Sugar Daddy

November

"What are you doing for Christmas?" Cas asked. Dean looked up from the desk to find the man standing there, staring. More often than not, Cas was at their apartment. Dean had gone from being surprised by his seemingly frequent visits to actually being a bit saddened each time the man left. He was scared to even try and consider what that meant. Sometimes, like now, Cas was over when Alfie wasn't there. Alfie was closing still, three months later, and though Cas knew this, he still showed up more often than not. He wasn't sure if Cas was just that bored or if there was something more to it. The way Cas kept looking at him had him wondering.

"Uh, heading home. It's the last Christmas before Sammy heads off to college. He's not going to have the money to come home at Christmas next year, and it's not really affordable for us to all head out to California."

"You could all fly," Cas suggested.

"No!" Dean suddenly shouted, causing the other man to flinch. "Sorry, but no, I don't fly. You won't catch me in a tin can in the sky." After getting over his initial surprise at Dean's outburst, Cas actually seemed a little disappointed.

"Well, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?"

Dean shrugged. "Nothing, really. Probably just order take out and play some games."

"No, no, no, that won't do. Consider yourself formally invited to the Novak house for Thanksgiving. There's no way Alfie or I would be able to sit around a table filled with food, or watching football, knowing you're sitting here eating pizza rolls or sandwiches. We go all out for Thanksgiving, and you're more than welcome." Cas was insistent, his blue eyes filled with a determination that set off those stupid butterflies Dean was having a harder and harder time ignoring. He was seriously beginning to second guess himself. Was he attracted to men? Like in the same way he was to women?

"I'll, uh, think about it. Thanks for the offer though."

Cas looked ready to argue, but Dean changed the subject.

"Hey, you want a soda? I need a soda." He got up from his chair and headed for the kitchen.

"You don't have beer, do you?" Cas was trailing after him, stopping at the island that divided the tiny kitchen from the living room and leaning on it.

"No, not legal yet. End of January I can buy beer, but it's an expense I probably won't waste my money on."

"Soda is fine. Anything except cream soda," Cas said. Dean snagged two cans of root beer and tossed one to the other man.

"I don't like cream soda, but Alfie does. Stuff is nasty."

Cas hummed in agreement as he opened his can and took a sip.

"Our brother Gabe got him started on it. Gabe has many disgusting habits."

Dean snickered and pulled out one of the bar stools so he could sit down across from him.

"I met him once. He took Alfie and me out to dinner during finals week last year and no joke, he ordered one of every dessert on the menu, and they were all for him."

Cas laughed hard at that. "Sounds like him. Sweet tooth does not properly describe what he has."

Dean snorted. "I noticed."

"So, your birthday is in January? You're older than Alfie then," Cas said.

"Yeah. His birthday is closer to my brother Sam's."

"Doing anything for that?" Cas asked.

"My friend Benny was talking about taking me out to a bar, but that'll all depend on work and classes. For him and me both."

"That's understandable. My coworkers threw me a small party for mine, but that was it. It wasn't even a party, really. More like someone brought cupcakes in, put them in the breakroom and let everyone know they were there for my birthday." Cas' voice held a sadness he was trying hard to hide.

"You don't have friends that wanted to take you out?" Dean had heard the man mention a couple of names, but so far, Cas hadn't ever brought anyone by.

"I have friends," Cas replied defensively. His shoulders dropped suddenly, and he folded his fingers around his can. "They're friends from college, mostly."

"Hey, it might sound lame, but you have Alfie...a-and me." Dean knew his cheeks had to be as red as a tomato so he focused on the cold can of root beer in his hands. Still, even from the corner of his eyes he could see the way Cas seemed to light up with his words and smile.

"Thank you, Dean."

The front door opened, and Alfie came stomping in, cursing loudly.

"Problem?" Dean knew Alfie didn't swear very often so this kind of behavior meant something was really wrong.

"Yeah there's a problem. I got fired! I worked my ass off for that place the last two years; I was up for a promotion, and the owner came in today, saw me flirting with a girl and fired me!"

Dean glanced at Cas, who was looking at his brother with deep concern. "By flirting, what exactly do you mean?" the man asked.

Alfie's brow was knit in agitation and his lips pressed so tightly together that they all but disappeared.

"Hey, man, we'll be ok. I can swing the rent and stuff til you get another job." Dean didn't like seeing his friend so upset.

"You shouldn't have to do that though! I was stupid. I'm sorry, Dean." Alfie looked on the verge of tears, and that got Cas in motion. He left his can on the counter and pulled his brother into a hug. Dean couldn't hear the soft words being murmured in his friend's ear, but they seemed to calm Alfie down. He grabbed a can of root beer out of the fridge and when Alfie flopped down onto the stool next to Cas, he handed it over.

"So, you got fired over a chick. What the hell, man? That's not like you," he said.

Alfie snorted and shook his head. "She's been coming in for months now and we flirted some, but I decided to take a chance today and ask her out finally. Unfortunately there was a bit of a line and the owner chose the moment I asked her out to walk in, saw the three people in line behind her, none of whom were bothered by the fact. In fact they were all smiling and clapped when she said yes! And as soon as I got all of the customers out of the way, he told me to go home, that I didn't have a job there anymore."

"Your exemplary work performance should speak volumes. You made one mistake. I would contact your immediate manager, see if she can speak to the owner," Cas insisted. Alfie moved his shoulders in a vague sort of shrug as he opened his soda.

"Not worth it. The owner is an asshole and likes to make Phyllis tack on more hours for us but not give us raises. I'd prefer to find somewhere else to work. Maybe across the street. They're hiring."

"Well, at least the rent is paid this month. We'll make it through to the beginning of the year and reevaluate." Dean reached across the island and patted his friend's shoulder. "We'll be ok."

Alfie gave a pathetic, sad smile and Dean could see the worry behind it.

"I hope you're right."