Two Months Later

"Ok that's a wrap everyone!" the director called out and with a slight yawn Dean pulled himself up out the chair he'd been sat in for the past half an hour watching the end of filming for the day. Yawning once again Dean thought longingly of the large coffee he could pick up on his way home. There was a great coffee near his rented apartment that both he and Castiel loved plus Dean had been in there enough times over the past two months for most of the baristas to not stare at him when he walked in which was nice.

"Hey Dean!" one of Dean's co-stars, a redhead who went by the name of Charlie Bradbury, called as she sauntered over to Dean. Of all the people he had met on this shoot Charlie was by far the nicest person. The film was her first big acting job and, just like Castiel, she was a big fan of the book so most of the time she looked ridiculously happy just to be on set let alone playing one of the main characters. "Looking forward to going home?" Charlie then asked she and Dean headed towards their trailers to get changed out of their costumes.

"Yeah, it's been a long day." Dean said. He'd been on set since the early hours of the morning which had also meant dragging himself from a very warm Castiel-occupied bed that morning.

"Tell me about it. I can't wait to get back home, see my girlfriend and just go over my lines for tomorrow." Charlie said. During one of their trips to a local bar in Chicago Charlie had told Dean that she'd grown up in Rockford and still lived there so she just commuted to set every day. "Got anything planned for tonight?" Charlie then asked casually.

"I'm thinking that it's going to be a night of sitting on my couch with Castiel and maybe watch a film" Dean sad. Charlie was the only one on set who knew that Castiel was Dean's boyfriend because apparently she wasn't blind and she had seen 'the buckets of adorable' between dean and Castiel when he'd come onto set for a visit (in which Dean had witnessed Castiel nerd out over the set). Dean had made Charlie swear she wouldn't tell anyone but it was actually nice having someone to talk to about Castiel that wasn't Jo or Sam.

"That sounds nice." Charlie said as she reached her trailer. "Say 'Hi' to Castiel to me." Charlie added before she opened her trailer door.

"I will. See you tomorrow Charlie." Dean called.

Because of filming Dean had been renting a small apartment in Chicago for the past two months though he was getting frequent updates from Jo on the state of his apartment back in New York. Though these updates mainly including Jo complaining that there was nothing good to watch on HBO, that Dean's doorman was a lecherous asshat or that the Norwegian couple in the apartment opposite Dean's never shut their damn blinds and liked to walk around their apartment nude. These were hardly vital updates but at least Jo hadn't burnt the entire building down…yet. Dean's current rented apartment in Chicago wasn't too bad, it was small but then again Dean had never really liked large places as they made him feel uneasy and far too out in the open plus a great thing about the apartment was that it was only a five minute walk away from Castiel and Anna's apartment.

Dean let himself into the apartment while he checked his phone for messages. There were a few from Ellen and Bobby back home in Kansas just checking up on him, one from Jo telling him that she had burnt his largest frying pan trying to cook, two from Sam with just general updates on his day of classes and one from Castiel that afternoon complaining that the moron sat behind him in his afternoon lecture was more annoying than Gabriel which, according to Castiel, said an awful lot. Dean replied to the messages from Ellen, Bobby and Sam. He swiftly reminded Jo that he was planning on returning to New York soon as would like his apartment in a semi-liveable condition. After replying to those messages he quickly dialled Castiel's number.

"Hey." Dean said when Castiel picked up after the third ring. "I've finished filming for the day and I've just got back to my apartment, what are you up to?" Dean asked.

"Hello Dean. I'm just leaving the library as I speak actually." Castiel said and Dean wasn't remotely surprised by this at all. After Castiel's apartment and Dean's own apartment, the library was Castiel's main hideout and if he had the option to live there, even if it was only for the few remaining months that Castiel was at college, he probably jump, if Castiel ever jumped, at the chance. "I am very much done with studying for the day and I'm actually happy to see the end of my notes from the past week." Castiel explained with a slight sigh.

"Good, I have some lasagne from last night leftover and I haven't seen you for a good fourteen hours so why don't you hurry on over?" Dean said laughing.

"That couldn't sound more perfect. Anna and Gabriel are planning to Skype each other while watching this week's brand new episode of Cupcake Wars and I cannot think of anything I would want to see less." Castiel said. Dean couldn't help might smirk at the sound of desperation in Castiel's voice. He'd witnessed Anna and Gabriel's Skype conversations over Cupcake Wars and it was just as terrifying as Castiel made it sound. Both of them got frighteningly enthusiastic when it came to cake frosting.

"Well at least I know that I'm ranked higher than Cupcake Wars." Dean said with a chuckle as he pulled the lasagne he had made last night out of the fridge. During the two months he and Castiel had been together Dean had discovered that the quickest way to Castiel's heart, after books and kisses on his neck, was through well-made Italian food. Dean was starting to discover that well-made food in general made Castiel happy and he had to admit that it was freaking cute as hell.

"Don't worry Dean; an awful lot of things are ranked higher than Cupcake Wars." Castiel said and Dean heard slight rummaging from Castiel's end of the line. No matter he was throwing all of his notes and books back into the battered messenger bag he always carried around with him.

"Hopefully I make the top five."

"Oh that's a given, true you're ranked behind Anna and Ernest Hemingway but you're ahead of Gabriel."

"I should hope so. Gabriel may be your brother but I have a damn good ass and I'm adorable."

"You keep believing that Hollywood Ken." Castiel said and even through the phone Dean knew he was smirking.

"Hello there Dean" Castiel said when Dean opened the front door. Like always Castiel looked rumpled with his hair as scruffy as ever and his ever faithful University of Chicago hoodie that Dean was convinced Castiel was permanently attached to. Castiel's messenger bag, that would be full of books, notepads and Castiel's laptop, was slung over his shoulder like always. The whole look made Dean smile but none of that compared to the smile Castiel gave him as he walked into the apartment and quickly kissed Dean on the lips. "How was filming? Don't give me any spoilers just give me the overview of what you were doing today." Castiel said placing his bag down onto the floor. This was nothing new, while Castiel wanted to know how filming had gone, he never wanted to know any specifics in case of 'spoilers'. Most of the time Dean just ended up telling him about the one extra who always seemed to fall over when they were filming larger scenes or the fact that Dean's main co-star found impossible to say the word 'moist' without shuddering.

"Cas you've read the book, twenty-seven times I might add, you know what happens so there is no possible way of me giving you spoilers." Dean said rolling his eyes.

"Yes but I don't know what they're adding to the film or not." Castiel said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You know you could just read the script, it's always lying around here." Dean said rolling his eyes slightly. "If you read the script then you won't have to worry about them not adding any of your favourite scenes." Dean added.

"And ruin the surprise?!" Castiel said sounding completely scandalised by the very thought. This wasn't the first time, and it certainly wouldn't be the last time, that Dean had to admit that he was in love with a complete nerd.

"So if I were to tell you that today we were filming the scene in which Oliver-"

"Don't you dare Dean Winchester, don't you dare!" Castiel said.

"God you are such a damn nerd." Dean said shaking his head with a smile as he pulled Castiel into a quick kiss then went back to the kitchen while Castiel pulled off his hooded jumper. "So…what are you doing next weekend?" Dean asked as he pulled the left over lasagne out of the oven.

"I'll be reading and spending time with you no doubt." Castiel said with a small smile as he watched Dean quickly plate up their food.

"Well…" Dean started to say as he placed a liberal amount of lasagne onto Castiel's plate. "What do you say to reading and hanging out with me in California instead of here in Chicago?" Dean asked smirking when he watched Castiel's face change from a look of happiness to that of confusion.

"California?" Castiel asked as his brow furrowed.

"Yeah well I'm not needed on set because they're just filming the scenes when Catherine-"

"Dean don't you dare tell me what happens in the film!"

"Ok, ok you little nerd. Look, Sammy has finally relented and he's letting me meet his girlfriend, the fabled Jessica Moore, so how about you come with me to California for a few days and see the sun for the first time in several months? You finish early on Friday don't you? We could hit the road as soon as you finish your last class of the day." Dean said trying to sound casual but he desperately wanted to know what Castiel was thinking in that moment. "You know Sammy likes you and I'd like to be able to introduce you as my boyfriend." Dean added

"You want to introduce me to Sam as your boyfriend?" Castiel asked smiling with awe and that damn smile was the best damn smile in the world.

"Yes because it would be very awkward introducing you as my friend when I've seen you naked." Dean couldn't help but say with a huge smirking grin. "Plus I've never met Sam's girlfriend because he's a paranoid baby but going from the past girls he's liked she'll be incredibly plain and a nerd. You on the other hand, while being a nerd, are incredibly hot." Dean added entwining his fingers through the belt loops of Castiel's jeans and pulling him closer to Dean's chest.

"Ah I see, so you want to take me all the way to California to gloat to your brother is that it?" Castiel asked shaking his head slightly with a small smile across his lips before Dean planted a quick kiss on Castiel lips. Dean's teeth gently nicked Castiel's lower lip

"Well that and it will make me laugh like hell watching you try to rollerblade." Dean

"I am not rollerblading, I mean it. Over my dead body will I be rollerblading."

"Oh I'll get you rollerblading for my own amusement because I have very effective methods of persuasion." Dean said grinding his hips against Castiel's. Castiel rolled his eyes and let out a small chuckle.

"You are hopeless." He said shaking his head at Dean.

"Yeah but you love me anyway." Dean said cockily as he gave Castiel a quick kiss on the forehead. "So, you'll come with me to California to see Sam and meet Jess?"

"As long as I get to pick half of the music we listen to on the way there."

"You can pick one song." Dean said then Castiel pouted, he actually pouted. "Fine" Dean said sighing. He'd never seen Castiel pout before. Dean had seen Castiel smirk, sneer and roll his eyes countless times before but he'd never seen Castiel pout. It was adorable even if weirdly creepy. "You can play one mix of your weird road trip music, happy now?" He asked and Castiel nodded with a triumphant smirk. "Good now come on then Milton, we can't let the food go cold." Dean said nodding towards the kitchen table. Castiel gave Dean another smirking smile before he went over to the table and sat down.

"You know, if you carry on cooking like this then I'm going to demand to quit being an actor and just become my permanent chef." Castiel said before digging into his food. Dean always thought the faces that Castiel made when he was eating food was hilarious, he always looked so damn pleased by the food that Dean made him. Then again Castiel lived off take-out, noodles and cereals so it was no real surprise that he always looked happy when eating.

"Would I have to wear one of those cheesy chef's hat or would I be one of those naked chefs?"

"The hats are called toques and I've seen how enthusiastically you cook bacon so under no circumstance should you cook naked no matter how attractive that sight would be." Castiel said winking at Dean before he went back to eating his lasagne.

Castiel rested his head against Dean's warm and solid chest with a contented sleepy smile as they lay on the couch together. Castiel wasn't a people person at all and he knew that, everyone that knew Castiel knew that he preferred the company of fictional characters to that of real people but when he was around Dean he forgot all of that and he found that he actually sought out Dean's company. When he was with Dean he never felt awkward and it never felt as if Dean was just being polite when listening to Castiel talk about books for hours on end, Dean was actually interested in what Castiel had to say even if it was just about the plot, of lack of, in the latest book he had read. Being with Dean made Castiel genuinely happy, happier than he had felt in a very long time and maybe their relationship wasn't normal because Dean was a multimillionaire actor with a star on the Hollywood walk of fame and they couldn't tell anyone about their relationship apart from the few people that already knew (basically Jo, Anna, Gabriel (who had been sworn to secrecy under pain of death) Charlie and Castiel's Aunt Rachel who only knew because Gabriel had blurted out something about 'Castiel's new boyfriend' the month previously) but Castiel didn't care at all because he really was happy.

Castiel found himself loving the time he spent with Dean even if it was just sat on Dean's couch watching an old movie like they were doing that evening.

Within the first month of being with him Castiel had discovered that Dean loved old western films as he'd had a cowboy phase (apparently Sam called it an obsession but Dean disagreed) during his childhood that he never really grew out of. Tonight's film was one Castiel had seen before and he wasn't really concentrating on the film anyway, he was more interested in just listening to the slow but steady sound of Dean's breathing as he rested his head against Dean's chest. There was something so relaxing about listening to Dean's breathing, it made him calm an anchored because as long as he was there listening to Dean's breathing that meant that Dean was still there, he was still with Castiel in that moment.

"Cas..." Dean said after a while which was a slight surprise because Dean normally never spoke during a film unless it was to quote dialogue or to ask to have Gabriel removed from the room during that one time Anna and Gabriel had watched Star Wars: A New Hope with them and Gabriel had proclaimed that film made no sense and that Han Solo was a lame character. During that moment Castiel was convinced that Dean might have killed Gabriel if Anna hadn't made Gabriel leave the room because of 'Jelly Bean related business'. "Um...Cas...I've been thinking..." Dean now said coughing slightly. He looked nervous which instantly set Castiel on edge because he knew their relationship had been going too well. "Well filming finishes soon so that means I'll be heading back to New York and you'll be finished with college and you're probably be thinking about moving back to Lincoln...I don't know..." Dean mumbled slightly.

"Dean...where are you going with this?" Castiel asked warily. He hasn't really thought about what he was going to do after he graduated, true he wanted to get into writing or publishing but he wasn't sure what he else wanted to do that didn't involve sitting on a couch kissing Dean while occasionally watching a film, sleeping next to Dean or being in the shower with Dean which wasn't so much showering as having sex while very wet. Castiel briefly wondered how that had become his life but then he remembered that Dean was saying stuff about moving back to New York so Castiel sat up and turned to properly look at Dean.

"Look I know it's only been like two months and you will probably think that it is a terrible idea, which it could be because I've seen your attempts at cooking and my kitchen in New York is far too nice to have peanut butter of the ceiling-"

"Those pancakes really were a bad idea in hindsight." Castiel said shrugging slightly.

"Oh yeah they were. But I don't really want to talk about pancakes...shit this sounded so much better in my head..." Dean said groaning quietly for a moment before he coughed and started talking again. "Look, as I said it might be a terrible idea because you cannot cook at all and I don't think I even own a vacuum let alone know where one is in my apartment plus Jo is always there drinking my beer and filling up my TiVo box with every show HBO broadcasts but still..."

"You do realise that you haven't told me the idea you think may or may not be a bad idea right?" Castiel asked easing an eyebrow with a slight smirk because Dean rambling and getting flustered was always highly amusing to him even now.

"Yeah...right...I think that - no, I want you to come to New York with me." Dean said sighing slightly in relief as he said it.

"What?" Castiel asked in surprise. First California and now this. Castiel was vaguely curious what had gotten into Dean but he decided that he would roll with it.

"At the end of the summer, you should come to New York and...you know...live with me. You like New York, it has enough bookstores to keep you ecstatically happy and there are music gigs nearly every night so you could fill your iPod up with even more unheard of bands. You could write and do whatever you wanted to do but you know, you could do it in New York." Dean said looking both scared and relieved at the same time like he was glad that he had asked Castiel this but he was also terrified that Castiel would say no.

As if that was even an option.

Leaving Illinois was something Castiel had been contemplating as long as it was for somewhere that he knew he would never want to leave and New York could easily be in of those places. It had the bookstores, the museums, the galleries, the theatres and all the culture.

New York had Dean.

New York had the one person Castiel was slowly becoming to depend on after his sister.

"I really don't know how to cook. I like play music loudly when I'm alone and I get weirdly obsessive compulsive about lime scale in bathrooms." Castiel heard himself say. "I view coffee as a main food group, I'm anti-social towards nearly everyone but you, my sister and occasionally Alfie and I once spent two days sat on my couch watching the extended directors edition of Lord of the Rings plus all the special features and by once I mean that it's something I do at least once a month. I spend an unhealthy amount of time hunched over books and my laptop so I'm probably going to be crippled by the time I turn thirty and even with all the stuff you already know about my family you're still not remotely prepared to know about or ever meet my Uncle Lucifer or my cousins Balthazar and Naomi because it's easier not to describe any of them all for very different reasons." Castiel babbled, his words spilling out of him without him realising. "I watch foreign films that could put most people to sleep and I hate the film E.T with a passion because the creepy little alien used to scare the hell out of me when I was younger so I was glad that he left that mopey kid even though Anna says that's heartless and...and-"

"And despite you being a caffeine dependant, anti-social nerd who is afraid of something that looks like walking twig I still love you and I still want you to live with me in New York. Besides I can deal with Gabriel in small doses so how bad can your cousins be?"

"Uncle Lucifer shipped Balthazar off to a boarding school in England to 'correct him' and now he's at university in London raining havoc in his own way. Naomi on the other hand is just...well she's a stickler for the rules and it can get tedious very quickly. Thankfully she's on some 'Save the world' mission with the Peace Corps, well that was the last I heard anyway, so I suppose I don't have to worry about them too much." Castiel said. "But you really want me to live with you? Despite the fact that I can't cook?"

"Yes Cas, I want you to live with me in New York despite the fact that you can't cook and you're a duvet hog."

"I like to cocoon" Castiel said shrugging while Dean smirked for a moment before pulling Castiel into a firm kiss. Even after two months it still felt like a force of nature was swelling up inside of his chest every time Castiel kissed Dean. Part of him hoped that feeling would never go away because he loved how breathless he felt even after the smallest of kisses.

"Cas I love you and believe me, I need you." Dean said with so much conviction that Castiel knew he would never doubt those words.

"It will be harder to hide though...you know, once we're back in New York." Castiel said as the thought dawned upon him. The press no longer believed that Dean and Anna were a couple after Dean had said in an interview that he and Anna were just good friends but there was a big difference between the press thinking Dean was dating and he press discovering that Dean was actually dating Castiel.

"Cas...I really don't want to hide you anymore. Look if you don't care that your face might be splashed across several gossip websites then if you do come with me to New York then I want to tell Pamela and the press. I love you and I don't want to hide that." Dean said. "I want to go somewhere and not be afraid to say 'Hey you see that scruffy looking nerd with the insane sex hair and the ridiculously blue eyes? Yeah well he's my boyfriend' it'll be a nice change."

"I think you've been in one too many cheesy chick flicks because that sounded really corny." Castiel said.

"Oh you take that back." Dean said punching Castiel lightly on the arm. "Take it back or I'm telling you about every scene we filmed today, in depths with spoilers and all." Dean said with a smirk.

"You wouldn't dare." Castiel said. Dean just carried on smirking. "You're bluffing."

"Well today we filmed the scene in which the guy from the subway-" Dean started to say but Castiel swiftly shut up him up pulling him into a deep kiss. Dean's hand slowly crept underneath Castiel's shirt until he was running his hand over Castiel's stomach and slowly moved to his waist. It was the lightest of touches but it sent shivers up Castiel's spine. Castiel really wondered how this had become his life. How had he gone from being just another college student to the boyfriend of America's most popular actor? Clearly he'd done something right somewhere even though all he'd really done was be sarcastic, mocking and slightly drunk in New York at one point. "So…what do you say about New York? Will you come with me?" Dean asked as he rested his forehead against Castiel's.

"No you really think I would say no?" Castiel asked smirking as he pulled Dean's lips back towards his own.

"I'm taking that as a 'yes'" Dean said between deep kisses. "But if you get peanut butter on my kitchen ceiling then I'm making you sleep in the bathtub." Dean added.

Author's Note: God I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who read and loved this fic. I swear when I started it I never thought anyone would even want to read it so once again here a huge thank you. This probably won't be the last I'll write when it comes to this verse but I'll be focussing on drafting then writing my entry for the DeancasBigBang 2013 as well.