A/N: My first actual AU fic, and I have to say I love it. (Totally not self-centered, I swear.) Notes are:

1. The song for this entire story is "Cosmic Love" by Florence + The Machine (I literally played it over and over writing this..)

2. Dean is kind of... nice in this fic. I didn't really mean for him to turn out like that, but chap 2 introduces him that way so I'm rolling with it.

3. Rated M for later chaps.

P.S. I really don't know much about college except what my brother tells me. If you really want to know where I picture this, it's in Tuscon, AZ at University of Arizona(the only uni I'm familiar with..).

Enjoy :)

"How can I help you today, Castiel?" the dorm manager asked, closing the door and gesturing for Cas to sit in one of the plush chairs next to his desk. He was a handsome man, middle-thirties with a laid back look in his dark eyes. Cas wondered lightly if he was married. "Mr. Novak?" Ted Harley prompted, taking a seat behind his desk and looking expectantly at the young man with the startling blue eyes.

Cas brought his thoughts back to the matter at hand. "I was wondering if there was a way for me to stay on campus during the break?"

Harley gave him a funny look, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Why would you want to do that?" he asked not unkindly.

Shrugging, Cas replied, "I don't have anywhere else to go." He paused. "My family died recently and I have no connection to any other relatives. I don't think I have any cousins," he added softly, a musing expression on his features.

The dorm manager sighed and shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry about your family Castiel. I understand how hard it must be. But, even so, we have to close down all the dorms for good over break. You'll have until this Wednesday." There was regret present in the man's eyes that Cas felt was not faked.

"I understand."

"Do you have any friends you can stay with?"

After a hesitant pause, Cas nodded slowly. A small smile of sadness flickered on Harley's lips as he looked at the younger man. He stood up and shook Castiel's hand, showing him out with one last apology.

Cas left the main building and glanced around the nearly empty campus. He sighed at the emptiness. It was only Monday, still two weeks from Christmas, and yet almost everyone was already gone. Home to their families. Cas sighed again and trudged back to his empty dorm. He was going by the middle plaza next to the huge cafeteria in the center of campus when he noticed a lone man walking from the building and towards him.

"Hey, Cas!" Dean grinned, waving an arm and jogging to meet his friend.

"Hi, Dean," Cas answered as they met with a deep sadness dripping from his voice.

Dean gave him a worried look and put a hand on Castiel's shoulder. "Hey, man, what's wrong?"

Cas felt an electricity pulse through him with the contact. He pulled away automatically and shrugged noncommittally. "They're not letting me stay over break."

"What?" Dean exclaimed. "That's stupid!" Cas nodded and watched the ground carefully. Dean paused and glanced over his shoulder as if he was afraid someone was watching them. "Look, man, if you need a place, I've told you, you can come stay with me."

Cas felt his heart thump in his chest. That's right, he thought, Dean has his own apartment. He thought about how he had wished to live on his own in an apartment too when he started at Uni. But his parents had convinced him that since he was a freshman he needed to live in the dorms for a year. And then a month later, both his parents and his sister died in a car accident driving down to see him. It'd been too late then to be able to find himself an apartment, and he hadn't even thought that the university would kick him out once winter break came around.

"Dude?" Dean called, poking his arm.

"Sorry," Cas apologized meekly. He pulled himself together and looked into the other man's face. "Thanks, Dean, really, but I can't impose myself on you that much."

"Cas, you're not imposing. I'm inviting. Come on, man, my brother's staying the break at his girlfriend's place so I'm gonna be all alone. We're friends, dude, you are seriously welcome to stay as long as you need." Dean was doing a fair job convincing Cas, but Cas still held up in hands and tried to refuse.

Dean finally sighed. "Look, Cas, I'm not taking no for an answer. I will take your shit from your room myself if I have to and drag your ass over." He paused, a mischievous smile taking his pouty lips. "Actually that sounds like a great idea to do right now!"

With that, he turned away and began marching towards Cas' dorm building. "Wait! Dean!" Cas called out behind him. Dean glanced over his shoulder at the younger man. "Alright, fine, I'll come."

Dean grinned and turned back to clap his friend on his shoulder. "That's a good boy," he mocked playfully. Cas felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth and together they entered the building to gather Castiel's things.