"I WON!" you yelled, bursting through the door of your bedroom and running down the hall as you squealed in excitement. "I won I won I won I won I won!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what the hell did you win?" Dean questioned from his spot at the library table, taking a sip from his glass of whiskey.
"Two free tickets to the Hawks game tomorrow night!" you replied gleefully, bouncing on your heels with excitement as you stood in front of Sam and Dean.
"The basketball team? How'd you win those?" Sam asked, looking up at you from his laptop.
"A sports radio station was doing a giveaway, and I was the lucky 9th caller," you grinned.
"That's cool, congrats, Y/N," Sam smiled.
"Wait, don't they lose like, every single game?" Dean pointed out with a raised eyebrow.
You sighed, shrugging. "Yeah, but still! I actually won something! This never happens! Plus, I love the Hawks. So which one of you losers wanna go with me?" you asked, your smile slowly disappearing as you watched the frown exchanged by Sam and Dean. "What? What's wrong?"
"We're actually gonna be working a case in Ohio tomorrow," Dean replied, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
Your shoulders sagged. "Well, then what? Am I supposed to go by myself?"
"Go to what by yourself?" Cas suddenly walked into the room, startling you.
You could feel your cheeks heat up as soon as you laid eyes on him, your heart picking up as he looked at you expectantly. You had always had a crush on the sweet Angel, which you'd been teased relentlessly about by Sam and Dean ever since they found out.
"Um, a basketball game. I won tickets to a Hawks game tomorrow night, but Sam and Dean can't go," you replied solemnly.
"What's so exciting about a basketball game?" Cas asked, genuinely curious.
"Even though they kinda suck, the Hawks are my favorite NBA team; my dad used to take me to their games all the time when I was younger. We really bonded over it," you remembered quietly.
Cas nodded in understanding. "I could go with you, if you'd like."
You raised your eyebrows in surprise, your blush deepening. Cas would wanna sit through an entire basketball game with you? "Really? Cas, you don't have to; worst comes to worst, I can go by myself."
"I've never actually been to a basketball game; I think it'd be an interesting experience. I also would prefer if you didn't go alone," he stated simply, his words causing a smile to creep up on your face.
"I can protect myself, Cas," you reminded him gently.
"I have no doubt," Cas agreed. "Still, I would feel better if you didn't go alone. I'd be happy to go with you, if that's alright."
You bit your lip, a shy smile on your face. "Ok yeah, thanks Cas. That means a lot."
Cas smiled and nodded before walking back out of the room. You stood there with a dopey grin on your face as you stared at the spot where he had just been, when Sam and Dean's chuckles from the table suddenly broke you out of your trance.
"What?" you glared at them, crossing your arms.
"Nothing, nothing," Dean raised his arms up in surrender as he grinned knowingly.
"Y/N, you have got it so bad for Cas," Sam pointed out with a grin.
You rolled your eyes in an attempt to cover up your embarrassment. "Shut up."
"No no, it's cute," Dean interjected. "Tomorrow night can be like your first date."
"It is not a date," you argued. "Cas doesn't see me like that, Dean. We're just two friends hanging out. That's it."
"If you say so, Y/N," Sam teased.
Damn them.
****************************
"Bye, Y/N, we'll be back in two days," Sam gave you a hug before he got into the passenger seat of Baby.
"Be safe, you guys," you replied, pulling Dean in for a quick hug.
"Yeah, we will. You and Cas be safe, too," Dean winked at you.
You narrowed your eyes at him. "What does that even mean?"
"Use protection!" he grinned as he hurried into the car before you could hit him.
"You suck, Winchester!" you called after them as they pulled out of the driveway.
"Yeah, yeah, you love us!" Dean yelled back before they drove away.
You sighed as you walked back inside the bunker and went to your room, rubbing a hand over your face. You were so nervous about tonight. What would you wear? You knew it was just a basketball game, but you were going to be with Cas the whole time, so you wanted to look at least semi decent. And what would you and Cas even talk about? What if there are tons of awkward silences? What if he ends up hating basketball games and thinks you're a loser for enjoying them? What if, what if, what if?
You shook your head, trying to get rid of the swarm of negative thoughts before Cas walked into your bedroom.
"Y/N, what time should we leave for the game so that you're able to eat dinner?" he asked.
You smiled at Cas' thoughtfulness. "We can eat at the game," you replied, checking your phone for the time. "The game starts in a little over an hour, so do you wanna leave in 10 minutes?"
"Of course," Cas agreed. "Whatever you think is best."
"Ok, I'll meet you in the library room in 10," you smiled, watching him walk out of your room.
10 minutes later, your room looked like a tornado had gone through it. There were clothes everywhere, shoes scattered across the floor, the contents of your makeup bag messily spread out along your dresser. You had tried on just about every piece of clothing you owned before finally deciding on a tight v-neck, a flannel jacket, skinny jeans, and your favorite pair of boots. Giving yourself one more look in the mirror, you nodded, finally ready.
"Cas, you ready to go?" you called out as you approached the library room and laid eyes on him. "What the—"
Cas was dressed in a red t-shirt and black basketball shorts, along with a pair of tennis shoes. His t-shirt allowed you to see the definition of his muscles beneath it, and the sight make you subconsciously lick your lips.
"I apologize if this is not what people wear to basketball games," he looked at you nervously, giving you his signature puppy face. "I tried to do some research on typical attire for this kind of occasion, and I read that the Hawks' team colors are red, white and black, so..." he awkwardly gestured to his clothes. "I hope this is alright."
You smiled wide, walking over to him and giving him a reassuring hug. "You look great, Cas."
Cas smiled, sighing in relief as he hugged you back. He couldn't help the flutter he felt in his chest as he held you in his arms, awkwardly clearing his throat before pulling away. "So do you. Are we ready to go?"
You smiled softly up at him, nodding your head. "Ready."
**********************
20 minutes later, you and Cas arrived at the packed stadium. The two of you walked inside, trying not to get lost in the sea of people around you.
"Y/N, perhaps you should hold my hand," Cas suggested, shouting over the loud noises of the crowd.
"Wait, what?" your eyes nearly bugged out of your head. Did Cas just say he wanted you to hold his hand?
Cas' eyes widened as he realized what he had just said. "I apologize, I wasn't meaning to be forward, I just don't want to lose you in this crowd of people," he awkwardly tried to explain himself.
Your heart sunk somewhat at his explanation. Of course he didn't really want to hold your hand; he just didn't want to get lost. You inwardly sighed, nodding your head and holding out your hand for him to take. "C'mon, Cas, let's go get our tickets checked."
Cas placed his hand in yours, his heart starting to pound as he intertwined his fingers with your soft ones. Your hand was warm, soft, and he would be lying if he said he didn't want to hold your hand all night long. He didn't know that you were thinking the same thing about him, the butterflies in your stomach just about ready to explode from the contact.
"Tickets?" the worker asked.
You pulled the two free tickets from your pocket, allowing the lady to scan them before walking past her to the food stands.
"Where would you like to eat?" Cas asked, looking around at the vast amount of small food stands that lined the walls of the stadium.
"Hmmm," you pondered, walking past several of them before spotting a burger place. "Let's go here!"
You dragged Cas over to the cheeseburger stand, ordering your cheeseburger and drink before handing the employee one of Dean's fake credit cards.
"You two make a lovely couple," the employee smiled as she handed you back your card.
You could've melted into the ground right then and there. "Uh, we're not—"
"Thank you very much," Cas interrupted, beaming at the employee, who smiled at him before walking away to grab your food. He turned toward you, his brow furrowing. "Why is your face so red?"
"Uh, I...I didn't know it was," you stammered. "Why'd you tell her we were a couple?" you couldn't help but ask aloud.
"Oh..." Now it was Cas' turn to blush. "I thought it would be easier to just tell her we were a couple...I didn't want to make things awkward for her. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable," he apologized, fidgeting with his hands.
"It's ok, you didn't make me uncomfortable," you reassured him with a smile.
"Here's your food, ma'am," the employee caught your attention, handing you your burger and drink. "Have a great night, you two," she winked.
"Thanks," you muttered with a blush, grabbing your food and walking away, Cas following close behind you.
"Where do we go now?" Cas asked, his eyes wandering around all the people and souvenir stands you passed by.
"Now we go to our seats," you replied, walking into Section A. "Which are awesome, by the way. I think we're like, third row. Thank you radio contest," you smiled to yourself.
You and Cas walked all the way down the stairs to your seats in row C, your jaw dropping at how close you were to the players. Some of them were warming up on the court, others were sitting in their seats next to their coach.
"Holy shit, Cas!" you exclaimed, sitting down in your seat as you stared at the players of your favorite basketball team. "Look how close we are!"
Cas sat down and turned to you, a warm, affectionate smile crossing his face as he saw how excited you were. You were practically beaming, and it made him feel unexplainably warm. You were beautiful.
"These are very good seats," he agreed, finally tearing his eyes from you to look at the players.
"I wonder if I could get my favorite player's attention," you wondered aloud. "He's sitting right there, see?" you pointed out the player to Cas, who nodded. You took a deep breath, clearing your throat. "HEY JOHNSON!" you yelled.
Your favorite player, Joe Johnson, immediately turned around and smiled, seeing you waving your arms. He waved back before turning back around, and you gasped, collapsing back in your seat.
"Oh. My. Gosh! Joe Johnson just waved at me!" you beamed, making Cas chuckle. "Hey, don't make fun of me, this is a very exciting moment," you teased him playfully.
"Of course not," Cas gave you a teasing smile, at which you hit his arm playfully.
There was about 5 minutes left before the game begin, which gave you the perfect amount of time to eat. You immediately dug in, moaning at how good your burger was before dipping your fries in ketchup.
"I take it your dinner tastes alright?" Cas chuckled.
"It's amazing," you nodded as you sipped your drink.
"Um, Y/N," Cas started, catching your attention and gesturing to your mouth. "You have some ketchup right there."
Oh, great. Is it possible to die of embarrassment?
You immediately began trying to wipe your mouth, Cas shaking his head as you kept missing the spot of ketchup.
"Here," he finally said with a smile, leaning in and locking eyes with you before gently wiping the ketchup from the corner of your mouth with his thumb. "There. All better."
You and Cas continued staring at each other for a moment as you nodded slowly in thanks. You subconsciously licked your lips, the action not going unnoticed by Cas, who stared at your lips for a moment longer before looking back into your eyes. You could've sworn he was starting to lean in, but suddenly, the sound of the buzzer went off, signaling the start of the game and startling you both.
You cleared your throat awkwardly, turning to face the court in front of you. "Uh, thanks, Cas."
Cas sighed, disappointed the moment was over. "Of course."
*****************
About halfway through the first quarter, the Hawks were down by 6, and your voice was already sore from shouting.
"Oh, are you serious?! They need another time out?" you groaned at the opposing team, slumping back in your chair.
Suddenly, the screens around the stadium lit up with the "Kiss Cam", showing couples around the stadium. You smiled, watching. "Oh, I love the Kiss Cam!"
Cas furrowed his brow as he watched the screen, the various couples on screen surrounded by little hearts as they kissed and laughed. "What is this?"
"Oh, Kiss Cam? It's where they put the camera on different people in the audience and if the camera lands on you and your partner, you have to kiss! you explained. "Well, I guess you don't have to, but it's really awkward if you don't. It's always really funny when they put the camera on two people who actually aren't dating. Their reactions are always priceless."
Cas nodded in understanding, a small smile gracing his face as he continued to watch the couples on screen. He couldn't help but secretly wish the Kiss Cam would land on you and him, even though you weren't dating.
Wishful thinking, he thought.
******************
About an hour and a half later, the Hawks were almost halfway through the 4th quarter, down by 2 points. They were playing surprisingly well, which you were really excited about. You were practically jumping out of your seat with every move of the players, your eyes completely enraptured by the game in front of you. Honestly, Cas had lost interest by the second quarter, instead choosing to watch you and your reactions. You were far more captivating than the game itself.
"Holy shit, if you do one more timeout, I'm gonna lose it," you yelled in frustration at the opposing team, even though you knew they couldn't hear you.
To entertain the people in the stands during the timeout, they started up the Kiss Cam again, the camera landing on more unsuspecting couples.
"Aw, Cas, look at that old couple," you smiled as you and Cas both watched the screen.
Several seconds passed of cute couples kissing and giggling, when suddenly, you saw you and Castiel on screen surrounded by big pink hearts. Your eyes nearly bugged out of your head in shock. You completely froze. Your heart felt like it was going to burst out of your chest at any moment, adrenaline pumping through your veins as embarrassment simmered hot underneath your skin. What were you supposed to do?!
Luckily, Cas decided for you.
You suddenly felt a gentle, warm hand on your cheek, turning your head towards him. At this point, the crowd was cheering loudly, shouting "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!", but the only thing you could register was the loud beating of your heart thumping wildly in your ears. Cas looked at you, silently asking for permission, to which you gave with a slight nod of your head. He leaned in slowly until his lips touched yours ever so slightly, the feeling intoxicating as you placed your hand on the back of his neck and kissed him harder, needing more. The crowd was going wild with shouting and whistling and the camera stayed on you as Cas deepened the kiss, a quiet whimper escaping you before Cas gently pulled away. The crowd was going nuts over the two of you, cheering you both on as you and Cas smiled sheepishly at each other. You looked up at the screen and saw a replay of your kiss, your cheeks burning a bright scarlet as you watched. The kiss looked shy and hesitant but quickly turned passionate, the underlying desire you had for each other evident to everyone in the stands from the way you kissed. There's no telling how long you two might've continued if it weren't for the cheering of the crowd.
Finally, the timeout was over, and the crowd soon returned their attention to the game. You, however, were no longer interested in the game. You kept replaying the kiss over and over again in your head, your lips still tingling from the intensity of it.
You were feeling so incredibly shy, you couldn't make yourself look at Cas. You didn't want him to think something was wrong, but you were too nervous to even turn towards him. What if he didn't like it? He sure looked like he liked it, but you couldn't be too sure. What if it was just an act so he didn't embarrass you in front of the entire stadium?
"Y/N," Cas leaned in, trying to get your attention.
You nervously looked back at him, biting your lip anxiously. He looked disheartened, although you weren't sure why.
"I apologize for kissing you...you said earlier that it would be awkward if the couple on screen didn't kiss, so I...I'm sorry, I should've asked first," he shook his head and looked down, rubbing a hand over his face anxiously.
"Cas, it's ok," you assured, trying to ignore the sting in your chest at his words. He only kissed you because of what you said earlier, you idiot. Shoulda seen that one coming, you thought. "I know you didn't want to kiss me, so we can forget about it, ok?" you said with fake cheer, trying not to sound passive aggressive.
Cas' solemn and apologetic expression turned to one of confusion at your words. "You think I didn't want to kiss you?"
Now it was your turn to be confused. You turned in your chair to face him better, looking at him with a furrowed brow. "Well yeah...you said you kissed me because it would be awkward if you didn't."
Cas' mouth opened slightly, ready to respond, but closed it, looking down shyly. He took a deep breath for a moment, trying to prepare himself for what he was about to say. "That is true, but I also wanted to kiss you. Very much so. I...was actually hoping the Kiss Cam would land on us so that I would get to kiss you."
Your eyebrows raised in total surprise. Cas wanted to kiss you? "What are you saying?" you asked breathlessly.
Cas gave you a shy smile. "It means I like you. Very much. Dean called it a 'crush'," he replied nervously. "I understand if you don't feel the same, and I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable. If you'd like, we can pretend this never happened."
"Cas, wait," you interjected, placing your hand on his. "I do feel the same."
Cas' face lit up at your reaction, a rare toothy smile appearing on his handsome face. "Really?"
"Yeah," you grinned. "I've had a crush on you practically since I met you. And...I really liked kissing you."
"I enjoyed kissing you, too," Cas admitted with a shy grin. "Could I...kiss you again?"
You smiled wide, placing a hand on his cheek and leaning in until your noses touched. "You can kiss me any time you want."
As soon as Cas' lips touched yours, the sound of the buzzer went off, indicating the end of the game. The Hawks had actually won last second and the fans were going crazy as confetti was released from the ceiling. People were laughing, smiling, cheering, but you and Cas paid no attention as your lips moved easily against his.
Cas stroked your cheek with his thumb as the confetti floated all around you, landing in yours and Cas' hair, making you smile into the kiss. It was the cheesiest, most cliché kiss you had ever had, and you loved every second of it.
You really had finally won.
