Sure, his thoughts were on where this could go. But he let it go as Dean's arms suddenly wrapped around him. If all the hell he had endured the last three years was so he could find himself here...

Then all of it was worth it.