#hellsgranniesnetwork

“Is it Castiel? I bet it’s Castiel.”

“What? No. Why would I be texting him?” Dean answers, a bit too quickly.

Charlie’s eyes narrow and suddenly Dean’s phone is no longer in his hands.

“What the hell, Charlie!?”

Charlie holds the phone out of his reach and scrolls through the conversation. “This amount of winky faces should only be allowed while sexting,” she says, sounding unsurprised.

“Give me my phone back you—you crazy person!” Dean stretches, trying to reach for his phone.

“Thought you didn’t do coworkers, Dean?” Charlie smirks at him, finally releasing his phone as Dean snags it from her grip.

“There’s no doing being done. I gave him a ride home the other night and I guess he’s kind of cool so we’re talking. Shut up.” Dean ignores the look Charlie is giving him and goes back to looking at his conversation with Cas.

“Uh huh. I know how this goes. You’re just talking. Just friends. Next thing I know, we can’t go to some place because he works there, or studies there, or something. Dean—“

“I’m not gonna do anything, Charlie. Drop it.”

Charlie huffs and shakes her head. “Well, I will be saying ‘I told you so’ when it does inevitably happen. Just don’t make things weird at work. For the love of god, please.”

Dean just rolls his eyes.

--

“Dean?”

Dean looks up from the drink station where he’s filling a large cup full of water to take home. He smiles and sets his cup down, grabbing a lid. “What’s up, Cas?”

“Not much. Uhm—Could I perhaps get a ride home again tonight?” Cas asks, looking a little uncertain.

“Yeah, man. Absolutely. Your car broke or something?”

Cas shakes his head. “No. I don’t own a car.”

“Really? You just walk everywhere?”

“And bike. I have a bike to get me farther distances. I don’t bike here, though. I don’t particularly like biking home after dark,” Cas explains.

“Understandable.” Dean pulls his hat off and hooks it to one of the loops on his pants. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here,” he says when he saw Benny and Meg coming from the back of the store to leave as well.

“Hey, Clarence.”

Dean looks over at Meg, looking ather like she’s lost her mind because who the hell is Clarence?

Cas looks at her. “Yes, Meg?”

Dean then looks over at Cas like he’s just as crazy. “Your name isn’t Clarence.”

Meg looks at Dean, arching one brow. “Would it kill you to read a book? Watch a movie?”

“I do both of those things.”

“Sure you do.” Meg looks back at Cas again. “We’re going out to this diner. Wanna join us?”

“We are?” Dean asks, confused.

“You’re not invited,” Meg says simply.

Benny rolls his eyes. “You’re invited, Dean. You always are.”

Meg snorts.

Dean glares at Meg for a moment before looking over at Cas expectantly. “You wanna? It’s good food, I promise.”

Cas is silent for a moment, deliberating. Dean can see the gears turning in his head and he wonders why it’s such a hard decision. It is late, though, and maybe Cas isn’t hungry.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I could just take you home,” Dean offers.

Cas shakes his head then. “No. I’ll come.”

“Great,” Meg says brightly. “Let’s go, then. We can take my car.”

“You mean your abomination on wheels?” Dean comments.

“You’re one to talk. How much is it to fill your tank again?”

“Shut up.”

--

“So, Clarence. You free tomorrow?”

Dean stops with a fry halfway to his mouth and narrows his eyes at Meg.

Cas looks up at her from his plate of French toast and shakes his head. “No. I have off tomorrow night.”

“There’s a party. Wanna go?”

“Where is it?” Dean asks immediately.

“You’re not invited,” Meg says, smiling at him coolly.

“I didn’t say I wanted to go. I asked where it was.”

“It’s over on James Street—“

Dean turns to Cas. “Don’t go.”

Cas’ brows knit together. “Why not?”

“That area is so sketch, Cas. How do you not know this?”

“I’ve never been to a party.”

“Oh, then you so have to go,” Meg chimes in again. “C’mon. It’ll be a real good time. I can promise you that.”

“Shut up, Meg.”

“I think I’d really like to go. Can you pick me up, Meg?” Cas asks.

“Cas, what the hell?”

Cas levels Dean with a stare that makes him swallow thickly. “I’d like to go.”

“Right,” Dean says, giving a nod and looking back down at his plate of food.

Meg beams up at Cas. “Great. I’ll pick you up at nine. We’re gonna have a real good time. Promise.”

Dean shoves a forkful of food in his mouth and is mostly silent for the remainder of their get-together.

--

Dean pulls in front of Cas’ apartment a while later, chewing on his lower lip. He doesn’t turn off the ignition, doesn’t even look over at Cas. The ride had been silent and, quite frankly, pretty uncomfortable.

“You seem troubled.”

Dean rolls his eyes and stares out the windshield at the orange-lit street. “I’m good, Cas.”

“You’ve been very quite since half way through dinner.”

“I’m okay, Cas. Seriously.” Dean finally looks over at Cas. He’s peering at Dean with those wide, blue eyes, looking genuinely concerned. Dean sighs. “I don’t find Meg to be that great  of company. We’re not exactly in each other’s’ fan club.”

Cas frowns. “I gathered that. Though, I don’t understand why. You’re both perfectly nice people.”

“Not that simple, buddy.”

“Why shouldn’t I go to the party, Dean?” Cas asks suddenly, catching Dean off-guard.

Dean blinks. “You do whatever you want, Cas. It’s your life.”

“But why do you not want me to go? What’s so bad about going to a part with Meg?”

Cas’ eyes bore into Dean and he shifts uncomfortably under the intense gaze. “No reason, man. It’s nothing. You just go. Have fun. Be safe.”

Dean has to look away after a moment, feeling too uncomfortable with Cas staring at him like he can see every little tick and switch of Dean’s thoughts. He rubs the back of his neck. “Have a good night, Cas. I’ll see you in a few days.”

Dean’s grateful Cas doesn’t drag the moment out longer. He climbs out of the Impala with a quiet goodbye and Dean watches him until he disappears inside the lobby of the apartment complex.

--

“Brother, I am about to send you home.”

“You can’t send me home, Benny. You don’t have enough people tonight as it is,” Dean snaps, tossing a few sandwiches into the HLZ.

“You’ve been like this three nights in a row. If you’re gonna stand in there bitin’ peoples’ heads off, I’m gonna find someone else who can do the job until you get your head out of your ass.” Benny takes the sandwiches and puts them on a tray, serving off the order with a very deliberate jab of his finger.

“I’m fine, Benny. Fine enough to do my damn job. Stop hassling me.”

“You’re not fine. Everyone can tell. I’ve already had five sandwiches sent back because you ain’t thinkin’ straight.”

“I’m fine.”

Benny all but glares at him before turning his attention to another crew member. Dean attempts to lose himself in the repetition of putting down nuggets and burgers and making sandwiches, but he’s been out of sorts all weekend. He pretends he doesn’t know why, but he does. He’s not about to admit it, though, because it’s stupid. Dean Winchester does not get jealous.

“Cas, I want you back on table with Dean.”

Dean stops mid-wrap and he looked over the HLZ to see Cas standing next to Benny. There are shadows under his eyes.

“Uh… why not just have Garth come back here? Or Adam?”

“Because I put Adam on front counter and Garth on lobby. Charlie’s at front booth, Cassie’s up here with me, and Jo’s on dishes. We’re ‘bout to hit rush, so you’ll need help in there. And Cas needs practice,” Benny explains. “Now stop glarin’ at me and work on making food. People are getting’ impatient.”

Dean glowers at him before returning to what he was doing.

When Cas gets in the grill area, tying an apron around his waist, Dean moves over to work on putting down meats.

“Hello, Dean,” Cas says. His voice sounds a little hoarse, Dean notices.

“Hey,” Dean replies simply. “You know what you’re doin’ or you gonna need help over there?”

“I should be fine for now. I’ll tell you if I need help.”

They work mostly in silence, only speaking to call out when things were running low or when things were put down or up. Cas works at a steady pace, if a bit slow, but it’s fine until lobby picks up. Garth is sent back to help them and his mindless chatter is enough to kill the tension at least for a bit.

The store slows down and Dean is grateful when he’s given a break. He gets his food and slumps into a chair in the crew room, taking off his hat and tossing it onto the counter behind his tray. He’s alone, and the sounds from the restaurant are muffled, easing the tension in his head a little. He nibbles on a fry, willing time to pass slowly.

Dean jumps when a tray is set down behind him and he looks back to see Cas sliding into a chair at the small table in the corner. Dean sighs, turning back to his food and mentally cursing Benny.

“Parties are far more intense than I imagined,” Cas says after a moment of silence.

Dean snorts and bites into his apple pie.

“Meg herself is as well.”

Dean almost chokes.

“Are you alright?” Cas sounds alarmed.

“Dude, if you had sex with Meg, I don’t wanna know about it,” Dean wheezes as he tries to clear pie from his esophagus.

Cas is silent.

--

Dean heads to his car after they close and he slips into the driver’s seat, tossing his hat onto the passenger side. He rubs his hand over his face before starting the engine and pulling out of the parking lot. He makes it less than a block when he sees Cas walking slowly on the sidewalk. Dean frowns and pulls off to the side of the road. He climbs out of the car and stands to look over the hood. Cas is looking at him quizzically as he walks over.

“Yes, Dean?”

“You’re walking home?”

“How else would I get home?”

Dean frowns. “I told you I could give you a ride if you needed one.”

Cas stares at him, eyes drilling holes right through Dean. Dean needs to take a deep breath to steady his nerves.

“I felt that the invitation wasn’t still on the table,” Cas said slowly.

“What? Why?”

Cas’ brows pinch together. “You haven’t really been talking to me. I was under the impression I’d done something to offend you.”

Dean swallows, shakes his head. “Nah. C’mon, get in.” Dean drops back into his seat before Cas can protest.

The ride is tense and silent and Dean hates that he can’t think of anything to say. Cas sits still as stone in the passenger seat, staring out his window as if the passing street lamps were the most interesting things in the world.

Dean parks in front of Cas’ apartment, turns off the ignition, and clears his throat. “So, uh, yeah.”

“Dean, I don’t really understand what’s going on. But whatever I’ve done to upset you—“

“Cas, I’m fine—“

“You’re not. I haven’t heard from you in days and you’ve been short with me all evening.”

“Short? What, are you—No, okay, you could have texted me, too. I never heard from you, either,” Dean defends, feeling slighted.

“Because I didn’t think you wanted to hear from me,” Cas retorts, looking over at him.

“I never said that.”

“Ever since I agreed to go to that party, you’ve been giving me the cold shoulder and I’d like to know why,” Cas demands.

“I told you. I don’t like Meg. That didn’t mean I didn’t want to talk to you.”

“Alright, but your dislike of Meg has extended to me—“

“What? No it has—“

“Yes, Dean, it has. I don’t see why I can’t be friends with you both.”

“You can. Jesus. Okay, look. I don’t like Meg. I’m not big on parties. I definitely don’t like the kind of party that she took you to. And don’t tell me I don’t know, because I do. That neighborhood’s notorious for those kinds of parties. Whatever. Do what you want. That’s fine. I’m fine.” Dean takes a deep breath. “Just, don’t get caught up in her shit. She’s fucking stupid sometimes, Cas. Okay? Trust me on this one. She can be nice enough and okay to talk to, but she’s a fucking idiot and she only looks out for herself—“

“Dean, what on earth do you think I’m doing with her?”

“I don’t know? And I don’t really care. I just—“ Dean clears his throat again and looks away. He turns his car back on and turns on some classic rock station. He can’t think well enough right now for this conversation. He sits back in his seat and closes his eyes.

“Dean?”

“Let’s just… Talk about this when I’m more awake or something. Please?”

Cas falls silent but Dean can still feel him staring. Some old REO murmurs out of the speakers, filling out the tension. Dean hears Cas sigh eventually.

“I’ll see you tomorrow night, Dean,” he says as he opens the door to get out.

Dean glances over at him. “I have off tomorrow.”

“Oh.” Cas stops and looks over at him.

“But, I’ll, uh—I’ll text you. Scouts honor.”

Cas watches him for a moment before sliding out of the car.