It was Christmas time and the Winchesters were having a big get together with another family down the street from them. The Novaks. Every year it was usually something they did privately, but Mary had made a suggestion to invite them over after hearing about the loss of Amelia, the mother of Castiel. From what Mary had heard, it had been hard on the poor boy and his father. So, she had talked to John and asked him to invite them over - to which he didn't seem to have a problem with.

Dean and Sam were wary of the guests that were coming over, but they knew Castiel pretty well. Actually, Dean and Castiel had become good friends over the last few years. They hung out almost everyday after school - until his mother died. Dean hadn't spoken to him since the funeral and things had gotten awkward between the both of them. They were approaching the end of tenth grade and he was worried about his friend.

Dean looked to the door when the doorbell went off and he got to his feet, "I'll get it!" he called out, opening it up to see a snow covered Castiel and his father, Chuck. He had a straight face for a moment before finally opening up the door all the way, "Come in," he said, watching as Castiel came in, nodding to Dean.

Chuck smiled to Dean, shutting the door behind him, "Thanks a lot, Dean. Where's your mom and dad?" he asked curiously, looking to him. Dean pointed towards the kitchen as Chuck kicked off his shoes and set them aside, peeling off his winter jacket next. Castiel was doing the same, "Thanks again," Chuck said before disappearing down the hall.

Castiel looked to Dean and then towards the living room where all the Christmas decorations were, "I've never been inside your house at Christmas time, have I?" he asked, eying the colourful tree. It caused him to smile as Dean shook his head. It was true, Castiel had never been to their place during Christmas. He was usually visiting with close family friends or off to see his cousin Balthazar.

Dean looked towards the stairs and then Sam in the living room, "Hey, so, um," he scratched at the back of his head, noticing Castiel look to him curiously, "How.. you know.. how have you been?" he could barely formulate a proper sentence as he looked to his best friend.

Castiel smiled to him, a sad and gentle smile, "I've been better. I have been.. better than before, but I could still be better," Dean never knew what to say when Castiel said things like that. He never knew how to respond or act, "How about you?"

Dean shuffled his feet a bit, watching as Castiel hung up his trench coat. He was always a strange one - but Dean liked that about him, "Hm?" he realized what Cas had asked him and he chuckled a bit, "Ah, nothing. I mean, I've been bored and been ma-"

"Oh! You've made more!" Castiel said suddenly, brushing by Dean to head upstairs to the older Winchester's bedroom. Sam watched as the two went upstairs and curled his legs up on the couch. He knew his brother needed some time with his friend - or whatever they were. He honestly couldn't tell anymore, though, he found it cute.

Dean hurried behind Castiel, "Not many! Just a few!" he called, watching as Castiel pushed open his bedroom door with a smile. Dean groaned because of the mess that was his room, watching as Castiel walked over to his desk, eying the model cars. All the classic model cars.

"I told you should be taking classes at school to do with cars. I can't get over how amazing these are, Dean," Castiel reached out, taking hold of a replica model of John Winchester's '67 Chevy Impala. He held it carefully, looking to Dean with a smile again, "You finally made it? I remember you complaining about owning one just like your dad," he let out a chuckle as he set it down.

Dean rolled his eyes, glancing behind him as he shut the opened door, looking back to Castiel. He'd always had a fascination with model cars and vehicles themselves. He wanted to go into a field involving cars - he just didn't seem to have the patience recently. Castiel was part of the reason he always felt so motivated to do anything, "You know, Cas," Dean started, "The main reason I made that one is because you told me I should do it. You told me it doesn't matter if he owns one or not."

Castiel looked over at Dean as he said this, feeling his face grow warm as Dean took a step towards him, "Of course I did. I knew you wanted to," he said a bit defensively, shaking his head, "Just like I said you should do the mechanic thing if you really want to. You do want to, don't you?"

Dean shook his head, "You are my motivation, Cas," he said, taking another step forward, "I can't exactly explain it, you know? But for whatever reason you always seem to believe in me. You're always there for me, you know?" Castiel was about ready to start counting just how many times Dean say 'you know', "And I wasn't there for you and I feel bad about it," it was true in a way. And it killed Dean.

Castiel frowned a bit, "It's okay, Dean. I hold no judgment on you for your decisions. My mother's death is complicated and is not your burden to bar-"

Dean cut him off, annoyed, "That's another thing about you. You speak so damn sophisticatedly and I'm sitting here talkin' with my ass," Castiel was about to point out that 'sophisticatedly' was not really a word, but he let it go, curious to hear what Dean had to say, "Whatever, that doesn't matter. All that does seem to matter is that the second we stopped talking, I realized what you meant, you know?"

Castiel blinked, confusion coating his face, "I don't know what you mean," though, he about a thousand ideas on what Dean was trying to say - which explained the massive amount of red on his cheeks. It even reached his ears, which Dean was beginning to notice as he took, yet another, step forward.

"You do, and I can tell by that look on your face, Cas. You're easier to read than you let on. I've known you too long, you know?" Dean smiled, now standing in front of him, "You are my motivation. The second you disappeared, I lost motivation. Remember that nice, shiny seventy-eight I had in math?" Castiel nodded in response, his entire body tensing, "Dropped to a riveting fifty-five," he chortled to the mark, shaking his head.

As Castiel looked to him, he felt a pang against his chest. He knew what Dean was doing and he was shocked when he suddenly placed his hands upon his waist, "Dean, I mean, yeah. I get it. I think," he was babbling himself now like a moron, "I guess. Yeah. But.. but what are you doing?" he asked as Dean dared to step just a bit closer to him. He felt his temperature increase just to the sudden closeness between the two of them.

Dean smiled, "I want to return the favour and be there for you like you were for me, Cas," he said, leaning forward and kissing him. Castiel was practically caught off guard - even if he had already been thinking about the possibility of Dean kissing him. His hands hung awkwardly at his sides as Dean kissed him, waving a bit as he didn't know what to do.

Dean was about to pull away, feeling awkward for just kissing Castiel on his own - but then he felt him return the kiss. Two hands settled on his shoulders and the kiss deepened. Before the two of them heard footsteps coming upstairs and they darted away from each other. Dean's mother opened the door to his bedroom with a smile, eying her son, "Dinner's ready."

Dean nodded, looking to her, "Alright, be right down, mom," he said, looking back to Castiel as Mary shut the door again, leaving. Castiel's eyes were glued to Dean's eyes, unable to look away. Dean had just kissed him and his heart was racing against his chest. He hadn't felt this happy in years. Not since the first day he'd met Dean when they were much younger, playing inside the sandbox at the park around the corner.

"What does this mean?" Castiel asked, stepping towards the door, licking his lips. He could still taste Dean and it was oddly comforting. But as he took hold of the bedroom door, Dean's hand slipped over his own, causing him to look up to him. He felt his heart skip a beat again and his stomach flip over and fold against his sides.

Dean smiled to him, leaning in to kiss the corner of Castiel's lips as he let his fingers intertwine with his, "Maybe I didn't make myself clear," he said, being cocky as usual, "Castiel, would you go out with me some time? Preferably as something more than just casual friends - something like a boyfriend," he mocked, grinning.

Castiel felt the smile on his face turn into an actual one and he nodded his head, curling his fingers over Dean's as he used his other hand to open the door, "I'd like that.. I'd like that very much," because all he had ever wanted in his life was to have Dean by his side. When he had stood at the funeral, listening to the sermon, he had wanted nothing more than to have the older Winchester at his side, "This is the best Christmas present I could have ever asked for and I hope you realize this, Dean."