Chapter Text
The decision to stop driving his daughter to and from pre-school and cut through the park was equally the best and worst decision Dean had made. It was the best decision because it meant Charlie tended to tire herself out on the playground and by the time, they got home she was practically falling asleep into her dinner. It was the worst decision because he had to pry her away from the playground on the way to pre-school in the mornings meaning they had been late on more than one occasion. This was one of those mornings.
“Charlie you little…get your butt back down here!” he shouted to his four-year-old who was running along the rope bridge in the jungle gym to get to the slide for the third time that morning.
“One more time! You promised!” she shouted back. Damn, she was right. He had promised, promised her four goes on the slide if she let him tie her red mane of hair up. She hated having her hair tied back, liked it wild and free but rules were rules apparently. Charlie had only been at the pre-school a couple of months and she’d been sent home with the clothing and hair criteria twice.
It was 8.45am. As usual, they were cutting it close. She loved it when the playground was empty, felt like her own kingdom for her to rule. If Dean wasn’t terrified of the pre-school teachers, he’d let her stay on it all day. The gravel shifted under the weight of his boots to get to her by the time she slid down. Her arms were up in the air and a loud squeal came out of her. Dean bent down and scooped her up into his arms to take her away.
“Alright, four times. You’re done kiddo.” He said defiantly. Charlie huffed into his shoulder but complied. They worked on deals, bargains, bribes and that worked both ways. He knew how to get her to do things just as she knew how to get him to do things. Charlie had Dean buying her the coconut shampoo she loved for the small price of not leaving her building bricks everywhere for him to step on. He hated coconut but it was worth it for the sake of his feet. Lego were the devils work. Two peas in a pod Dean and Charlie were.
By the time he planted her down onto the pre-school ground her huff was over, replaced by excitement that she was surrounded by kids her own age. A mass of four and five-year-old youngsters all screaming and squealing. Dean needed two aspirin, or two fingers of whiskey after the onslaught of that high pitch. It was 5pm, somewhere right?
She hadn’t even said goodbye to him, too engrossed in what looked like the Tran kid’s bag pack. There were Power Rangers on it, Dean couldn’t blame her. He was about to make the walk back through the park when one of the head teachers spotted him. Crap.
“Mr. Winchester!” she shouted.
He took a deep breath, stuck a fake smile on his face and turned on his heel to greet her. He could never remember their names. He never wanted to either. There was the one with the stick up her ass, then the one with a tree stuck up hers. This was the tree one, and he’s talking a big tree, like an Oak. He was surprised she could even walk let alone make sure his four-year-old daughter tied her hair back.
“What’s up teach?” he asked.
She pursed her lips at the name. “I see you haven’t responded to the email concerning the annual Autumnal Fete bake sale.”
More like wasn’t going to.
“Right, yeah, see thing is I’m not really much of a baker and…”
Ms. Oak (her unofficial name) crossed her arms over her chest. Her pristinely starched shirt with the Little Nippers logo didn’t even budge. He could tell she didn’t interact with the kids, the too good for this place air around her made him think she didn’t even know the whole lyrics to I’ll Make a Man Out of You. Dean on the other hand, did.
“I’ve taken the liberty to email you some easier baking options, less time consuming and more reasonably priced.”
He was glad for the Autumn chill. Meant the fists he was making were hidden in his jacket pockets. The fake smile had dropped.
“Well aint that awfully nice of you.” He sucked his cheek in between his teeth. The sarcasm was lost on her. She reached out to put her twig like fingers on his shoulder. Dean had to fight the urge to shake it off and give her a piece of his mind. This was the only pre-school within a five-mile radius of his house. He wasn’t about to get Charlie kicked out because of Dean and his inability to play ball even if she was a condescending ass hat.
“We recognise the strain you must be under as a single Father.”
Okay, we’re so done here.
He stepped back from her reach. “I need to get going but I’ll check over that email and spruce something up for the whatever…” He waved his hand dismissively, making a bee line for the exit.
“Autumnal Fete.” She reminded him.
He left before he actually did decide to give her a piece of his mind. The sudden turn to bolt back into the park had Dean running into someone by accident, running into them with force. The guy keeled over, hand on his chest, his other still holding onto a little blonde-haired kid beside him. Dean could recognise the mass of black hair and trench coat from a mile away.
“Cas, shit man I’m so sorry.” He apologised.
“You said a bad word.” Claire, his daughter pointed out. Dean put his hand up to his mouth. He did, he always used bad words. As much as he tried to censor himself, it was too easy for him to drop in a swear word in his language.
“It was an accident.” He tried to explain. Claire, with her set of icy blue eyes that could only match her Father’s glared at Dean for the swear word.
“Was running into my Daddy an accident too?” she asked with a slight head tilt.
Dean really needed to sit his daughter down and ask her the reasons why she chose Claire to be her best friend in the whole wide world. The girl was full of attitude and snark. A four-year-old shouldn’t have that much sass.
“Claire be nice,” Cas rasped out. Dean had clearly winded him, his voice was deep any day of the week, but this sounded labored. The guy stood up matching Dean in height with a look of pain on his face. “Hello Dean.”
The annoyance Dean was experiencing from Ms. Oak ceased to exist when met with the face of the man who spent far too much time in Dean’s mind. As much as Claire was the devil incarnate sometimes Dean was glad his daughter chose Claire as her best friend forever because it meant he got to interact with Cas. The man who he had a seriously embarrassing crush on ever since Charlie’s first day at pre-school.
He didn’t know what it was about the guy that made his insides all gooey. Sure, he was attractive, Dean might even go as far and say hot. It was his damn sex appeal that initially caught Dean’s eye in the playground a couple of months back. His bed hair and the way his tie hung loosely around his neck that had Dean itching to grab it, pull the man into him and unchap those full lips with his tongue. Thoughts he really didn’t need to have while surrounded by a punch of kids and their parents and yet there he was, daydreaming about all the ways he could get his hands under that white shirt.
When he had arrived to pick up Charlie after her first day she was running around after a blonde-haired girl. Dean assumed she left her bag pack in the classroom till he spotted it at the foot of the man from that morning. He pushed back those encroaching fantasies to go up and meet the guy. They introduced themselves, made small talk that Dean was more than happy to go along with as Charlie ran around full of smiles and glee. It seemed Cas was too, though not much of a talker unless prompted. Dean was more than happy to prompt.
That became a usual thing then, at pick-up he’d spot Cas or Cas would spot him and they’d talk while waiting for their kids to be set free from the confines of pre-school or finish whatever game they were playing. The more they talked, the more that physical attraction became something more, something more like affection for the man. It might have been down to how much Cas was also a single Dad, how they bonded over raising unconventional daughters or that he found a parent who was kind of just making it up as he went along much like Dean. Cas wasn’t this yummy Mummy (Daddy?) with the kid’s life in a calendar, regimented with after school activities and knowing what Claire was going to be doing every day for the next 15 years of her life.
The guy was like Dean, as long as his daughter was loved, fed, had a roof over her head and laughed more than cried he’d take that as doing a good job but yeah, easy on the eyes too.
“Yeah, Claire, do what your old man says,” Dean pointed at the youngster who decided in that moment to stick her tongue out. He returned the gesture.
Ms. Oak stood out from the gates of the pre-school.
“Plan on being on time once this week Mr. Novak?” she questioned.
“Plan on being any less of a goat this week.” Cas mumbled under his breath.
Dean let out a burst of unexpected laughter. Cas used a variety of animals instead of swearing words to describe people who got on his nerves. It was imaginative and another reason Dean found himself completely hooked on the guy. Cas smiled quietly at Dean and it warmed his insides.
“Any time today Mr. Novak.” Ms. Oak pressed. Cas rolled his eyes, sighing audibly.
“We should…” Cas looked behind Dean towards the pre-school.
“Yeah, course, go before she bites your head off and dips it in her soy latte.” Dean stepped out of Cas and Claire’s way. He did have to get to work, already cutting it close himself.
Dean crossed the road in a hurry knowing he might have to jog some of the way back home. He hoped Bobby was too hungover to give him an ear full for being late again.
When Dean got back for 3pm pick up Cas was in his usual spot, two bag packs at his feet watching their daughters play hopscotch. Claire’s being the galaxy one, girl had a thing for stars and space and Charlie the sparkly fire engine red one to make her hair. Dean joined him, hands shoved in his pockets and collar up turned to stop the chill getting into him too much.
“Hey Cas.” He greeted his daughter’s best friend’s Dad. He needed a new term to call Cas, something shorter. They weren’t exactly friends, though Dean wanted to change that, but they weren’t strangers either. Acquaintances made it seem cold which was the opposite of what Dean felt when he was around the guy. Pals? Sure, Cas was Dean’s pal. Pals were a step below friends, right? He was spending far too much time debating this.
“Hello Dean.” Cas replied, he smiled at Dean. Yep, definitely not cold. He was distracted trying to figure out the shades of blue his pal had in his eyes that when a small body head butted his thigh, dangerously close to headbutting his crotch. It wouldn’t have been the first time his daughter accidentally left Dean speechless and writhing in agony.
“Hey sweetheart.” Dean put his hand over his kid’s hair. The hair-tie was gone, mane loose and to the wind. That was going to be a pain to untangle later. He just hoped she took it out recently and not actually during class hours. Dean couldn’t cope with another letter in her bag.
“Claire invited me to her birthday party, can I do please please please please.” Charlie tugged on his hand, bouncing up and down with excitement.
“Birthday party eh?” he turned to Cas who had picked up Claire and had her on his hip.
“It’s tomorrow, short notice I know but…” Cas looked through Dean, trailing off in what looked like an unpleasant memory.
“We’ll be there.” Dean cut him before he had to explain himself or lie for the sake of keeping face. Dean’s been there more than once himself. Charlie screeched in celebration. It wasn’t like they had plans anyway apart from stopping in on Sam and Amelia. They could do that on Sunday.
“It’s fancy dress. You have to dress up.” Claire said. She was still looking at him, now at his eye level being in her Dad’s arms. It made her more intimidating.
Dean queried that to Cas. “Even the adults?”
“Yup.” Claire nodded. “Daddy is going as a…”
“A superhero hiding in plain clothes.” Cas interjected, face full of pride in his get out clause. Dean chuckled. Well played, not having to dress up and yet dressing up enough for his daughter to think he was dressing up. A win win for everyone involved. Dean might need to steal that idea too though he wasn’t opposed to dressing up. He still had his costume from Halloween in the closest. He and Charlie went as Woody and Jess from Toy Story, even brought Sam and Amelia’s dog Riot along with them trick or treating pretending he was Bullseye.
“What time you want us over at?” He picked up Charlie’s bag pack off the ground, swung it over his shoulder and lifted Charlie up too, easier to walk her over the busy road to the park. It seemed not many of the parents walked their kids to pre-school making it dangerous outside. She wrapped her little arms around his neck to hold on.
“Here I have a spare…” Cas shifted Claire onto her other hip with ease. The slight show of strength did not make Dean’s stomach tighten. Nope. Cas took a piece of paper from his coat pocket, handed it to Dean. “Claire made them.”
Dean opened up the invite that was on what looked like a page from her exercise book for class. The writing was awful, covered up with stars and love hearts with colorful crayons.
“Cool stars.” Charlie said pointing to them. Dean agreed, the stars were cool, but Dean couldn’t even read the address let alone the time. Cas plucked it from his hand, turned it over and Cas had written the details in legible writing. Time, address and his phone number.
Hello, phone number.
“Great, see you tomorrow then?” Dean slotted the invite into his back pocket.
“Yay! I’m so excited!” Charlie beamed a smile at Claire. Her hands went out to her best friend, wanting a hug goodbye. Claire did it too, nearly falling out of Cas’ arms. The Dad’s found themselves leaning in to let their daughters hug it out, making them extremely close to one another. Close enough that Dean could smell sugar off of the man, noticed gold glitter on his neck and what he seriously hoped was chocolate on his jawline. He looked up at the man, noticing his attentive eyes on him, darting over Dean’s cheeks like he hadn’t noticed Dean’s freckles till right now, joining them up one by one. The temperature suddenly got a bit too hot for Dean on this cold day and he pulled his daughter away from her best friend.
“Alright, alright, you can hug her all you want tomorrow.” He said stiffening himself back up.
“Yes, plenty of time then.” Cas agreed slightly coughing and fidgety too.
They parted ways, Cas taking Claire down the street and Dean taking Charlie into the playground to exert some energy. Dean needed to exert some too. His heart jumping too quick for his liking from just being within breathing space with Cas. What would happen if he actually hugged the guy? Have a heart attack and die at the ripe old age of 32? He needed to cool his jets before spending an entire afternoon at the guy’s house. Hopefully an hour or two in the park will knock Charlie out and she’ll be in bed by 8pm and Dean can hide himself in his room and bust a nut, or two just to be on the safe side.
Dean and Charlie stopped off at the toy store before heading off to Cas’ house for the birthday party. Dean had lost her twice already, once in the board games section, another in the teddy section and finally found her in the arts and crafts section. She was just so slippery sometimes and Dean was easily distracted by nostalgia, his eye-catching plastic toy soldiers and water guns that reminded him of his brother. He understood now why people kept their kids on leashes out in public. He might need to invest in one.
“Daddy, I found what I wanna get her!” The concept of saying anything without yelling also lost on her. It was either shouting at the top of her lungs or whispering, there was rarely any in between. He noticed some parents looking at him like did he really leave a four-year-old unattended? What kind of Father was he? He hated the stares and yes, he was well aware he was reading too much into them. A single Dad came with some serious baggage attached to it and he was still working his way through it. The toothy smile of Charlie in her knight in shining armor costume made the stares worth it. He hunkered down to get to her level and see what she was pointing at.
“Let’s see what you picked then.” he said. She pointed to the galaxy poster paint set, fully equipped with intergalactic paint brushes. Metallics paint, glitter paints, the whole nine yards for ages 5+. Claire was four, close enough. He took it off the shelf and handed it to his daughter to hold. She liked holding things. Dean didn’t.
“Right, where is the wrapping paper and card sections?” He looked up at the signs to tell him where to go for what he needed next.
“You’re looking for aisle four.” One of the staff members said. He followed the voice, seeing her stack other paint sets onto shelves. The girl made no attempt to hide the fact she was checking Dean out. Eyes darting from the top of him, to the bottom and back up. He was flattered, always good to know he’s still got it even with a four-year-old hanging out of his arm trying to pull him along because they were as usual running late. He got checked out without Charlie, rarely got checked out with Charlie.
Sometimes he got chatted up in the grocery store. Happened last week, he was talking to this guy about wine because Amelia wanted some and he hadn’t a clue what to get. He suggested Dean come over for wine tasting at his place. Numbers were almost exchanged till the guy noticed the Lion King plasters in his basket and kid juice boxes. Suddenly he was busy for the next month. Dean didn’t hold it against him, not many people liked kids. Their loss.
“Thanks.” He smiled back then let Charlie whisk him away in the wrong direction. He didn’t have the heart to tell her, so they were definitely going to be late to the party.
Cas’ house was easy to spot. It was the only one with the balloons strung from the postbox along. A tell-tale sign there was a birthday party going on inside. Charlie was bouncing in her car seat, already geared up and ready for some birthday fun.
“You got the present?” Dean asked turning off the ignition in his SUV. He couldn’t drive Charlie around in the Impala, definitely not a baby safe car to be in. Bobby had let him fix up an SUV out in his yard for free to save him spending money on a one he’d only be using till Charlie had outgrown the car seat. One more year till she graduated to a booster seat and he could strap that into the back of his actual car.
Charlie waved the present in her arms. Dean could see her through his rear-view mirror. He hopped out of the car and plucked Charlie from her seat, present still in hands, wrapped horribly but Charlie insisted on doing it herself. It was covered, that was a good enough base line to go off of. She wrote in the card too, again a four-year-old could only write so much, mainly Charlie worked in symbols and hieroglyphics.
He didn’t have a chance to take her hand to bring her up, once out of the seat, she had already darted up the driveway, up the stairs and was banging on the front door.
“Charlie! Dammit.” he ran up after her. He was too late. Cas had already opened the door and she swooped in under his arm.
“Cas, sorry man, she’s just excited.” he leaned over to get a look at his daughter. “And a brat!” he called out to her. She was jumping around with Claire who was sporting a neon green alien outfit not listening to her Dad. Charlie had picked out a good present, she knew her friend well. Music carried out into the porch he was standing in along with the noise of other kids and adults too. He put his attention back on Cas, the guy was wearing a white shirt, sleeves rolled up and a pair of glasses he’d never seen Cas wear before. Black rims surrounding his eyes.
“It’s fine Dean, please come in.” Cas stepped out of the way of the door to let Dean in.
Dean pointed to the glasses as he walked in. “Those new?”
Cas shook his head. He pulled one side of his shirt to the side, revealing the Superman t-shirt he had on underneath. “Of course, Clark Kent.” Dean understood what he was doing.
“Claire will be disappointed you didn’t dress up.” Cas noted what he thought was a lack of costume.
“I am dressed up. I’m a lumberjack.” Dean patted the red and black flannel, slipped his fingers under his tan braces and snapped them. Cas’ throat gulped rather loudly, or else they were standing rather close, either way Dean heard it and it gave him a fleeting thought that Cas enjoyed that. Cas gave him no inclination he swung that way though, so Dean kept his thoughts and flirting to himself. He took out Charlie’s plastic axe from his bag pocket.
“See? I’ve got an axe and all.” he waved it before slipping it back into his pocket. Cas nodded, hearing but by the looks of it not listening, eyes still staring at Dean’s hand that was wrapped around one of his braces.
“Castiel, if you expect me to stay longer than an hour with a bunch of kids, I’m going to need something stronger than beer.” A voice gradually got louder as a shorter, chestnut slicked back haired tango dancer with fake moustache came into the sitting room Dean and Cas were standing in. Scratch that, porn star not tango dancer.
“Dean, this is my older brother Gabriel.” Cas reluctantly introduced them. Dean reached out his hand and shook it with the guy. Cas never mentioned a brother before in their playground chats. Dean talked about Sam non-stop. It was odd though the reluctance in the introduction made Dean think there was a reason why he never mentioned this guy before.
“Well aren’t you just catnip.” Gabriel flirted shamelessly. Dean chuckled at it, scratching the back of his neck on impulse. He clearly needed to wear this shirt more often, twice in one day Dean was on a roll. Cas gave his brother a threatening look. His brother put his hands up in the air, like a gun was being pointed at him. To be fair, if looks could kill. Cas’ would be the ones to do it.
“You said don’t hit on the Moms nothing about the Dads.” Gabriel pointed out.
Dean decided to play along, nudged Cas with his shoulder. “He has you there, buddy.”
“Don’t encourage him.” Cas mumbled. Dean laughed at that.
“Alright, I’ll behave.”
“We all know I won’t,” Gabriel winked. “Where do you keep the strong stuff compadre?”
Cas followed his brother and Dean followed in tow, walking into the kitchen/dining room that had more adults in it. Some from the pre-school, some Dean didn’t recognise before. For a short notice birthday party, there was a decent turn out. Seven or so kids were running around high on sugar and life. Dean spotted the table that had the sugar on it and like a magnet he was pulled, hand reaching a sugary donut and inhaling it in two bites. It was glorious. Dean noticed the birthday cake too, it was shimmering in gold glitter, explained why Cas had it on him yesterday.
“Nothing is sugar or gluten-free I already asked, just FYI.” One of the Moms Dean recognised from pre-school said to him. She was one of those yummy Mummies, ones that Dean tended to avoid.
He picked up another donut, shoved it into his mouth whole.
“Good, I love sugar AND gluten.” He said with his mouth covered in powdered sugar. She made a horrified look at him and walked off back to the other collection of yummy Mummies standing in a circle with white wine spritzers in their hands. Gluten, not ok, alcohol at half 1 though, totally acceptable.
The Tran’s kid Mom saw the ordeal and was sniggering into her mug. She walked over to him, handing him a napkin covered in stars. Dean took it, wiping the sugar off his face and swallowing down the donut before thanking her.
“Thanks.” he wiped off the sugar that landed on his shirt.
“Thanks for the laugh,” she took a sip of her coffee. Dean could smell it and could do with one himself. “Dean, right? You’re Charlie’s Dad?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “and you’re Kevin’s Mom?”
“Linda.” she put her hand out. He shook it. The Stepford wife’s collection cackled like a coven of witches, two of them were even dressed as such. It suited them. “I’m tempted to feed some sugar to their kids, get them nice and hyper, what do you think?”
“Sounds like my kinda plan.” he chuckled. No doubt their kids were sedated to within an inch of their life, who knows what sugar would do to them. Speaking of, he picked up a cookie. These looked homemade, buttery and delicious and much less messy to eat. He really needed a coffee to go with this and the smell of Linda’s was making him salivate. “Excuse me.” he touched her shoulder to leave her in search of a coffee.
He spotted Cas down on his hunches, talking to Claire who was showing him the present that Charlie had chosen for her then her smile dropped in the space of a split second, the foot stomped and she looked like she was about to blow.
“But Daaaaaaaaaaaad.”
Dean knew that name all too well. The pro-longed Dad, the I’m about to lose my shit if you don’t give me what I want right now Dad. He dropped down beside Claire and Cas.
“I said we can open it later.” Cas tried to reason with her. It wasn’t working. The icy blue death stare she liked to give Dean was up full whack and directed at her Dad.
Poor guy.
“Hey why don’t I drop Charlie off next weekend and you two can play with it together?” Dean offered, hoping that would stop the onslaught.
He then realised he just offered to drop his child off to play at another child’s house without even asking the parent first. That was definitely not ok, rookie parenting mistake. They might have had plans, or Cas might not have wanted a play date or any other of countless things.
Dean had only wanted to help but perhaps he put his foot into something bigger than he intended. “I mean, if your Dad is cool with it.” Attempting to save it, hoping he had and not just turned Cas into the bad guy if he had to say no to his daughter at her freakin’ birthday party.
“Can she come over to play?” Claire asked her Dad.
“She can come over to play anytime.” she dropped the death stare. “I’ll put this somewhere safe till then ok?”
“Ok.” she ran back to her friends satisfied with the turn of events. Dean still had to make sure it was ok what he did though. They both started to get up off their hunkers.
“Sorry man, I didn’t mean to overstep or…”
Cas shook his head. “You and Charlie are always welcome here.”
You, not just your daughter. You are welcome too.
“Oh okay,” he failed at hiding the dumb look on his face. He was totally elated that Cas had said that and his smile gave it away. He recomposed himself after a second or two, he could totally get lost at sea in those eyes of Cas’. “I actually came looking for a cup of coffee.”
“You take it black?” Cas took a mug from his cupboard, poured in some coffee from the machine and handed it to Dean. Dean took a sip. It was high quality coffee, none of that instant cheap stuff that Dean had stored away in his cupboard. This stuff was like cocaine, pure and Columbian. He hummed as his mouth filled with the smoothness of it. Dean took another sip and closed his eyes to let himself savour every aroma.
“Damn Cas, this stuff is better than sex.” He licked his lips to catch the drops left there.
Cas had poured himself one too, he was leaning against the kitchen counter. Cas’ eyes cast to Dean’s mouth and Dean retreated his tongue from his lip. He blinked away as if he didn’t seem too fussed he had been caught staring. “I highly doubt my coffee is that good.”
“I mean, it has been a while,” Dean joined him in leaning. “Maybe my memory is a little foggy.” It had been, too long. He brought the cup up to his mouth.
“Perhaps you need to someone to jog it for you.” Cas suggested casually. Dean nearly spat out his coffee, covering it with a cough and a gulp. It burnt his throat, but it was better than it spilling it. Again, Cas seemed unphased with what he had just said, or suggested. Perhaps it didn’t mean it as suggestive as he had. Dean sort of went down the path that Cas had been offering to jog it. More likely, he was just talking in general terms. General terms were easier to handle, kept Dean’s crush under wraps, especially at a kid’s birthday party. Boners were not acceptable party wear.
Charlie came running through adults and into the sitting room. Claire, the Tran kid and others he didn’t recognise followed. There was a loud bang. “Charlie?!” Dean shouted.
“I’m okay Daddy!” Charlie shouted back. She sounded sincere. He dropped the concern.
“Not many opportunities with a four-year-old to look after.” he said returning back to Cas’ conversation about how Dean isn’t having much of a sex life. Conversations he never really thought he’d be having with Cas. They kept it to the kids, the pre-school and work. This was a level up conversation, pals to friend’s conversation if they had been on a video game. Dean seriously needed to get laid if he’s comparing conversations in real life to video games.
Cas nodded. “True, I can only indulge when Claire is at her other Dad’s house.”
Claire’s other parent was a Dad. Interesting. Suddenly Dean’s fantasies didn’t seem to unrealistic. Nope, he needed to avert back to general sex talk about other people. He couldn’t engage in these thoughts until safe inside the confines of the bedroom. Thoughts that Cas indulged.
“Jealous,” Dean said in a sigh. “I’m Charlie’s only parent.”
Cas looked at Dean with that remark, like that was new information, which it was. Dean didn't go around announcing that to the world. He didn’t press it though, kept it light and on topic. “Babysitters exist Dean, what about Sam?”
“Yeah, I guess I could pawn her off for a few hours.” he ran his finger over the rim of the mug. It wasn’t a bad idea really. Sam and Amelia loved Charlie. He hadn’t been on a date, a real date in years. Four to be exact.
“I’m sure Claire would love to have her best friend for a sleep over too,” Cas offered. “You might need the whole night to get your memory back if it’s been a while.” A smile made its way onto his face. Dean scoffed at that suggestive tone.
“You have no idea,” he gulped back the last of his coffee. “Yeah, maybe it’s time I get back out there or at least try.” That brought its own set of anxiety. A date, there were apps that made it a bit easier. He didn’t have to go to a bar or somewhere to try his luck. He could do it while watching re-runs of Jeopardy. “Might take you up on that offer, if you meant it.”
“Of course.” Cas took the empty mug from Dean’s hands, placed it into his sink. Dean gripped his hand on his friends’ shoulder as a thanks.
“And you can drop Claire off at mine too you know? If you need to indulge.” He bounced his brows.
They shared a chuckle, then there was screaming and shouting pulling them away from their conversation. “Save me Daddy!” Charlie came running in, hands up about to leap up off the ground and into Dean’s arms. He was ready taking her with ease up into his arms. Claire came running in after with Charlie’s foam sword in her arms.
“An alien!” Dean exclaimed. Claire started to pretend to cut Dean’s legs with the sword. He pretended he was in pain. “No, it got me, I’m going down.” He gargled fake blood, legs starting to buckle as he started to fake die. “Superman, you’re our only hope.” Dean roped the other Dad into this.
Cas scooped Charlie out from Dean’s arms with ease, rested Charlie across his arms as if she were flying. “Let’s fly brave knight!” he flew her back into the sitting room.
Claire followed with entertaining levels of rage, wielding her sword around. Dean smiled wide and bright, full of warmth and insides turning to mush. As much as he wanted the physical side with Cas, he also kinda wanted more of this side too. This was the side that made him know his attraction for the man could slowly become more than a mere crush the closer he got to him.