#ewmish

It wasn’t really much of a surprise that Dean and Jo were probably the last to arrive. They were always the ones running a few minutes late to class at least once a week after all, so it didn’t really surprise anyone.

The person to welcome them was a red haired and beautiful woman- “Anna,” Dean said before he could stop, smiling at the red head. She had definitely grown into her features over the ten years he hadn’t seen her.

“Dean,” she responded and wrapped her arms around him. She then turned to Jo and hugged her as well. “Jo.” She stepped back and looked at both of them with a fondness that had Dean and Jo glance at each other. “I’m so glad you could make it. And only three minutes late, impressive.”

“Ha ha.” Jo rolled her eyes, then looked around the room that was full of people neither her nor Dean had seen in ten whole years. “So, did everyone make it?”

Anna shook her head. “Garth is somewhere in Europe. I couldn’t even get a reply from him when I send out the invites a couple months ago. Naomi moved to England last year and couldn’t get a flight back here in time. And I assume you both heard about Connor?”

They both nodded. Connor had passed away two years ago. Jo had attended the funeral. Dean hadn’t.

Anna left them shortly after to go welcome the last arriving person. Dean only had to look around for half a minute before he saw him.

Castiel Novak.

Castiel who he had a crush on all throughout high school. Castiel who was the most beautiful man he had ever laid eyes on. Castiel who distracted him most of English Lit and he would have to use Jo’s notes to not fail the class. Castiel who he wanted to ask out for prom their senior year, but had ended up not going at all because Castiel already had a date, according to Gabriel, Castiel’s best friend.

Castiel who was smiling that beautiful smile that made the corners of his eyes wrinkle just a little. Castiel who had only become more beautiful during the ten years they hadn’t seen each other. Castiel who made Dean’s heart pound in his chest even after so many years and so many relationship to get over a man he could never have.

Castiel Novak. The man that got away.

“Oh wow.” The sound of Jo’s voice coming to his right brought him back to reality. “Castiel looks amazing.” She looked at him, a grin on her lips. “Still got feelings for that guy?”

Dean snorted and shoved lightly at her. “Shut up, I don’t. Totally over him.”

“Right, of course you are. Watch out, he’s coming your way.” Jo patted Dean’s shoulder and moved to go over to where Hannah was waving at her, nodding her greeting at Castiel as she passed him.

Dean quickly cleared his throat and shifted from foot to foot, straightening up. Okay, so maybe he wasn’t totally over this guy. He put on a smile when Castiel stopped in front of him. “Hey, Cas.”

“Hello, Dean.” A warm smile formed on Castiel’s lips and yeah, Dean was definitely not over him. Not one bit. He had just forgotten about it because it had been ten years and there was no way one could actually be pining over someone else for ten whole years. Twelve, actually, but who’s counting?

Castiel had always been in the back of his mind and yes, sometimes he went for people who vaguely reminded him of Castiel. Either in looks or personality. Something that Jo constantly teased him about. Until, of course, Lisa had come around and she had taken Dean’s mind off of Castiel for nearly two years, before that broke off.

There was a slightly awkward silence between the two of them, a silence that Dean decided to break. “So, you look good.”

“So do you.” Castiel glanced shortly over his shoulder to where Jo laughed loudly along with Anna and Hannah, before he looked back at Dean. “I’m glad to see you’re with Jo now. She’s a lovely woman.”

“What?”

“I always figured you would end up together. You were always so close in high school.”

“Wait, wait.” Dean shook his head and couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. “You think Jo’s my girlfriend?” When Castiel nodded, an adorably confused look on his face, Dean laughed again. “No, Jo’s my best friend. Always has been and nothing more.”

“Oh.” Castiel’s eyes wandered downward for only a moment, then came back to Dean’s. “So no girlfriend or wife?”

Dean shook his head. “No girlfriend, no wife, no husband, no boyfriend, no no one. I’m as single as they come. What about you? Got yourself married or anything?”

Castiel shook his head and Dean nearly sighed with relief. “No, unfortunately not. It came close a few years ago, but it didn’t last.”

“That sucks. Did you at least get a career in the teaching field like you wanted to back in high school?”

Castiel blinked at him, surprised. “I’m surprised you remember that. And yes, I did. I’m a university professor in history.”

“Wow, that’s pretty impressive.” Dean remembered the times he had been paired with Castiel for a history project or just any group project and whenever Dean couldn’t understand a damn thing they were doing, Castiel had always been so patient with him and been careful and calm while explaining it to him. Dean had been failing history before he got paired with Castiel for a history project during their senior year.

“And what about you? What did you end up doing?”

Dean had gone back and forth on many things he wanted to do. First he wanted to become a doctor, but that was quickly out of the question because he didn’t have the brains for it. Then, for less than a month, he wanted to become an actor. And then there were a billion other things he wanted to do but nothing that really stuck with him.

What did stick with him, however, was cars.

“I work at Bobby’s garage. Uh, Bobby is my-”

“Step-dad, yes. I remember him.”

Dean really shouldn’t be surprised that Castiel remembered Bobby. Bobby wasn’t someone you just forgot about.

“So you’re a mechanic?” Castiel seemed to chew on the thought for a moment, his eyes running down and then back up Dean and he wasn’t subtle about it. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”

Dean raised a brow at him. “No? Why, because I was too dumb for anything else than fix cars?”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “No. Because I remember how much you loved cars and how much time you spend working on them in your spare time. So I’m not surprised you gave up on everything else and ended up doing what you love doing.”

The conversation went smoothly after a short, awkward silence between them. They talked like they did in high school. It was like they hadn’t been apart for ten whole years, and Dean found it surprisingly easy to feel comfortable around Castiel again, even after all these years.

It was only awkward when Dean said something that made Castiel laugh and Castiel put a hand on his shoulder, which reminded Dean that yeah, that crush was definitely still there, his heart pounding in his chest.

They talked for a while before someone came over to join them. That someone being Benny Lafitte. 

Benny had joined halfway through high school and was someone Dean had sort of kept in touch with. They would occasionally see each other when Jo dragged Dean out to a bar and they would talk over a beer or three. But that would be about it.

“Dean! Castiel!” Benny clasped a large hand on both Dean and Castiel’s shoulder, smiling at the two of them as he brought them in for a sort of hug that was more awkward than nice, because they were sort of mushed together.

“So good to see you two again.” Benny laughed and looked from Castiel to Dean. “Let’s go get you boys a drink. Just like the old days, huh?”

Neither Castiel nor Dean had much of a choice and they were dragged over to the table Anna had laid out, the table full of beer, sodas and probably every possible drink you could think of. She was thorough.

Benny and Dean got a beer each, Castiel went with a Cola. They talked, caught up, and laughed. A few others from their class came over to join them, Jo included.

It was good seeing everyone again, but Dean couldn’t take his eyes off Castiel for more than a few seconds.

And it was when Benny had gone through half of his beer and the conversation went to awkward high school crushes, that Dean knew he was screwed. He knew he was screwed because Benny had been one of the few he had told about his major crush on Castiel.

He knew it was coming before Benny even opened his mouth.

“Oh, and let’s not forget about Dean!” The laughter died down around them, just a little, as the attention went to Dean, who was already lowering his head because he knew it was too late to stop Benny from saying it. “He had the biggest crush on Castiel.”

There was a bit of laughter, some nudging to the two and a few people whistling. “I ain’t kidding. He would talk for hours about the guy, especially after a beer.”

Benny kept talking. People kept asking questions and laughing. But Dean stopped paying them attention. Because he looked up from the floor and saw Castiel looking back at him.

Cheeks slightly red and a smile on his lips.

Castiel moved closer and laid a hand on Dean’s shoulder, as he leaned closer to whisper in his ear. “I had a crush on you as well.”

When Castiel leaned back, there was a grin on his lips and the hand on Dean’s shoulder moved down along his arm until he came to grab his hand. “Still do.”

Dean swallowed, hesitated for only a second, before he tugged Castiel with him toward the front door.

Jo found them making out outside an hour later, nearly ripping each other’s clothes off.

Castiel stuck around after that.