Two Weeks in Europe ✓

19

Cas and Jamie rendezvoused with the bus group in Giethoorn the next day. May shot each of them an apologetic smile (Cas ignored it, Jamie smiled back). "I take it your day of travel went well?" May asked Jamie, stopping him as he walked towards their aisle. Cas was already in his seat, reading a book.

Jamie shrugged. "It was actually nice."

"Good," May said, looking relieved. "I feel bad about leaving without you, even though it's not my fault that you two have no ability to get places on time."

Jamie smiled. "It's okay."

"It won't happen again," May promised. She leaned in, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Did you guys have sex?"

"No," Jamie said, rolling his eyes. "We mostly just hitchhiked."

"Oh," May looked disappointed. "Your loss, I guess?"

Jamie laughed. "More like Cas's loss."

May let out a loud laugh, pushing Jamie off towards his seat. She shook her head. "So modest."

Jamie sat down beside Cas in his usual spot by the window. Cas scooted closer to him, resting his head on Jamie's shoulder. He flipped a page of the book he was reading. "What book is that?" Jamie asked.

"Hmm?" Cas looked up at him.

"What book is that?" Jamie repeated.

"Oh," Cas glanced at the cover. "Call Me By Your Name."

"We watched that in the theater together," Jamie reminded him.

Cas nodded, smiling. "I remember that."

It had been a chilly November afternoon, and Henry had dropped them off in front of the theater. "I'll be back at 5:00 sharp. Make sure you meet me right here," the driver had told them.

"Yessir," Cas had replied with a mocking salute. He had glanced at Jamie's empty hand once before turning towards the doors. Jamie followed him (definitely not admiring how good Cas's behind looked in those jeans). They had gotten a giant tub of popcorn (since no matter how much you bought, you always seemed to run out, it was better to be on the safe side), and a slushie each (to quench their nearly-insurmountable thirst after the over-buttered, over-salted popcorn). They walked into the theater, picking seats in the far back. If Jamie was to accidentally grab Cas's hand during the movie, there would be nobody behind them to see.

While this was a perfectly viable solution, Jamie still desperately wished that he could grab Cas's hand in one of the middle rows of the theater and not have to worry about it. He doubted that anybody would care (and anyone who did could go fuck themselves, as far as Jamie was concerned) but Cas was scared of his father finding out, so Jamie made exceptions where he usually wouldn't have. It didn't stop Jamie from asking questions (internally, of course). When would Cas get over his fear? When could they stop hiding? Could Jamie really last forever doing this, or would he reach a breaking point?

Jamie loathed secrets, thought it better to lay everything bare. That way, there was nothing messy. If you opened your closet on the first day you knew Jamie and a skeleton tumbled out, Jamie wouldn't mind. He'd let it slide. If old secrets were dredged up months into your friendship or relationship with Jamie, however, that's when things got, well, icky. Jamie knew Cas had secrets that he wasn't willing or ready to share, though, and he seemed content enough with that.

Jamie was in the habit of making exceptions for Cas, though he wasn't entirely sure why most of the time. Maybe it was because he was in love with Cas. They always said that love blinded you, after all, and Jamie seemed rather blind to Cas's shortcomings. But then again, Cas did not have many shortcomings, and the few that existed deserved a free pass, didn't they?