Sugar Daddy

April

"So, how have you been? I haven't seen you or Alfie very much the last couple of months," Charlie asked. She and Dean had an anthropology class together. One of his last classes of the year. Last year he and Alfie had taken off the spring semester so they could work and save up money for their apartment, but now they were both so close to being done. Come the end of May he would be officially graduated with his degree in hand. He was eager to be done.

"It's been hectic. Alfie got a new job but he wasn't getting enough hours, and it was stressing him out so much he failed two classes and lost his scholarship. His brother Cas has been covering his tuition." Dean had this desperate need to talk to someone about what had been going on for close to a year now with Alfie's brother. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Charlie slowed her pace as she looked over at him. "Sure."

Dean worried his lower lip between his teeth for a minute before he worked up the nerve to tell her what was on his mind.

"So like, I think Alfie's brother is hitting on me."

To her credit Charlie didn't laugh like he expected. She simply arched one eyebrow.

"What makes you think that?"

He took a deep breath and began ticking things off.

"Well...like, he's like helping us out with rent and stuff? And he, like, wants to hang out a lot...like, even with just me, like, Alfie isn't even there...and then he bought Alfie's books for this semester, except he asked if I wanted to come to the bookstore, and then he bought my books. But I didn't let him buy all of them 'cause I felt weird. He's also taken me to dinner a couple of times. And that's not all. He asked me to come over in January to help show him how to cook, and he hovered really close the whole time. And he follows me into the kitchen at my place when I cook and offers to help, and you know my kitchen is small, but Alfie and I can move around in it without getting in each other's space. It's not like that with Cas though. He's always brushing up against me or like, touching my lower back. So, like..."

"Is he hot?" She interrupted. Dean's mouth snapped shut as he considered the question. Cas was...gorgeous. He wasn't ready to admit that though. His cheeks turned red and he dropped his chin to his chest as made their way to Worthington Hall where their class was being held.

"Uh, I guess? Yeah, I mean...maybe? I don't know..." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Is this like creepy? He's not creepy, is he?" she asked.

Dean's eyes widened as he looked up at her. What? No! No, dude, he's not like–" He ran his fingers through his hair, more out of frustration than anything. "Like he's actually a pretty cool guy. He's paying for Alfie to go to college and helping us out, and he's all smart, like he's a lawyer and shit, and he's, like, chill, y'know, and–" When he looked over he saw a near maniacal smile on his friend's face. "What?" He demanded.

"You like him!" She shoved his arm playfully, even as his jaw clenched.

"I'M NOT GAY!" He said it so loudly that everyone around them turned to look at them. His face flushed even redder, and he groaned as he buried it between his hands. "What the hell, Red, I'm not gay!" he said in a quieter tone.

"But you like him." She had that wicked smirk on her lips, the one she wore right before she kicked his ass at a video game.

"I'm not gay!" he insisted. She stopped dead in her tracks, so he stopped too. The people behind them mumbled in annoyance as they moved around them to keep going.

"You don't have to be gay to like someone. Clearly he has all the qualities that you like in a person. Let me ask you something. Have you ever found another guy attractive?" She had her hands on her hips and a no-nonsense look on her face. Damn if she didn't remind him of his mother in that moment. He also knew she had an excellent bullshit detector and if he lied, she would know.