Secrets and Camera Flashes

Chapter 2

"Lookie what I found."

Castiel sighs. "Dean, I really, really don't play guitar."

"Yet," Dean adds.

"No, like, at all," Castiel says. "I don't make music. I just listen to it."

"Well, humor me."

Castiel shakes his head to himself, but reluctantly takes the guitar Dean just ran inside to find. He puts it in his lap, one hand on the head and the other on the strings. "I have absolutely no idea how to use this thing."

"And that's what I'm here for," Dean says. "Pick a letter, any letter you could possibly find on sheet music."

"How far into the alphabet does sheet music go again?"

Dean sighs. "Okay, let's start simple. E minor."

"What now?"

Dean taps the fifth string on the second fret. "Put one finger here."

Castiel puts his pointer finger where Dean told him to.

"Okay, retry," Dean says. "Put your middle finger there."

Castiel raises an eyebrow. "Does it matter what finger I use?"

"Trust me, it's easier," Dean says.

Castiel rolls his eyes and does what he's told.

"Awesome," Dean says. "Now put your ring finger..." He taps the fourth string of the same fret. "Right here."

Castiel puts his finger on the fret bar itself.

"No, between the bars or it won't work," Dean says.

Castiel tries to adjust his finger, but his middle finger is in the way. "How the hell am I supposed to do that?"

Dean walks behind him, so that if Castiel hadn't been in the way, it would almost be as if he were playing the guitar himself. They're a bit too close for comfort, he will admit, and he's sure Castiel feels like Dean is breathing down his neck, but he doesn't awkwardly scoot out of the way, so it can't bother him too much. Dean picks up Castiel's fingers, one at a time, and moves them to where they're supposed to be. "Just like that."

"Oh."

"Now press down really hard and strum," Dean says.

"Don't, uh..." Castiel glances back at him, but when he meets Dean's eye just a few inches from his head, he immediately looks away. "Don't I need a guitar pick or something?"

Dean does his best to ignore whatever awkward shifty thing Castiel is doing -- he just showing the guy how to use a guitar. It really shouldn't be that weird -- and shakes his head. "No, it's softer without one. I'd choose no pick any day."

Castiel raises an eyebrow. "Okay." He strums the guitar, but it sounds twangy and muffled.

"Press down a little harder," Dean says.

Castiel does as he's told, but it doesn't change the sound.

"Still not hard enough," Dean says.

"If I press down any more, the strings are gonna rip a hole in my fingers," Castiel deadpans.

"And that's how you know you're doing it right," Dean says.

Castiel puts the guitar down, leaning against the side of his chair. "I already feel like I bruised my fingers. I'm not pressing down any harder."

"No, look, it's easy." Dean heads back to his chair, and Castiel seems to relax as Dean takes a few steps away. Weirdo. Dean sits down and puts the guitar in his own lap, playing the chord easily. "See?"

"Doesn't that hurt?" Castiel asks.

Dean shakes his head. "You get used to it." He holds the guitar back out to him. "Want to try again?"

Castiel sighs. "Not really." He takes the guitar back anyway, and puts his fingers in the same position they had been in. "Like this?"

"Press down harder," Dean says.

Castiel presses down on the strings and strums. This time, it sounds a lot like it did when Dean did it.

"Awesome!" Dean says with a grin. "Look at that! You're a guitar pro!"

"Thank you for showing me this," Castiel says as he hands the guitar back. "Now I know what to never do again."

Dean scoffs. "Wow, okay, be that way."

"I don't even get how you make music like that," Castiel says. "It sounds stupid."

"Well, you gotta get the strumming pattern," Dean says, demonstrating it. "Down, down, down-up-down. See?"

Castiel raises an eyebrow. "Okay, that actually explains a lot."

"And then you switch chords," Dean adds, switching to another favorite of his — D minor. It's just a cute little triangle.

"I physically don't understand how you move your hands that quickly," Castiel says.

"About 15 years of practice," Dean replies, switching to the next chord in the progression — B minor.

Castiel gapes at him. "How can you cover a million strings with one finger and not sound like my failed attempt at music?"

"Okay, first of all, it's only five strings," Dean says. "Second, it's called a bar chord. Third, I repeat, 15 years of practice. And fourth, you did fine."

"I was a disgrace to your guitar," Castiel says. "What song is this?"

"Just a chord progression," Dean says. "A song would be more like this." He switches to one of his favorites — Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." Honestly, anything Zeppelin is one of his favorites, but this one is probably their most well known.

Castiel tilts his head slightly, squinting. "What song is this?"

Dean doesn't speak, getting to the right part before humming along.

"Oh, Zeppelin!" Castiel says immediately. "I love that song!"

"Really?" Dean says as if he didn't choose it for that exact reason.

"Yeah, everyone knows Zeppelin," Castiel says. "I mean, 'Travelin' Riverside Blues' is better, but I digress."

"I like you even more already," Dean says with a grin, and Castiel looks away sheepishly. "You know the words?"

"Obviously," Castiel says. "I don't claim to love songs I don't know."

"C'mon," Dean says, picking up where he left off. "When she gets there she knows..."

Castiel shakes his head. "I'm an actor, not a singer."

"That's what Zac Efron said when he backed out of singing in High School Musical," Dean says. "You're never gonna get your The Greatest Showman moment if you don't embrace your High School Musical 2."

"I don't want my Greatest Showman moment," Castiel says.

"Come on, don't be a buzzkill," Dean whines, then restarts the song. "There's a lady who's sure, all that glitters is gold."

"And she's buying a stairway to Heaven," Castiel joins in quietly.

Dean beams at him. "That's what I'm talking about!"

Castiel glances around the party. "People are looking at us."

Dean scoffs. "You've been an actor for how many years? Don't tell me you can't handle a little attention."

"Not when the attention comes from something I'm not comfortable with," Castiel hisses.

Dean rolls his eyes. "Fine, I'll put the guitar away."

"You don't have to do that," Castiel says quickly.

Dean raises an eyebrow.

"I mean, I like your guitar," Castiel says sheepishly. "It's nice. I just don't want any singing."

Dean shakes his head, amused. "Whatever you say."