#smolthings2019

“You got it?” The voice was deep and rough.

“Yeah,” Dean yelled back, cradling it close.

“See any more?”

More? Dean hadn’t expected to even see one, but it made sense that a single kitten wouldn’t be out here on its own. He stepped back onto the road to take another look before checking the shoulder and the edge of the woods.

“Nothing,” he called.

The motorcycle pulled off the road and parked behind Dean’s car. The truck continued on, blaring its horn as it passed. The kitten was small enough that Dean could keep it safely contained in one hand while freeing the other to flip off the truck driver.

The rain was streaming down now and Dean took a few steps off the side of the road to stand under a tree. The kitten had curled up in his hands and was blinking up at him with big solemn eyes.

He heard footsteps as the motorcycle rider approached him, pushing up the visor of his helmet. “Is it hurt?”

Dean gave the kitten a quick once over. It seemed alright from what he could tell. “I don’t think--” he looked up and was met with the bluest eyes he’d ever seen. “So,” he finished lamely.

“May I?” The man stood close to him so that he could see the kitten. While he was studying the tiny furball, Dean took a moment to study him. The black leather clung to him like a glove, showcasing broad shoulders and thick, powerful thighs.

“How did you even see it?”

“Just happened to be looking in the right place at the right time. If you hadn’t stopped…”

Dean held the kitten a little tighter. “Well, I’d been following you awhile.” He nodded toward the bike. “I knew you knew what you were doing on that thing, so when you swerved, I figured something was up.”

At that, the man pulled off his helmet completely. The only word Dean could come up with was breathtaking . He ran a gloved hand through his mashed down hair, leaving it standing on end and Dean transfixed.

“That’s a pretty sweet ride you’ve got as well. I admired it as I passed you.”

“Oh, you had to go there, huh?” Dean shook his head in mock disgust, but he was smiling.

“I’m Cas,” the man said, tucking the helmet under one arm and extending his hand.

Dean cupped the kitten to his chest and shook the offered hand. “Dean.”

Cas smiled at him, white teeth shining, before looking again at the kitten.

Dean uncurled his fingers. “Did you want to hold it?”

Immediately, Cas put down his helmet, peeling off his gloves and dropping them inside of it. Carefully, Dean transferred the kitten into his waiting hands. “Looks like it got you.”

Only then did Dean notice the scratches on his fingers from when the kitten had struggled. “It’s nothing,” he said, even though they did sting a little. “I’m sure I scared it half to death.”

Dean watched as he held the kitten, his eyes soft and fond as he stroked its head. “Hey there, little one.” He deftly but gently turned it in his hands. “Little girl, to be precise.” The kitten was still shivering, but whether from fear or cold, Dean didn’t know. She seemed comfortable in Cas’s hands, though, pressing her little face up so he could continue to pet her. Reluctantly, he tore his gaze from the kitten. “You saved her so if you wanted to keep her, I understand.”

Dean’s eyes went wide at the thought. He’d never had a pet in his life and his building didn’t allow them anyhow. “I can’t have pets where I live.”

“Oh,” Cas said, brightening. “I’m happy to take her, then.”

Dean hadn’t really thought about anything past getting the kitten safely off the road, but now he found himself relieved that she would be going home with Cas. “That’s great.”

They smiled at each other until the kitten made a soft mewling sound.

“Ok, sweetheart,” Cas said. Then he chewed his lip for a moment. “Can I ask you a favor?”

Dean didn’t realize he was still looking at Cas’s mouth until he had to look up to meet his eyes. “Sure.”

“Obviously I can’t take her with me on the bike. Would you be able to drive her to my place? It’s not that far from here.”

“Yeah,” Dean said, nodding his head more times than was necessary. “Yeah, sure I can do that.”

He took the kitten back, pretending not to notice the warm touch of Cas’s hands as he passed her over. When Cas had retrieved his gloves and helmet, they walked back through the rain to the Impala.

“I wish I had a box or something,” Dean mused as he opened the trunk and pulled out a blanket. “I guess this will have to do.” He passed the kitten back to Cas so that he could use both hands to fold the blanket into a smaller rectangle. Laying it on the front seat, he straightened up again, looking between the kitten and the blanket. “Honestly, I’ve never had a pet before. Think that’ll work?”

Cas stepped forward and set the kitten down in the middle of the blanket, scrunching up the edges a bit to form a nest. It gave Dean an excellent look at his excellent ass. “I think so. She seems pretty worn out and it’s not far.”

He closed the car door gently and they both peered through the window for a moment. When the kitten took a few tentative steps then lay down in the middle of the blanket, they beamed at each other like proud parents. In fact, they stood there so long that Dean had to wipe the rain out of his eyes.

Cas shook the rain from his own hair and then pulled on his helmet. “Okay, follow me.”

Anywhere, Dean thought but he made his mouth say, “Cool.”

He got into the Impala and rested his hand on the sleeping kitten. She was damp, but seemed to be drying out fast. In the rearview mirror he watched as Cas straddled the bike and got the engine started. Dean’s mouth went dry. “Hot damn,” he said to the kitten.

He was so distracted that it took him a moment to start the car so that he could pull out onto the road behind him. Cas drove a little more slowly this time. Maybe it was an abundance of caution, maybe he just thought he needed to so Dean could keep up, but either way, he felt a grin spread across his face. Truthfully, he didn’t mind going a little more slowly because instead of lulling the kitten to sleep the motion of the car seemed to concern her. She stood on wobbly legs and let out a tiny mew.

“It’s ok,” Dean assured her, reaching a hand over to pat her. Apparently that wasn’t good enough because she made her way off the blanket and onto the leather seat. “Hey, no claws,” he reminded her, and she meowed again, then tried and failed to climb up his leg. “Uhhhh,” Dean said, helplessly, trying to keep his eyes on the road while this tiny creature treated his thigh like it was Mount Everest. “Fine, but I didn’t do all this just so we could crash.”

He scooped her up and placed her in his lap. Even with the engine’s vibration, he could feel her purring.

Before long, Cas signaled a turn into a neighborhood that Dean had passed plenty of times before. He kept driving, finally pulling into the driveway of a small house on a quiet street. Dean wasn’t sure what he expected, but the beautifully tended flower gardens out front weren’t it. With a sinking feeling, he considered that, despite whatever chemistry he was feeling, it was entirely possible that Cas had a wife and a family.

“Maybe got a little ahead of myself there,” he told the kitten, but she didn’t respond.

While Cas parked the motorcycle in the garage, Dean sat in the car, telling himself he was only staying out of the rain. He could roll the window down enough to pass the kitten to Cas and then be on his way. He sighed, thinking of his empty apartment. Work days weren’t so bad, but the shopping, the long drive, they’d both been ways to kill some extra weekend time, quiet endless hours that seemed to stretch forever. But hey, this had been a diversion in and of itself, an adventure of sorts and a story he could tell Sam the next time he called. He’d be thrilled to hear Dean had been out and about.

Cas strode back over to the car, leather gleaming with rain, and Dean rolled down the window.

Cas leaned into it, smiling when he saw the kitten on Dean’s lap. “I don’t mean to take up any more of your time, but I could really use an extra pair of hands getting her settled.” His face was close to Dean’s and Dean had to stop himself from petting the stubbled jaw.

He should tell Cas he needed to go. Make a break for it before he had to go smile and meet the family. Instead he said, “Sure, happy to.”

The kitten got to her feet, looking at Cas and taking an uneven step across Dean’s lap in his direction. There was a flurry of hands as Dean picked her up while Cas reached for her, and Dean was far too aware of his crotch being the center of attention.

Cas carried the kitten to the garage, standing with her out of the rain while Dean got out of the car and joined them. He passed her back yet again so he could unlock the door to the house. “I want to get my other cat closed off in my bedroom before we bring her in.”

“Sounds good,” Dean agreed, trying not to focus on his use of my and not our.

“Wait here, please,” Cas said as they stepped into a small laundry room. Dean tried to be inconspicuous as he looked around to see if there were women’s or children’s clothing visible, but there was nothing to give him any clues as to who else might live here with Cas.

A few minutes later, Cas was back. He’d taken off the black leather and was now in a t-shirt and comfortably worn jeans. He smiled a little self-consciously. “My brother always makes fun of me for wearing them, but they’re good protection.”

“Your brother?”

“This is his house. I’ve been staying here while I look for my own place. He travels a lot, though, so he appreciates the housesitting.”

Dean had to stop himself from laughing in relief. “Does he know you’re filling his house with cats?”

“There’s no way he can resist this cute thing.” Cas reached out for the kitten, but this time after he tucked her against his chest with one hand, he held on to Dean’s wrist. “You should really wash these,” he said, running a thumb lightly over the scratches on Dean’s fingers. Dean didn’t pull away and Cas didn’t let go.

“Yeah,” Dean said, stopping to clear his throat. “I’ll do that.”

“Sink’s there,” Cas said. “Why don’t you take off your coat and give it a chance to dry?”

Confident that they were on the same page, Dean couldn’t resist his best smolder. ”So, I’m hanging out, then?”

Cas raised an eyebrow. “Unless you’ve got someplace else to be.”

In what felt like the blink of an eye, the entire afternoon was gone, the hours spent sitting together on the floor talking and watching the kitten investigate her new surroundings.

“How do you think she ended up out there?” Dean said, as the kitten stepped both front paws into her bowl of food.

“It’s hard to know. I’m just glad we found her when we did.” Cas sat close enough to him that their shoulders touched.

“Not exactly how I thought my Saturday was gonna play out,” Dean admitted.

Cas turned to him. “I’m glad I found you when I did, too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”