Business (Not) As Usual by @bluemasqueradedream
Castiel Novak has a love-hate relationship with the Cherryvale Small Business Owner’s Association. He’s already gained new clients since becoming a member, and made many valuable connections. Cherryvale isn’t a big city by any means, nothing like Chicago. Still, it’s not exactly small town America, either.
Being the new owner of an accounting services firm requires that he reach out to the local business community. Since Cas is an Introvert with a capital ‘I’, networking is high up on his list of things he detests. Still, he wants Novak Professional Accounting and Tax Services to be the first name other people think of when they need help with their books or taxes. The CSBOA seemed like the easiest and best way to accomplish that, so he started attending, and the organization has met all of his expectations.
So he has nothing but a healthy respect and appreciation for the Association itself.
His love/hate relationship is with his fellow members of the Association – namely one Dean Winchester, owner and operator of Winchester Automotive Repair and Restoration.
This story, my friends, is like a warm hug, like a cup of tea on a Sunday afternoon, like an evening spent in bed with a fluffy cat purring right beside you. Written for last year’s round of the DCBB, Business (Not) As Usual tells a story of Castiel, a kind and adorably awkward accountant who’s pining for Dean, a friendly mechanic. What starts as an acquaintanceship and monthly meetings of the Small Business Owner’s Association, slowly turns into a sweet friendship full of burger dates, movie nights, and some hopeful pining. Castiel is absolutely adorable with his accountant nerdiness and one-sided conversations with his cat, and Dean is right up there with him, being his usual friendly, dorky, and charming self. A small cast of other characters, including, most notably, Charlie and Hannah, adds even more sweetness to the story. The author also dedicates a small fraction of the story to Dean’s financial matters, but it’s done in a way that even a complete layman won’t find boring or too complicated to understand. The entire thing is made even better with @dreymart‘s amazing art. It’s the best kind of slow burn that is just long enough to spend a lovely few hours on!
