Dear Addiction

Chapter twenty nine

Dean pulled his jacket on, hand going to his jean pocket where he could feel his wallet. "I'm leaving to pick up Lee." Dean called, hopefully loud enough for Sam to hear from his bedroom. When his brother yelled back an okay, he grabbed his keys from the counter, stuffing them into his jacket pocket, followed by his phone.

"Where are you going?"

Dean turned, eyes immediately falling on Ellie who was sat at the kitchen table, colouring sheets and paper spread out in front of her. "To get my friend."

Ellie looked down to her drawing, before looking back to Dean, "are you- is he your best friend?"

"Hell no." Dean stepped towards the other, quickly ruffling her hair with a grin. "You're my best friend."

A smile spread across Dean's face as he watched Ellie giggle. "You're my best friend too!"

"Damn right."

Dean pressed a quick kiss to the top of Ellie's head, before giving her hair omne ruffle, so it fell in tangled strands. He stepped away to the front door, his hand just reaching the handle when Ellie's voice stopped him.

"Wait," she cried. Dean turned, raising an eyebrow in question. "Will you- Are you- the tree! We decorate it tonight!"

"Don't worry," Dean looked to Ellie, the young girl looking back with wide eyes. "I'll be back to decorate."

Ellie raised her pinky finger. "Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise." Dean raised his pinky to the other, pretending to lock their fingers, before he gave one last goodbye, and stepped out of the apartment.

As he closed the door, his eyes lingered on the next door over, Castiel's. He could feel his stomach twist, a dull pain, or maybe discomfort settling in his chest. It had been almost two week since they'd last talked, and Dean missed Cas more than he'd ever care to admit. He missed the warmth that came from being near him, his smile, the crinkle of his eyes. The lway Dean's heart skipped a beat whenever he was around.

A breath parted Dean's lips, eyes continuing to rest on the door. One last second, that's all he gave himself before his gaze dropped and he walked away.

~~~

"You free for a before party?"

"Before party?" Dean questioned, glancing to his friend, he was sat in the passenger seat, phone in hand.

"Yah before the festival, drink a bit, maybe do a few lines."

Dean shook his head slightly, looking back to the road. "Can't the kids have some school christmas concert shit tomorrow," Dean explained, "I'm goin' to watch before I perform."

"Tonight?"

"Dude it's thursday. We'll end up at some crap bar."

Lee didn't reply, instead the sound of typing coming from Dean's right. "Club Cumming," Dean didn't reply, "it's DJ night."

"I can't go."

"Oh yah, you have a bitch now." Dean grit his teeth, grip around the steering wheel tightening. "What was his name?"

"One drink." Dean said, "That's it."

One drink was how it started, just a beer, something Dean could easily handle without getting tipsy. Though after that beer a vodka martini came, and the reason why he needed to stay sober had quickly slipped from his mind. Another drink followed, mixed with a few doses of coke, followed by throwing up, and then more alcohol and coke. The patterning continuing, drink, shoot up in the bathroom, dance, repeat.