Blue Eyed Stranger [COMPLETE]

Chapter 8: Why're you at a bus stop at 5.50am?

Dean and Cas stayed at that bus stop for another 45 minutes. It wasn't until 11pm that Dean was physically in bed. That didn't matter to him though, he knew his disruptive sleep pattern wouldn't have let him sleep any earlier.

Him and Cas spoke about his third problem, that was proving to be something Dean was particularly interested in.

Apparently, Cas has had a summary dismissal pressed against him for gross misconduct by his employer. And according to Castiel he hasn't done anything wrong — he'd never even received a disciplinary before and Dean doesn't believe somebody like Cas could commit such misconduct.

But that wasn't the gold of the situation for Dean. His peak of interest was when Castiel told his boss he didn't do anything wrong and was threatened by a false statement to the police.

Dean's immediate thoughts were horror and other commiserations. But it dawned on him pretty quickly that he could build a case for this. Being an ex-lawyer does come in hand sometimes, especially an employment one — he could help Cas.

It hadn't even been 24 hours, but he's grown fondness towards him. He realises it's unusual for him to form a liking for somebody, enough to care for them, but squashes the weird thoughts aside. It's nothing like that, he thinks.

Castiel took surprise to Dean's want to help, but kindly refused the offer until he found Mittens. He admitted it was odd, but he wanted to do one thing at a time and that his cat came first.

Even though there will never be a world in which Dean Winchetser would care more about a cat as opposed to his job, he understood that this was how Cas felt.

-

It's the next morning and Dean Winchester waits at the bus stop for the 6.05 bus he catches every morning. Embarrassingly to admit, he even got here slightly earlier.

What is even more embarrassing is that he done it in hope to catch Castiel. Not just to ask about the pending case he'd made up and been thinking of all night, but because he simply wanted to ask if he was OK.

It's to his disappointment when it's 5.50 and Cas isn't here yet. He knows they were just strangers, but he noticed Cas' presence at the stop was before Dean usually arrived himself.

It's a couple of minutes later when his own stupidity hits him. If Castiel isn't employed anymore... Why the hell would he be at a bus stop at 5.50?

He shakes his head to himself, knowing he's being an idiot, getting too deep into this already. It's nothing, he tells himself for the twentieth time in 12 hours.

That's why he thinks he's stupid when he imagines Castiel standing 20 feet away from him.

But he does a double-take. Castiel is standing 20 (or 19) feet away from him, taking slow steps in his direction. He's not in his usual trench coat and black trousers, but a burgundy hoodie and jeans.

As Cas approaches, Dean sees that his clothes are covered in mud.

"Cas," Dean says as soon as he's in earshot, and asks the question we all want to know the answer to. "Why the hell are you covered in dirt?"

"I thought I found Mittens."

-

Castiel went on to explain how he's ended up in this exact situation.

He sets out the scene, his sleepless night and how he went out into the dark at 4.45. It was raining — pathetic fallacy at its finest.

He searched his block and wandered into the park nearby. Sat on a bench for a while to think. Whilst he was staring out, he thought he caught sight of a large cat in a bush.

He was wrong, though. It was a large and frankly terrifying looking badger who was not happy to see him — growling and hissing. It scrambled away as Cas returned to his post at the bench.

When he next catches a glimpse of another animal, he squints for a longer amount of time, to make sure he doesn't try to kidnap another badger. He's sure it's a cat, and when he stands up the cat looks at him.

It's indefinitely Mittens, he said. He also done a weird impression of the cat staring back at him, knowing Dean looked at him like he was crazy. Probably wondering whether a cat could look so owl-like.

Regardless, he went on to explain how he embarked on a cat chase in the park, trying to get his cat to come back.

It didn't end well though — Castiel ended up slipping on the path, sliding onto his side. He went for a long skid in a dirty puddle, getting drenched and caked in mud.

Apparently it wasn't too great, as Cas tells.

"And now, you're here." Dean says as Cas concludes his story. "Covered in dirt at a bus stop."

Castiel nods. "Basically." He can't hide his dissatisfaction and is quiet for a moment. "You know, last night..." He says. "We didn't talk about you. I don't even know your name, or anything about you."

It's bad timing however, as the number seven bus comes rolling down the street. Dean looks over his shoulder and his heart sinks a little. For once, he felt like maybe it would be nice to speak about himself to somebody.

The bus halts next to them and their familiar driver looks out to them both, intrigued that Dean and Castiel are facing each other talking like never before. As they didn't get their regular bus, he missed them last night.

"My name's —" Dean's about to introduce himself, but Castiel interrupts him.

"Hey!" He shouts, looking out behind Dean. "There he is!" He points.

Dean feels the need to look over his shoulder, quickly spotting a large cat that does in fact resemble a badger. "Is that... Mittens?" Dean asks, feeling stupid stating the cat's daft name.

Castiel slaps his shoulder, his mouth gaping. To be honest, Dean sees where Cas was coming from when he portrayed the cat's wide-eyed look. The pair look at the cat and there's a stare off.

Well, the stare off goes three ways. Dean and Cas to Mittens, Mittens to Dean and Cas, and the bus driver to Dean and Cas... wondering what on earth they're doing.

The cat raises a paw, hovering it on the pavement ready to bolt.

"Don't you dare." Castiel scorns as if the overgrown house cat can hear him from this far away.

The cat dares.

He places the first paw to the concrete and the other three follow as he takes off around the corner.

"We gotta go!" Castiel bangs on Dean's arm and drags him forward with him as he runs after the beastly ball of fur.

Dean gets spun on his heel, scuffing his work shoes as he topples forward after Cas' straggly legs. Cas has pinched his blazer and Dean's getting tugged forward by his arm awkwardly. His whole upper body is only 4ft from the ground and for a moment he's about to fall on his face.

He forces his legs to work and begins to follow Cas' footsteps. He turns back, seeing his bus pull away. He wonders what the hell he's doing missing his bus for a god-damned feline.

The two are running down the street. Obviously the cat has taken the lead but it's a surprise to Dean to see how fast Cas can go - literally on that cat's tail. Dean's a good 10ft behind them both; he wasn't born to run. Especially in his shoes that cost him over £400. Not his most expensive pair mind you, but expensive enough.

Whilst he's running behind them, it dawns on him how comical and stupid they must look. There's a row of flats to their left so at least one person is bound to see them. First things first they're chasing a cat down a street. That's stupid in its own right. But then there's a man who mildly resembles a homeless person crazily yelling "Mittens!" over and over again.

And of course, completing the trio is a man dressed in a full suit, clanking his fancy polished shoes on the floor chasing the crazy guy. He comes to the same conclusion once again — stupid.

Next up, the cat spins into a park on the right.