Strings Attached

Chapter 83

Dean: R u busy rn

Castiel: No, why?

Dean: Can u meet me at the park in ten mins

Castiel: Sure. See you then.

Castiel clicks his phone and puts it in his pocket before walking out the door. Wow, no one noticed him leave. That's a first. He quickly walks to the park, making it in just under ten minutes. Dean is already there, which doesn't surprise the younger boy. Dean catches sight of him and waves him towards him, so Castiel heads out to the field he's standing on.

"Hey," Castiel greets him with a hug and quick kiss.

"Hey, Cas," Dean replies. "So, uh... I don't know if you listen to the announcements at school..."

Castiel shakes his head. "No, why?"
"Then this is probably really random," Dean says with a nervous chuckle. Why is he nervous? This doesn't look good. "Anyway, um... The, uh, the senior prom is in about two months — I'm not sure why they told us this early, but whatever. So, I was hoping, since you're my boyfriend and all, you'd come with me?" He gives Castiel a hopeful smile.

For most people, it would have been an easy yes, but Castiel hesitates. He's never been the most social person, and school dances have always been out of the question in his mind. But this is Dean. Does he really want to say no to him?

"Please?" Dean adds. "I really want to go with you. Especially because I'm going away so soon, I want to have that night with you. Please, Cas?"

Castiel finally agree. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll go."

Dean grins. "Halle-freaking-lujah!" he exclaims, looks up to the sky as if praising the gods. "Because otherwise, I would've felt really awkward. Thank you, Cas." He gives the boy a kiss. "You're the best."

"I know," Castiel replies with a smile. "Wait, does this mean I have to wear a suit?"

Dean nods, amused. "Yes, Cas, you have to wear a suit to prom."

"Dammit!"

Dean laughs and presses his lips to Castiel's forehead. "Never change, Cas. Never change."

~~

By Thursday, things are going pretty well. The flow of time seems to have slowed down considerably, probably because he's so anxious for Sunday, but otherwise, things are fine. He gets to hang out with Dean, he's yet to be murdered by the more athletic of the gym class, and overall, he's just feeling fine. But that changes as he's walking to lunch.

"Novak!" a familiar voice calls, sending shivers through Castiel's spine. He walks quickly, hoping he can get away, but his hopes are dashed when he feels a pull on his hood, yanking him backwards. Castiel risks a glance around, and his relieved to see the only ones here are Crowley and Azazel. At least he doesn't have the entire trio to deal with.

"We're bored," Azazel tells him.

Castiel doesn't have to ask why he's telling him that. He knows where this is going, just as he knows he's going to have a rough time running in gym today. Crowley pins him to the locker, grabbing the front of his sweatshirt to hold him up. Castiel just squeezes his eyes shut and lets the blows come.

After about ten minutes or so, Castiel limps down to the cafeteria. It's been a while since he's had to do that. His leg throbs every time he steps on it, but he doesn't really know what happened to it. As soon as he's in sight of the cafeteria, he sucks it up and walks on it normally. He doesn't want to raise concern about this — it's nothing in his mind, but he knows Dean would freak out.

"Hey, Cas, what took you so long?" Dean asks him as the younger boy takes his seat next to him.

"I just, uh, had to finish something up," Castiel lies, and not very well.

Dean raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical, but decides again pushing any further. "Alright... Hey, what grade are you guys in?" He directs the question at everyone, so everyone answers. Castiel has a feeling he's wondering who's going to the senior prom. The final consensus is that Dean is the only senior, Kevin and Gabriel are juniors, Donna, Charlie and Castiel are sophomores, and Sam and Garth are freshmen.

"Wait, Kevin, you're a junior?" Garth repeats in surprise. "I thought you were a senior."

"No, but most of my classmates are," Kevin replies.

"Have you found anyone to go to the junior prom with?" Charlie asks with a wink.

"I'm not going to prom," Kevin tells her in a tone that implies they've had the discussion before. "So stop asking."

"But prom!" Charlie whines. "How come you get to go to prom but don't want to, but I want to go to prom and can't? It's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair," Kevin replies.

"But you do," Dean whispers in Castiel's ear. "You're special."

"Clearly," Castiel murmurs. "Because I get to go with you." He lifts his head and captures the other boy's lips with his. Dean gently wraps Castiel in his arms, holding him close.

Gabriel pretends to gag. "Where's the eye bleach?"

Dean and Castiel stop kissing but they don't pull apart. Castiel rests his head on Dean's shoulder, and Dean puts an arm around him.

"I don't get what you're complaining about," Dean says. "You're the one that wanted us together in the first place."

"Yeah, cuz I didn't realize you were going to do... That!"

"I think it's adorable!" Charlie squeals.

"I second that!" Donna adds. "Ooh, hey! I'm doing the yearbook this year. We totally need a picture of you two together! That'd be awesome sauce!"

"I don't wanna be in the yearbook," Castiel protests. "Can you just forget me in all the pictures? Even the one everyone has?"

"No way!" Donna replies. "Come on, you two are adorable. We're getting a picture of you soon."

"And I'll cherish it forever!" Charlie adds.

"No," Castiel repeats.

"I don't think your opinion matters," Dean tells him. "They're gonna do it anyway."

Castiel sighs. "I know."

"You'll thank us later!" Charlie tells them. "You'll be going through your yearbooks together in five years and you're gonna see that and it's gonna be awesome and you're gonna love it!"

Castiel chuckles. He kind of likes the thought of that.