empty bottles on a sunday

xii

castiel

"Hello, Dad," Cas grumbled. He balled his hands into fists and they squeezed against his thighs.

"Cas! I'm so happy to see you! All of you," the man looked around the room. "You've all gotten so big."

"I'd expect so, since the last time you saw us was what, twelve years ago?" Gabe said sarcastically, looking around the room for approval from his siblings. They all nodded.

"Where's my mom?" Anna shouted.

"Sweetie, she didn't want to come. I'm so so-" their father tried. Anna stomped loudly, tears fighting to fall down her face.

"Liar! She left with you because you made her! You got her pregnant, you made her leave, you left us here. Everything is your fault!" Anna screamed, throwing pillows at him. He advanced towards her, but she just stormed out of the house.

"You should go," Gabriel said through clenched teeth.

"I just got here. And I still need to talk to Castiel," their father tried. Castiel stiffened at the mention of his name. Why did he want to talk to him?

"I sai-" Gabriel began, raising his voice. Castiel placed his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"It's okay, Gabriel. I can talk," Cas assured Gabe, who calmed down.

"You only get ten minutes. I have a place to be," Cas ordered in a stern voice, facing his father. "You all can you," Cas dismissed his siblings. They all went, leaving Cas and his father.

"What do you want, Zachariah?" Cas growled, sitting down on the couch behind them.

"Castiel, it's okay to call me 'dad' once in a while. It wouldn't kill you," Zachariah tried.

"But it might kill you," Castiel muttered.

"I heard you got into a fight at school," Zachariah sat down next to Cas, adjusting his suit as he did so.

"Yeah, I did," Cas mumbled.

"Castiel, you're better than this. And a fight with a girl?" Zachariah ran his hand through the little hair he had left on his head. "What's gotten into you?"

"I-" Cas paused. Should he tell his father? He might not care. He's never cared about them before. Why should he start now. "Can I tell you something?"

"Anything, Son," Zachariah placed his hand on Castiel's face, trying to show fatherly love. Cas waited for a moment longer. He then heard the familiar hum of the impala, and remembered he had plans with Dean. Cas went to go outside, but he heard the car speed away. Maybe it wasn't Dean.

"I think-" Cas took a deep breath. "I know- and have known for a long time- that I'm different. I'm different from most men my age. I-"

"Are you gay?" Zachariah's tone had changed from loving to anger. Cas froze. This was a mistake- a major one. "Castiel, answer me!" He was standing up now, shouting.

Cas made up his mind. He didn't care. He wasn't afraid anymore. So, he slowly nodded, fighting back tears.

When he looked up at Zachariah, he no longer saw his father. He saw a man who looked like him, but with hatred in his eyes. Before Castiel could move away, Zachariah slapped him right across the face.

"I will not have a- a- fag living in my house!" Zachariah shouted.

Castiel stood up, his fists balling at his sides.

"Since when is this your house? You're never here! You left us! You were a coward, so you packed your bags and-" Cas screamed, tears streaming down his face. Zachariah slapped him once more, harder.

"Get out!" Cas screamed, holding his cheek. "Get the fuck out of this house right now!"

"You cannot tell me what to do, you little man-fucker," Zachariah spat.

"I will not hesitate to call the police, Zachariah! Get out!" Castiel shouted. Now, everyone was running down the stairs.

"What happened?" Hannah asked, covering her mouth to stifle to cries when she saw the red hand prints on Castiel's face.

"Your brother here is a faggot, that's what happened. I will not have this abomination in my house!"

Cas looked over at his siblings, tears in his eyes.

"Is this true, Castiel?" Balthazar asked, stepping closer.

"Yes," Castiel muttered.

"Well, I'm going to have to ask you to leave then. And never come back," Balthazar sighed. Castiel nodded slowly, tears streaming down his face. He headed for the door.

"Not you, Castiel. Him," Balthazar pointed at Zachariah. "Get out. This is my house. I pay the bills. Leave now, or I will call the police."

"This- I will get you, Castiel! No son of mine will-"

"I said get out!" Balthazar screamed, pointing at the door. Zachariah grabbed his coat and stormed out of the house. Once Cas heard the car pull out, he fell on the floor crying.

"Cas!" Hannah screamed out, running over to him. She held him in her arms, stroking his hair. He just let it all out. Everyone knew now, and they didn't care. They still loved him. "Get some ice!" Hannah ordered.

"Hannah-" Cas cried, hugging her. "Thank you."

"For what?" She lifted up Castiel's face so he could look at her.

"For not hating me," Cas sniffled.

"Oh Castiel," Hannah chuckled, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I could never hate you. You're my big brother. Now cmon. Sit up." Hannah slowly stood up and extended her arm out for Cas. He loosely gripped her hand and pulled himself up to the best of his abilities- which wasn't much. Hannah grunted as she pulled him up and the two sat down on the couch.

Gabriel came back with a bag of peas. "We didn't have ice, so this should do it." Gabe tossed the bag to Hannah and she gently placed it on the side of Castiel's face.

"Does that hurt?"

Cas shook his head, even though it really did.

"I can't believe he's gay," Daniel mumbled. Castiel looked up at him with a weak smile, and then Adina elbowed him in the side.

"Shut up!" She grunted as her twin held his side. He hit her shoulder.

"No, you shut up!" Daniel retorted. Balthazar looked over at the twins, silencing them.

"I have to go out," Cas whispered to Hannah. "I'm supposed to meet someone."

"Who, your gir- I mean, boyfriend?" Hannah teased. Castiel smiled and shook his head.

"I wish," he mumbled. "Could you put on some makeup on me?"

"Sure," Hannah smiled and pulled Cas into her room. She applied the makeup and the red marks were nearly invisible. "Your bruises from before are healing nicely."

"Yeah," Cas inspected his face in the mirror. "I guess so."

Cas heard the familiar rumbling outside of the house and smiled. "That's him."

He ran down the stair and went outside. To his surprise, he saw Anna leaving the car.

"Hey, Castiel. Did Zachariah leave?" Anna asked, fixing her hair. Cas nodded. He then walked over to the impala.

"Hey, Winchester," he smiled. He had been waiting so long to see Dean. He couldn't wait. Maybe he would even tell him all about what happened. Maybe even come out.

"Hey, Novak," Dean replied with a sheepish smile. He scratched the back of his head. "We still on for hanging out?"

"Yeah," Cas answered as he stepped into the impala.