Skin to Skin

Chapter 8

It took them about three hours to reach Dallas from Galveston but it was worth it, the drive felt like heaven to Castiel. He chewed on his painted finger nail, staring at the perfect shape of Dean's jaw, the emerald green of his eyes, how he seemed to be sunshine trapped in a human being. Castiel felt complete around Dean, like nothing could ever go wrong and he didn't want this to end. "Dean, did you eat breakfast?" He had an awful habit of eating once a day or not at all from what Castiel's noticed. Dean chuckled and shook his head, turning the music down. "I'm not hungry. I'll eat when I'm hungry." Castiel resigned and slouched down into the seat, revelling at how his life has changed in just three short days. This cocky,awkward Navy boy sweeped him off his feet and he wasn't sure when he would land, if he wanted to. Here Castiel is on a mini-road trip with this beautiful man to his home town. Castiel shook his head, he won't cry, he won't think about the fact that Dean will eventually have to go back to sea. Castiel clutched his chest, this hard knot forming there, it felt like grief. He would definitely grieve and mourn when he loses Dean, he looked over at the beautiful man and a tear slipped from his eye. "You okay?" Dean looked very concerned, very worried about Castiel. "I'm just thinking" He fidgeted with his hands "I don't want to lose you." Dean grabbed his hand, squeezed it and kissed the back of his hand. "I promise, even when I leave, you will always have me. I will always come back to you." Castiel nodded his head, he believed Dean, but the prospect still hurt him.
They passed the border sign "Welcome to Dallas, home of the cowboys." Castiel briefly wondered if Dean's a cowboy fan.
When they finally reached Dean's home town, after several breakthroughs with their relationship, they visited Dean's father first. He wasn't exactly prepared to face John after not seeing him for three years, but he really wanted to see Sam.
They pulled into the driveway and Dean took a deep breath, he looked over at Castiel and kissed him, needing a dose of relaxation. "Alright, let's go." They climbed out of the car and Dean felt the fear, the anxiety building up with each step. He's got this, he can do this, he's a grown man now. Dean knocked on the door and after a few minutes, knocked on it again. The door opened and his heart dropped when he saw how defeated his father looked but his expression quickly changed to anger at the sight of Dean. "Well, look who decided to come home." His father leaned back and yelled. "Hey Sammy, your brothers here." "What?!" Sam came running through the house and tackled Dean. Damn he's gotten big, Dean had to take a few steps back to keep from falling. His father looked over at Castiel with disgust and pointed at him. "Who's this faggot?" Dean would have punched his father right there, if it hadn't been his father who said it. He balled up his fist, trying to control the outburst, Castiel squeezed his hand and whispered, "it's okay." The calmer man answered for Dean. "I'm Castiel, I'm a friend of your son's." "Boyfriend, not friend." Castiel looked shocked, as well as Sam and John. "He's my boyfriend Dad, Sam." Sam looked uncomfortable to be included in this conversation, he really didn't have anything to do with this. John backhanded Dean and he clenched his jaw at the pain, trying not to show how much it hurt. "No son of mine is going to be a faggot. Is that why you haven't been home? Hiding who you've become!" ~*~
Castiel saw red, he's been called every name in the book by family, strangers, people he thought we're friends. This is Dean though, this is obviously past wounds he hadn't told Castiel about being reopened and then getting smacked with them. He had told Dean's father they were just friends to avoid this but Dean, he guessed, wanted to prove a point. John went to hit Dean again, in the doorway, not even in the house but still outside.
Castiel grabbed his wrist and said in his softest voice,"Sir, I really need you to stop hitting Dean." John laughed at him and shrugged off his hand. "So you do have balls." Dean grabbed Castiel before he could reply , he really wanted to make this man hurt. "Come on, Cassy. It isn't worth it." Dean looked defeated, broken, it hurt Castiel down to his bones. He needed to make this up to Dean somehow. He couldn't let his hometown be marred forever by this memory.