chatting with sammy about past memories and new ones was easy and simple, they shared stories they hadn't told each other yet and teased each other over dumb things. their dynamic had always been different from other friends they had, with more mocking and insulting but just as much love. they were like siblings, in a way. it came naturally, everything they did. he didn't have to tiptoe around him.
once they were done with their food and catching up, sammy offered to drive him to where he would meet april. cas happily agreed, not particularly wanting to walk or take the bus. they sang along to rap songs as they drove, then his friend said his goodbyes.
"let me know if you have any free time before you leave, so we can hang out again, the three of us," he mumbled before he could leave. cas didn't respond, his friend didn't press, and he knew right then and there that sammy knew things weren't the same anymore.
walking into the old bookstore again filled him with the strongest sense of nostalgia so far, smiling at the memories of afternoons spent reading harry potter in the back, where no one could bother them.
"cas," a familiar voice suddenly called him. he smiled, turning around to look at the owner of that voice. "wow, you look like you could grow facial hair now," april said, with a teasing tone. cas scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"i can grow facial hair," he stated. they looked at each other, and then, they laughed. they walked to the back of the bookstore, sitting on the floor like they used to do many years ago. she offered him some gummy bears, and cas took a few.
for a minute or so, they were silent, simply taking in the fact that they were back at their hiding spot, where nothing could hurt them and they could escape from the rest of the world. but they weren't there just to stare at bookshelves and remember the past, so eventually, cas finally spoke. "so, um..."
"i'm still okay going to the wedding with you," april instantly said, interrupting his bad attempt at starting a conversation. "but i have one rule," she added. cas gave her a questioning look, waiting for her to elaborate. "no pretending, we go as friends this time." cas sighed with relief, then laughed softly.
"yeah, that's what i wanted too," he said, nodding a few times. he was done pretending a long, long time ago. cas was sixteen when he had his first relationship. just a few weeks had passed since the party and things hadn't gotten better, not really.
dean was talking to him again, and having lunch together here and there, and overall it didn't feel like he was avoiding him anymore, but it still felt like something was odd. it wasn't exactly the same, something had changed that night and he didn't know how to fix it.
sometimes, he felt as if the boy still avoided looking at him directly. sometimes, he felt as if the brunet's gaze lingered on him for a little too long. they could laugh and joke like always, and hang out after class, but sometimes dean simply stared at him, looking conflicted, a weird tension in the air between them that he couldn't understand.
cas stared at him too but from afar. more and more often he would stay after classes to watch the football practice. he would sit far away so his presence wasn't too distracting, but still being able to see his friend. most of the time, dean would notice his presence, and he would smile and wave at him.
this time, it wasn't one of them, the boy was completely oblivious that he was once again staring. his attention was stolen when he heard a person approaching him, glancing at his side just to see april sitting next to him. the girl offered him some gummy bears, and cas smiled faintly at her.
YOU ARE READING
𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘𝐁𝐄𝐄, destiel
Fanfiction𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇, cas is back at his parent's house for a wedding, and despite his best attempts to move on, seeing his childhood best friend dean forces him to revisit feelings that he has been trying to leave behind.
