Saving Dean (Destiel AU)

Prologue

Dean Winchester had known Castiel Novak for eight years, and so far they had been the best eight years of his life. Who knew that a jock and a nerd could get so close? Sam maybe. He had always said it from the first time Cas had come over to help Dean study. "You two are going to stick." Dean had brushed it off, but after time he realized Sammy had been right. Cas and him did stick, and it wouldn't just go away.

It had all started in the Lawrence county highschool, when Dean had run into the boy's locker. At that time, Dean had owned the hallways. When he walked down them, everyone who knew him cleared to the sides. As he turned down an unfamiliar hallway on the second week of school, he ran into the door of some dude's locker. When he stood up the boy was cursing at him for knocking over a glass jar that had been filled with small insects he had been studying. "Hey, you mind helping me up?" "You look perfectly capable of standing on your own, I have to go find new specimens thanks to you now." the other boy said, annoyed. "Sorry nerd, I'll leave you to it." As he walked away, he muttered. "Ass." "Cas." "What?" "My name, it's Castiel. Everyone calls me Cas." "Well, then Cas, I'm Dean Winchester. I own these halls." "Unless you pay the rent for the school then I don't believe you do. And you've only been here two weeks, it's highly unlikely the kids three years older than you respect you." Dean was infuriated, so he simply stormed off.

He saw Cas again the following day. "Hello Dean." he had muttered as he walked past him into the cafeteria. His friends looked at him, then to Cas. "Who's the scrawny kid?" Dean shook his head, partially because of Cas' outfit. He wore the school uniform with his tie half done up and a large trench coat over top of it all. "I ran into his locker yesterday, he's some nerd." His friends nodded and left, but Dean couldn't help but want to talk to the odd boy. So he did, the next week once again at lunch. He waited for Cas to sit at his usual spot in the corner of the room with his tiny lunch in a paper bag, then strolled over and sat across from him. "So Cas." "Castiel." "Right, so how does a smart kid like you not end up in some mathlete contest right now?" "I have to be at home so that my brother doesn't destroy it." Dean chuckled, thinking about how Sammy would do something like that if he could. "Why are you laughing at my dilemma?" Castiel asked, confused and agitated. "My brother would do the same." Cas nodded and invited Dean to go with him to the library. Dean shrugged and followed, he'd never been to the library.

It was dead silent, and Dean didn't like it much. Cas was in his environment, reading a thick novel called "City of Heavenly Fire" and mouthing some of the words as he read. Dean couldn't help but smile. He picked up a book from a side table and opened it. It wasn't as thick as Castiel's book, but for Dean it would be enough. It was called "Magyk" and wasn't half bad. He only got through the first few chapters and found himself already guessing as to what might happen next. He invited Cas to come to his house, bring his brother over and they could study for the language quiz Dean was having in a few days. Cas had agreed and that began it. The long friendship that had extended into University. Dean had never thought he would get a scholarship for academics, but both him and Cas had been offered two different ones. They had opted for the ones from the same school so they could see each other daily. Dean wouldn't admit it to anyone, but sometimes he felt as though their relationship could be something more. But he pushed those thoughts aside, it was fantasy like in books he now read for pleasure.

"Two days" Dean thought to himself as he wandered down campus. "Two days until we graduate and move out into the world." It was terrifying to think of life without Cas to rely on. So he didn't, especially since Cas was running up the path to him now. "Hey, I was wondering if you want to go for coffee. Anna is begging me and I don't want to be alone with her." Dean smiled and nodded and they walked together to the coffeehouse at the edge of campus where red-haired Anna paced. "Cas! Dean! Important news for the both of you. Best told over coffee. Come!" Dean and Cas sighed in unison. Usually Anna's news didn't actually affect them at all. But they strode inside anyway for the beginning of a long afternoon.