A Time For Us {Destiel AU}

Act 4: The Story of Tonight

Song: The Story of Tonight from the musical, Hamilton

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The play was a day away, and everyone was just as nervous as Castiel was. Although, even if he did say it himself, they were going to give a stellar performance. His relationship with Dean, however, was just growing in complexity.

There were moments that only they could relish in, when they were alone. Small grazes of fingers on hands, the soft kisses that they would share on the cheek. Dean never actually confronted Castiel about how non-platonic their actions were, but if they would keep doing it, that would be enough.

The two had stayed behind at the theatre to clear up before the performance the next day, and Castiel was laughing at how Dean was playing around with their balcony. It had stairs on the back, and he was hanging his head out and peering down at Castiel. "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?" Dean called out teasingly, and Castiel's laughter rang through the empty theatre.

"I thought you were Romeo," he chuckled, looking up at his friend.

Dean's head left the balcony as the sounds of steps descending stairs echoed across the theatre. "I am," he replied simply. "And you're my Juliet."

Castiel's heart was beating fast as Dean's feet landed on the stage. He tried to play it off, since the lingering silence sounded strange. "Why do I have to be Juliet?"

"I'm already Romeo, as you pointed out," he replied suavely, observing his fingernails in fake interest. He gently took Castiel's hand, and he felt as though electric shocks were coursing through his bloodstream.

"If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

Dean was reciting Romeo's lines through memorization, but it didn't take long for Castiel to realize that he was acting out Romeo and Juliet's first meeting. But their first meeting was also the first time they kissed. Dean's expression made it seem as though he wanted him to play along. He had to slip away from Dean's hand for a second, just to flip to that scene in his script. He cautiously took his hand again.

"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."

Their hands rose, and were pressed against the other as if in a comparison of size. Their hands were the same, the only faint difference being their skin tone. Dean's voice started dropping in volume, becoming more soft and less gallant.

"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."

Dean's fingers intertwined with Castiel's as he spoke his next line.

"O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do.
They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."

A steady blush was starting to grow on Castiel's cheeks. He had a gut feeling that Dean wasn't acting out all of Romeo's part, merely reciting his words. But no, they were actors. They were trained to make it believable. Maybe Dean was just practicing. Then again, why would Dean stay behind with Castiel just to practice that one scene with him?

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."

Dean stepped closer, and his next words were no short of a whisper.

"Then move not while my prayer's effect I take."

Time seemed to freeze for a second, and they both stood there, watching each other. It was Romeo's stage direction to kiss Juliet, but he had no idea whether Dean was simply practicing his lines or... His thoughts evaporated as Dean's lips pressed against his.

Castiel's eyes were wide as Dean kissed him sweetly, but separated concentratedly. He couldn't form any words, but Dean smiled softly at him as his face loomed so close to Castiel that he could count the endless galaxies of freckles on his face.

"Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged."

Castiel was still frozen in surprise when Dean reminded him that he had a line. He shook his head and quickly glanced down at his script as Dean laughed a little. Romeo was expected to kiss Juliet again.

"Then have from my lips the sin that they have took."

"Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again."

There was no hesitance at all, and Dean's lips were on Castiel's again. The only exception was that this one lasted longer, and Castiel's eyes fluttered closed as he kissed him back. His hands were resting on his chest as they slowly pulled away, and Castiel spoke his next lines without looking at the script.

"You kiss by th' book."

They smiled giddily at each other for a second, until Dean stepped away from Castiel, looking down at the floor as his smile fell. "I know I say this a lot, but you act very well."

He couldn't help but feel as though the air grew cold, unlike the warmth that had come from Dean less than a minute ago. "S-So do you," he stammered, trying to make sense of what had just happened. "Was that-"

"I don't know, Cas," he interrupted, a sigh escaping his lips. Castiel couldn't look at them without thinking of how they had been on his twice, just a minute ago. "I don't know."

Castiel bit his lip, flipping his script back to the first page and taking a small step back. "I should probably go." As he walked down the steps of the stage, he wanted so desperately for Dean to call him back, to tell him that he meant it all.

But he just walked away, and Dean was silent.