Keeping It Professional (Destiel AU Fanfiction)

Chapter 21

Cas laid in bed all morning the next day. He felt sick and didn't even want to open his eyes, but he knew he had to get up and do something, so when he felt his stomach flip and turn he made his way to the bathroom, emptying whatever was left in his stomach, heaving it all out into his toilet.

That's what he spent his 'lunch' doing. The time he would have usually been at lunch eating and talking with Dean. Instead he was hovering over his toilet with a black cloud of betrayal and heartbreak. Everything had gone wrong. Everything.

That's why when he heard his phone ringing at 1:00, reading Dean's caller ID, he answered. Even though he didn't want to talk to Dean or anybody, really, he picked up for the sheer hope that hearing the man's voice who he had fallen so helplessly in love with would cheer him up, even if it was just a little bit.

"Hey, Cas." Cas heard Dean say from the other side of the line.

"Hello, Dean." Cas managed to say, the first thing he had said since last night when he said goodbye to him in the cab. It came out hoarse and shaky.

"You okay?" Dean asked.

"Uh-yeah. Of course." Cas said, trying to keep his voice steady.

"You sound sick-" Dean said.

"No- I'm fine-" Cas said, then felt something rising in his throat. He dropped his phone and then started heaving in the toilet again.

He could hear the muffled sounds of Dean talking through the phone, but couldn't answer through the throwing up.

When he finally stopped, a few minutes later, he wiped his mouth with his arm and then turned his phone on speaker.

"I'm coming over Cas." Dean said.

"No, Dean."

"Why not? Your obviously sick."

"I don't need you here." Cas said, his head pounding and hot.

"I'm coming." Dean said firmly. "I don't care what you say, I'm not letting you be home by yourself like this. I'm getting you some hangover food and coming right over."

Before Cas could protest, Dean had already hung up the phone. Cas cursed to himself and then put his head back over the toilet, vomiting yet again.

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Dean knocked on Cas's apartment door. He heard a voice from inside telling him it was unlocked, so he walked inside.

"Cas?"

"Bathroom." He heard a voice say.

Dean set down the food on the kitchen counter and made his way to the bathroom, where he found Cas sitting beside the toilet.

His face was pale and his eyes red and puffy. He's been crying. Dean noted. He walked over to him and got the bottle of ibuprofen out of his pocket and filled a glass with water.

"You should probably take two or three." Dean said. "Or five. Just to be safe."

Cas held the pills and glass of water in a shaky hand, then swallowed them. Dean sets the glass on the counter and looks Cas in the eyes.

"You can't hold liquor very well can you?"

Cas shook his head. "Apparently not." Cas swallowed, his throat sore and parched. "Last night was the first time I've ever had alcohol."

Dean raised his eyebrows. "Ever?"

Cas nodded.

"But you went to college! That's the hub for partying."

"I was never much of a party-goer. I usually hid in my room or the library on free nights when I wasn't studying." Cas replied.

Dean smiles at Cas and then helps him stand up. "Let's get you out of that tux and into something clean, then you can eat some grub."

Cas nodded, then tried to unbutton his tux to no avail. His hands were too shaky and he couldn't get the button out of the hole. He then felt Dean's cool hand on his warm ones.

"Let me do it." Dean said.

Cas was going to protest but he decided against it. It would take him hours to dress, so he let Dean unbutton his tux, undo the tie, unbutton his shirt and then he moved on to his pants.

"Um-" Cas mumbled.

Dean looked up, his hands hovering in place over his pant button. "Yes?"

"I-I think I can do this myself."

"Oh-" Dean said, flustered, then stood up straight "-of course." He stepped away.

Cas looked at Dean as he stood there awkwardly. "Do you mind?"

"Of course, sorry." Dean said and fumbled out the door. "I'll be in the kitchen."

Cas smiled to himself when Dean left. Once Cas was all dressed in new clothes, he brushed his teeth and then headed to the kitchen. He found Dean sitting on a stool with a cup of coffee in his hands.

"Hey, Cas. I made you some coffee." Dean said, offering him the cup.

"Thanks." Cas said, sitting in the stool next to Dean. He took the mug and took a sip. Warmth spread through him and he sighed in delight.

He noticed a bag in front of Dean and pointed at it. "What's that?"

"Oh!" Dean started getting the stuff out from inside the bag. "Chinese food. The best food for hangovers on the freaking planet."

Dean pushes a few containers towards Cas and told him what everything was. "And I've got donuts too. Those always help."

Cas smiled. "Thank you Dean."

"No problem, Cas." Dean replied. "Now dig in."

Cas obeyed and started eating the food.