Constellations

First Date for the Second Time

"So Dean, got a last name?" asked Castiel once the two had sat down in a booth and gotten menus.

"Winchester, Dean Winchester."

Castiel choked on his water a little and laughed.

"What?" asked Dean.

"You did not do the whole James Bond move, did you?"

Dean grinned. "Maybe, maybe not."

"Well then, I'm Castiel, Castiel Novak."

Dean bit his lip. That was the last name of the vessel Castiel inhabited. Cas didn't seem to notice Dean's sudden change and continued talking.

"Before you say anything, I know Castiel is a weird ass name, but it sets me apart and it was my great grandmother's maiden name on my mom's side or something distant like that."

"I like your name," said Dean gently. "and if it makes you feel any better, I'm named after my grandmother, Deanna."

Cas stifled a laugh.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Maybe a little."

The waitress came over.

"Are you boys ready to order?" she asked.

"I'm ready, are you?" Cas nodded to Dean.

"Yeah, I'll have a bacon burger turbo with chili-cheese fries and a beer. Thanks."

Cas grinned. "I'll have a cheeseburger and I'm fine with water. Thank you."

The waiter left and Cas looked at Dean with a surprised and amused expression.

"What?" Dean asked.

"How are you not dead by now?"

"Excuse me?"

"Do you order that daily? A bacon burger turbo and chili-cheese fries! I think I gained twenty pounds just by saying it," Cas laughed.

"Just be grateful I didn't order a salad," Dean laughed.

Castiel laughed too. "So, Dean, what are your hobbies?"

"What are yours?"

"Well, I like to read and study the stars... Wow I sound really boring right now," Cas chuckled.

"What do you mean by studying the stars?"

"Well I like to learn about astronomy and memorizing the constellations and predicting when the next meteor shower is- I'm not helping my case am I?"

"I think it sounds really interesting and you seem passionate about it. Why are you in law school?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you're so interested in stars and everything, why are you studying to be a lawyer?"

Cas paused for a moment like he was almost unsure of why either.

"Uh, I guess because astronomy's always been more of a hobby. Being a lawyer, well that's a career." He said still not fully certain.

Dean looked at him, studied him, searching for his angel, but Castiel shook it off in a second.

"Anyway, you avoided the question. What are your hobbies?"

"I like classic movies and music, I guess if that counts as a hobby. I like cars and uh, hunting with Sam-"

"Sam?" Cas asked shifting in his seat.

"Sam is my brother."

"Oh," Cas said sounding relieved.

"What about you? Do you have any family? Siblings?" Dean questioned studying Castiel to see if there was any change in him when he spoke, but there wasn't.

"No siblings um, my mom and dad died five years ago: car crash. I was eighteen, too old to be put in a foster home, and there were no other relatives so I took care of myself. Sorry, not a great first date conversation."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"My mom died when I was four and my dad died a couple years ago and my uncle died a little after him so it's been just my brother and me for some time now. So, I get it."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Dean said with a sad smile.

The food came out and they ate in silence for a few minutes before Cas spoke again.

"So I have to ask, is your brother as hot as you are?"

Dean choked on his food laughing.

"It's a logical question," Cas said chuckling.

"Was that your idea of hitting on me?"

"Maybe."

"Well, you have the bluest eyes I have ever seen and I must say they are very distracting." said Dean grinning. Cas chuckled.

They finished eating, split the bill, and left. They started walking and found themselves outside Castiel's dorm room.

"I had a really great time. Here's my number," said Cas plugging it into Dean's phone. "Call me whenever you're free."

"I had a great time too. I'll definitely call you."

Castiel looked down smiling and that was it for Dean. At that moment, he forgot about the mission to restore Castiel's memories, that Castiel wasn't an angel, that this was undercover work, he forgot all of it.

"Goddamit Cas."

"What?"

"Every time you look down, you hide those perfect eyes and it's maddening."

Dean pulled Castiel's chin up to see the blue eyes that drove him wild and kissed him. When their lips touched, Cas took in a breathe of surprise but leaned into the power of the kiss. Dean expected it to feel just like it had when they had kissed before, but it was different. There was a freshness to this kiss, an innocence that had never been felt before. Whenever Dean had kissed Cas, it was with a sense of urgency like every time would be their last; it was passionate and ferocious. Now, they kissed like they were finding each other, like they had all the time in the world, like the universe could wait for them. It was sweet and tender, but powerful and consuming all at the same time. It felt like Castiel's kiss was the only thing keeping Dean alive; it was like air.

Somehow, without even realizing it, they had stopped. They said goodbye and promised to see each other soon. The door closed behind Cas and he stopped against it thinking about the kiss, still feeling the power it left on his lips. He felt like he could fly.

On the other side of the door, Dean was staring in a daze. It was then that he knew something that was truly terrifying to him:

He was in love with this new Castiel.