palominopup

[palominopup]

Title: Whiskey & Wine

Author: palominopup and GeekyGirl (team)

Artist: MarsHunter

Rating: Explicit

Pairings: Castiel/Dean Winchester; Sam/Eileen; Dean/OFC (Past – not explicit); Castiel/Mick (Past – not explicit)

Length: 62616

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Tags: AU/Modern Setting; Gay Sex; Kid Fic; DCBB 2022

Posting Date: October 20, 2022

Summary: Dean’s family have been in the wine making business for generations. Henry, his grandfather, started the vineyard after he came back from the war and today, it was one of the top producers in the Texas Hill Country. Sam and Dean inherited it and continued in the family legacy.  When the neighboring farm became available after foreclosure, Dean went to the auction to bid on it so they could expand their business, unfortunately, he was outbid. Now, the property is owned by an ex-cop turned dog trainer. Every time Dean drove past the place, he got angry. He wanted that land. Adding insult to injury, one of the dude’s dogs kept escaping and it attached itself to Dean’s little girl. Dean disliked all things that slobbered, including that stupid dog until his daughter went missing.  Castiel used his grandmother’s inheritance to buy the old farmhouse, barns, and acreage. He’d been a K9 cop but resigned after a stray bullet killed his partner and seriously injured his dog. Now, he raised dogs for search and rescue groups. Whiskey, his canine partner, kept escaping and visiting the vineyard next door. The last thing he wanted was a feud with his handsome neighbor. 

Excerpt: He waited until Sam’s car left the lot and then eased into the traffic heading out of the park. He slowed the Impala as it neared Cas’ driveway. He knew this type of thing was wrong on so many levels, but it didn’t stop him from shutting off his lights and inching down the gravel road. Crowley’s car wasn’t there. Did that mean Cas was at Crowley’s? The porch light was on, but he couldn’t see lights in the house. If he only knew where Crowley lived. God, Winchester, you’ve turned into one of those Criminal Minds stalkers.   He shifted the car into reverse and looked into the rearview mirror. Something hitting his window made him jump. “Fuck,” he shrieked and then saw Cas standing there, Whiskey at his side.  Rolling down the window, he exclaimed, “Dude, you almost gave me a fucking heart attack.”  “Why are you here?” Cas didn’t look amused, his head tilted as if confused why Dean would be on his property at eleven o’clock at night. In his car. With his headlights off. What the hell could he say? I got lost? I was just in the neighborhood?  “Uh,” Dean opened his mouth, but closed it with a snap.   ���Dean, why are you here?” He repeated.  “Look, I saw you with Crowley and that dude is... is bad news.”  “So, you are here to tell me that I cannot be friends with Crowley? Seems presumptuous of you.” 

DCBB 2022 Posting Schedule

[palominopup]

Supernatural fans! June 17-30, 2019, come make your bid for Sam’s heart ❤ (or a fan story/artwork you get to design yourself) at FicFacers.com!

Authors and artists, if you wish to offer your talent to raise money for a good cause this summer, please send a message to julia.houston (at) gmail (dot) com.

Kindly share for signal boost, please use #ficfacers and #ficfacers2019. Thank you! ❤

Promo art by Shamee

[palominopup]

Guarding Castiel

Secret Service Dean Winchester’s life was complicated. One minute, he’s arresting a money-launderer and the next, he’s head of the Vice President’s security detail. Dean takes over his duties protecting Castiel Novak, the country’s first openly gay Vice President. He’d keep his attraction to himself, after all, it wasn’t like one of the most powerful men in the nation would want him.

Vice President Novak loved making a difference, but it took its toll on his personal life. The new Secret Service agent bound to protect him was a distraction he couldn’t afford. Over time, he found himself breaking protocol with the man paid to protect him with his life.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/14863946/chapters/34414178

[palominopup]

This one is tagged MCD, but we all know Cas comes back, so don’t panic.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/14863614

[palominopup]

Taking Chances 

Dean's biggest nightmare was happening. A one night stand...a very male one night stand, was now the newest resident of HIS town. And if that wasn't enough, he was Dean's new neighbor.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/13984695/chapters/32199267

[palominopup]

A Wing and a Prayer

A near death experience brings out a confession.

This is the first of a three-part series:  https://archiveofourown.org/works/14668271

[palominopup]

Home Run

Dean Winchester was living the dream of a Major League Baseball player. On the surface, he had it all... a million-dollar pitching arm, a beautiful twelve-year-old daughter well on her way to being an Olympic swimmer, and a classic ride that left his admirers drooling in its wake. To top it off, the Austin Demons were heading to the World Series. All in all, his life was great.

Until the day everything was turned upside down by a tragic car accident that left his daughter, Mackenzie, motherless and temporarily paralyzed. Seeking the best care for his little girl, Dean discovered the Novak Clinic and the sexy ex-surgeon who ran it. Dr. Castiel Novak was everything he was looking for in a doctor, but Dean found himself constantly thinking... Could he be so much more?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/12872172/chapters/29402463

[palominopup]

Honor & Desire

Five years. That's how long it's been since Dean Winchester left behind the desert battlefield and the Air Force Captain who enthralled him, Castiel Novak. Their paths crossed when Dean's Ranger unit was tasked with rescuing him from the enemy. After saving Novak's life, Dean's assignment ended and he went home. That was the last and only time they saw each other... but no matter how much time passed, Dean couldn't get Novak and his stupid blue eyes out of his head. Despite firmly placing Novak in the 'missed connections of the past' category, the man's face invaded his dreams and just wouldn't go away.

Dean buried himself in his work as an ER doctor at San Antonio Memorial Hospital. His life wasn't exactly happy, but it worked. Until the night he showed up for his shift and locked eyes with the newest trauma doctor...the man who haunted his dreams.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/12061161/chapters/27314937

[palominopup]

Hat Trick

Third in the Hockey Series: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12511812

[palominopup]

Lips Of An Angel

https://archiveofourown.org/works/12007266

Fic based on the song by Hinder.

[palominopup]

STICK CHECK

Dean let his eyes adjust to the dimly lit club. It was crowded, but that was usual for a Friday night. He was dressed too casual to be confused with the normal clientele, but no one seemed to care. He found a seat at the bar and ordered a Scotch, neat.

When he took his first sip, he winced. He’d gotten high-sticked in the game against the Bruins and he was sporting a new crown because of it. It wasn’t his first, nor would it be his last. The cut at the corner of his mouth still hurt like a motherfucker though.

“Hey, aren’t you Dean Winchester?” The bartender asked after a few minutes. Dean nodded and gave him his patented Winchester smile. “Can I have an autograph?”

“Sure.” Dean took the offered pen and cocktail napkin. Then he posed with the older man for a picture. As center for the Kansas Impalas, the newest franchise in the NHL, he was used to being recognized. Winning the Stanley Cup last year had kept his name and picture in the media.

He finished his first drink and ordered another just as the stage lights came up. He turned on his barstool and waited. A black baby grand sat in the center of the stage. The crowd quieted and then a man appeared. He was dressed in a black shirt and dark jeans. Dean couldn’t make out his features, but his hair looked like he’d gone a few rounds in the bedroom. Dean hummed his appreciation.

When the performer sat down on the bench, you could have heard a pin drop. Dean looked around and every eye in the place was focused on the man on stage. The opening notes were familiar and Dean smiled. When he leaned into the microphone and began to sing, Dean’s jeans felt suddenly tighter. That was a voice that could lure sailors to their death. Husky and low, the words enveloped Dean and he felt a shiver along his spine. He swallowed and let his gaze roam over the man’s body. He sat rapt as the man sang song after song.

“He’s gorgeous, isn’t he,” a feminine voice said to his right. Frowning at being interrupted from the beautiful display on stage, Dean turned his head. The dark haired woman was sexy, he’d give her that and maybe in another time, he would have given her more attention.

“He is,” Dean said and pushed his glass across the bar. The bartender replaced it quickly. “You know him?”

Her smile seemed to hold secrets. “I do. His name is Castiel.”

“Huh, strange name.”

“Rumor has it that he was named after an angel, but I think he’s the devil in disguise,” she said with a throaty laugh.

Dean wanted to groan at her play on words. “Yeah, why’s that?”

“He has this way about him. Untouchable. Cool. Aloof. But yet, he carries himself like a god.”

“You sound like you’re interested in him,” Dean observed from the way her eyes kept flitting towards the stage.

She returned her smoky eyes to his. “Everyone is interested in him, but like I said, he’s untouchable.” She rested her hand on his wrist. “But you, on the other hand…” She let her words trail off and Dean gave her a half smile.

“Darlin’, I think he’s more my type.” Disappointment showed in her features for a moment and then she returned his smile.

“Good luck with that…” She said as she walked away, her hips swaying to the sultry song the performer was singing. Dean took his drink and moved through the tables until he could lean against the wall near the stage. The singer looked up and for a split second their eyes met and held. There was a slight widening of the man’s eyes, but other than that, he never missed a note. Dean smirked as he took a drink. It was nice to know he still had it.

Two songs later, and the man rose. He nodded and smiled at the applause before he walked backstage. Dean saw the dark hallway and silently moved to follow. There were several closed doors and Dean hesitated. A figure came out of the shadows and Dean could see the silhouette of messy hair. “I think I’m your biggest fan,” he said softly.

Before he could say anything else, the man opened a door and practically shoved Dean inside. There was a soft light over a mirrored table and Dean’s mind registered it as a dressing room before he was unceremoniously pressed to the wall. The man’s body was pressed to his back. God, his dick was getting hard already. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered against the sensitive skin under Dean’s ear.

“Back at you,” Dean said cockily. He felt the man’s hands pulling his shirt out of his jeans and added, “I don’t usually do this.”

“Liar,” came the husky reply. Dean’s jeans and boxers were shoved roughly down his legs and a hand wrapped around his cock. Dean groaned. The man’s soft laughter made his balls ache. The soft nip of teeth at his neck weakened his knees. Suddenly, he was gone. Dean turned. He met the man’s eyes. God, they were electric blue. Dean watched as the man unbuttoned his shirt and let it fall to the floor. He took in the man’s chest and his mouth went dry when he unzipped his pants and pulled out his thick cock. “Turn around.”

Dean obeyed instantly and laid his cheek against the wall. The hands on his ass were smooth, unlike his own rough, calloused ones. He heard the hiss of surprise when the man found the plug. Dean’s nails scraped the wall as the man moved it with his fingers. “You are full of surprises,” he growled.

“I’d rather be full of something else… like that pretty cock of yours,” Dean retorted. He heard a rustling sound and then the snap of a cap. He grunted when the plug was removed, but pushed his hips back as slick fingers found his stretched hole. Dean needed this. On the road with the team, he stayed celibate. He got a lot of ribbing for it from his teammates, but it was his choice.

The fingers were gone, but before he could complain, he felt the head of the man’s cock pressing against him. “Do it,” Dean demanded.

With a feral groan, the man pushed inside of him, not stopping until his hips were pressed against Dean’s ass. “So tight… so fucking tight,” the man murmured. He was still and Dean could almost feel him gathering control. That was the last thing Dean wanted.

“Fuck me. Now.” The singer pulled out and slammed back inside of him hard enough to rip the breath from Dean’s lungs. “Yes,” he purred.

He let the other man set the pace. It was fast and brutal and Dean’s cock needed attention. As if sensing it, the other man reached around and lube slicked fingers gripped Dean’s shaft. The strokes matched the rhythm of his thrusts. Dean felt the coil of heat in his belly. “Gonna come…” he spat out as a powerful snap of the singer’s hips almost made him lose his balance. He was up on his toes now, ass back, begging for it.

Teeth bit into his flesh and he cried out as his orgasm ripped through him. “Yes… God…” There was a swift intake of air behind him and the man’s hips stilled. Dean felt the pulse of his cock inside of him… felt the man’s cum pumping into his body.

They were still, their harsh breathing filling the silence. Dean closed his eyes and felt the man’s softening cock slip from him, his hot cum leaving a trail down Dean’s thighs. A soft kiss was pressed to his ear and a sticky hand cupped his sac gently. “You good.”

“Hmmmm, better than good,” Dean whispered. Strong arms turned him and he leaned in for a kiss. “Did you miss me?”

“I did. Very much so,” Cas mumbled against his throat. A knock on the door made them both sigh. “Duty calls.”

Dean grinned. “You finish catering to your fans and I will see you at home.” They both got dressed quickly and as Dean put his hand on the doorknob, Cas’ voice stopped him.

“I love you.”

Dean turned and winked. “I love you too, Babe. Always.”

He walked through the crowd and slid a twenty to the bartender. “Thanks, man.” When he was halfway to the door, he saw the woman from before. Smiling, he went up to her and placed his hand on the small of her back. She tilted her head in confusion and Dean whispered just loud enough for her to hear. “He is the devil in disguise.” Dean winked and walked out. If he added a bit of swagger, well, who cared? He’d just been fucked by his gorgeous husband.

[palominopup]

Sam Winchester was in trouble. His job with a popular home improvement network was in jeopardy unless he could come up with a new show that would boost ratings. He needed new talent that would invite more viewers. Enter his brother, Dean, a lewd, loud carpenter, who looked like an underwear model and Castiel Novak, a hot-headed interior decorator that catered to the rich. The two men were to take a rundown home and turn it into a showplace. At the end of each season, the house would be given away in a big contest. But, they had to finish it first, without killing each other in the process. The first day on set sparks flew, but not the good kind. The two men hated each other. Sam just knew they’d have to pull the show after its pilot episode aired and he’d be back to making commercials about genital herpes.  But the viewers loved it. The emails and tweets about the two men required the network to hire more people just to keep up with them. The snarky comments, the glaring looks, and the sexual tension shot the show to the Number One position. Then one night after filming, the months of tension exploded into hot, angry sex. Something changed between the two men and the viewers couldn’t stop tweeting about it.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/11329269/chapters/25359132

[palominopup]

Dean has known for days that Cas and his boyfriend, some douche named Adam, have moved back to Lawrence. Not that he cares. He doesn’t. He’s happy with Anna. He is.

He looks over at her sleeping form as he slips his shoulder holster over his head and buckles it. He slides his Berretta inside and then pulls on his jacket. Without bothering to kiss her goodbye… she’s sleeping and there is no need to wake her… Detective Dean Winchester leaves for work.

The day is dark and rainy and it fits Dean’s mood. His partner even comments on it. “Who shit in your Wheaties, Winchester?”

“No one,” Dean answered shortly and Benny shut his mouth. They barely spoke for the rest of their shift. He was happy, damn it. Cas coming back after all these years didn’t matter. What they had once didn’t matter. That ship sailed and sunk a long time ago.

On his way home, he stops at the red light before turning on to Livingston Street and he swears the gods are out to get him, because he sees Cas getting out of a dark green Mustang convertible. He’d recognize that hair and that fine ass anywhere. He fights back a memory… one better left alone.

“Dean, stop, you’re going to make me late for work.” Cas was giving him that half smile and swatting his hand away. The hand that was cupping the left cheek of his gorgeous ass.

“You love it when I make you late for work,” Dean had said, bringing his head down to steal a kiss.

“Not today. You know how important this case is.”

Dean shook his head to clear the image of that morning. The morning that changed everything and cost him the man he loved. He hit the gas to fast and the tires squealed. Cas turned and saw him. He was hard to miss in the jet black Impala. Their eyes locked for a split second before Dean floored it and careened through the intersection.

That night, Anna and Dean sat through a silent dinner. Both picked at their food. “I’m going to go work a little,” she said quietly. Dean didn’t respond. He watched her walk away, her red hair midway down her back. She was so pretty. When was the last time they had sex? God, had it been so long that he had to even think about it?

He finished watching his favorite sitcom and stood up to stretch. He’d taken off his suit earlier and was just in a pair of sweats from his police academy days and a ratty t-shirt. He shuffled down the hall and stopped at the door of the extra bedroom they’d made into an office. Anna glanced up from her computer. “I’m going to bed. You comin’?” Maybe he could end their dry spell.

“No. I still have a few things to do.” Her eyes went back to the screen, casting her in a bluish glow. He drifted to their bedroom, not really disappointed she’d turned him down. Exhausted and not knowing why, Dean fell asleep. He was awakened much later by his phone vibrating on the nightstand. As a detective, he expected calls in the middle of the night. He picked up the phone and got out of bed, careful not to wake his girlfriend.

Once he was safely in the living room of their small apartment, he answered without looking at the screen. “Winchester,” he said abruptly, his usual greeting to the precinct.

“Hello, Dean.” The voice sent a shiver up his spine. Three years, six months and no, he wasn’t pathetic enough to count the days…

“Cas. Why are you calling me so late?” Not, why are you calling me at all. Dean found he didn’t care about the whys. Dean thought he heard a sniffle. “Cas, are you crying? Is everything okay?” Dean whispered, glancing down the hall to their darkened bedroom doorway. He should have closed it behind him.

“I saw you today and…” the low voice that reminded him of tangled sheets and breathless moans was filled with sadness.

“Cas… Anna is asleep… I shouldn’t…” God, why had he mentioned her. He doubted Cas even knew he was living with someone. Someone else… someone who was not Cas…could never be Cas.

“Adam moved out tonight,” Cas stated. No emotion. It was like he was saying it was cold outside. He knew Cas met Adam Milligan right after he moved to Houston. Dean also knew they moved in together a year later. He also knew that Adam was a writer for a huge news magazine. Dean knew these things because he was a detective and had access to shit like that. He wasn’t supposed to use it for private inquiries, but everyone did it. Shit, he’d run a background check on Anna before he’d asked her on a second date.

“Oh.” Dean didn’t know what to say to that. He closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Cas.” He sank down on the sofa, his head back against the cushion. He stared at the ceiling and wished for guidance.

“I’m not. It was over a long time ago. Maybe even before it started,” came the whispered words.

“Sometimes…sometimes, I wish she was you,” Dean said and then realized he’d stated his thoughts out loud. He wanted to call the words back. He knew he had never moved on. Cas had been the love of his life. Why did Dean have to go and ruin it?

“Dean…” The way Cas said his name, so sweet, brought more memories out of the deep recesses of his mind.

“Dean, please… I love you.” The words had ripped Dean’s heart to shreds. He’d held onto his rigid posture until Cas walked out… for good.

He’d never come back for his things. They were boxed up in Sam’s garage.

“Angel, we really shouldn’t be talking. I wanted you to move on. Find someone better than me,” Dean squeezed the phone tighter. The nickname had slipped out. Castiel was named for an angel by his conservative parents. Dean called him ‘Angel’ the whole time they were together. He hoped Cas wouldn’t pick up on it.

“Please don’t call me that,” Cas said softly.

“Sorry, just habit.” By the silence on the other end, Dean knew his words found their mark and scored a direct hit.

“I shouldn’t have called. Goodbye, Dean.” Shit… he didn’t want him to hang up. He didn’t want the conversation to end like that… not on a bad note.

“No, Cas… wait.” Wait for what? For Dean to think about asking to meet Cas somewhere… for a drink… maybe coffee… maybe more. No, he wasn’t a cheater. Anna didn’t deserve that. He listened to Cas breathe for a few moments as he gathered his courage. “Do you ever dream about me, Cas?”

Dean heard the swift intake of breath. “I do. I even thought of you when Adam…” Cas bit off the words and Dean felt a brief sense of satisfaction. “He was good to me. I let him down.”

 “How?” Dean couldn’t imagine Cas letting anyone down. The man was perfect.

 “He never thought he measured up to you. I may have made you a bigger than life. He knew he couldn’t compete. He didn’t want to come here.”

 “Why did you come back, Cas?”                

 “I was offered my old job back, with more benefits… more money.” Cas had worked for the DA’s office. He’d been overworked and underpaid, but he loved being someone who worked hard to get the bad guys off the streets. That’s how they’d met. Cas dressed him down on a collar he’d made. Made him feel really stupid in front of everyone. That was the first night they’d had sex. It was angry and rough and fuck, if Dean didn’t start falling for the disheveled guy in the oversized trench coat. “Adam insisted that I take it. He said he could do his job anywhere.”

 “What happened?” Dean knew Cas would understand the question he was asking. He wasn’t wrong.

 “Tonight…after seeing you today…I…I made the mistake of telling Adam. I don’t keep things from him…” Dean imagined Cas biting his lip, his blue eyes filled with sorrow. Cas wouldn’t hurt anyone on purpose. Unlike Dean. Unlike the night Dean stared into those beautiful eyes and lied.

 “You told him you saw me and he moved out? What the hell, Cas?” There was more to the story. There had to be.

 “I told him that I saw you… and realized that I never… never got over you.” Dean banged his head on the back of the couch over and over again. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

 “Cas…I can’t do this…Anna is in the next room, man. I shouldn’t even be talking to you.”

 “I know.” And just like that, he hung up.

 “Fuck,” Dean growled, throwing the phone across the room in a fit of anger. The ‘what ifs’ swirled in his mind and made his stomach knot.

 “I knew you still cared for him. I just didn’t realize how much.” Dean startled and stood up quickly. He spun to face Anna. She was leaning against the doorway, her expression unreadable. Anna knew about Cas. He’d told her. Granted he’d been drunk at the time.

 “Anna… it’s not…” She shook her head slowly and Dean closed his mouth.

 “Dean, I love you. I have for a long time, but I knew from the beginning that your heart belonged to someone else. To him. I don’t know what happened between you, but if you still have those feelings, maybe you should see…”

 “No, there isn’t… I can’t fix what I broke.” Dean didn’t bother to tell her she was wrong about his feelings for Cas. He wouldn’t disrespect her like that.

 She moved forward. She wore the silky boxers and camisole that Dean used to find sexy as fuck. Now, they could have been a long flannel nightgown for all the good it did for his libido. She motioned him to sit back down and she sat across from him on the edge of the coffee table. Their knees barely touching. “I had a job offer last week. In New York. I’m going to take it.” Dean simply stared at her, blinking stupidly. “I was going to turn it down to see if…if we could move past this bump in our…relationship, but now I know that it will be for the best.”

 “But…” Dean started, but found he had no words. What could he say? Should he beg her to stay? To give him another chance?

 Her smile was soft and she reached out to take his hand. “Love is hard, Dean. Even if you can’t fix what you broke, perhaps you replace it one day. I just can’t be the replacement.”

 Dean nodded and squeezed her hand. She stood up and brushed her lips over the top of his head. He heard the bedroom door close. He closed his eyes again and let the memories come.

 There had been a shooting and a cop was killed. Dean didn’t come home. He went to a bar instead. He didn’t remember the drive home, but he remembered Cas standing there when he dropped his keys on the floor of the foyer, cursing at the loss of a life. When he looked up, he saw relieved blue eyes through his own drunken ones. “I heard on the news an officer was shot. I couldn’t reach you on your phone. I was scared.”

 “Yeah, well, I’m just fine, Angel.” Instead of sounding like a nickname between lovers, it came out sarcastic and full of hatred. Not at Cas, never at Cas, but the world in general.

 “You’re drunk,” Cas had stated, the relief changing to anger.

 “Sure am.”

 “Dean…” It was the soft pitying tone that did it. Add to that, several downed whiskeys and you had a recipe for disaster.

 “Stop it, Cas. Stop loving me. Stop waiting up for me to come home. I don’t need you. I don’t need this,” he’d waved his hands between them. “I don’t love you,” he lied.

 What Cas didn’t know was that after he walked out that night, dressed in a pair of old jeans and Dean’s ‘Relax I’m a Cop’ t-shirt, Dean fell to his knees and cried. Cried because he lost a brother on the force, but mostly because he just lost the best thing to ever happen to him.

 Sam found him the next day, passed out on his kitchen floor with an empty bottle of vodka next to him. It had been Cas’ good stuff. Imported from Russia. Sam had manhandled him into the shower and turned on the cold water. He’s shrieked and fought, but in the end, he’d sank down into the tub and cried even more. Several pots of strong coffee later, he’d told Sam about his night. “See Sam, I can’t put Cas through anything like that. If something were to happen to me…”

 It sounded good at the time, but the real reason he’d drove Cas away was because he wasn’t good enough. Cas was all power suits and law degrees. Dean was a beat cop that was lucky enough to have a gold shield. Cas liked classical music and books, Dean listened to classic rock and when he read, it was Vonnegut or muscle car magazines. Cas was good. Too good for the likes of Dean Winchester. Dean just broke up with Cas before Cas could see him for what he truly was. A loser.

 Two weeks later, Anna supervised the movers. She’d left him with most of the furniture, but the shelves and closets were bare. She came to him in the bedroom, where he was staring out the window at the moving van. “Guess that’s it,” she said softly, coming up behind him. She didn’t touch him. There had been no intimacy since Cas’ phone call and her announcement. Honestly, there hadn’t been much before, at least not in the last three or four months. He’d spent the nights he was at home on the couch. Most nights though, he’d spent on the ratty sofa in the break room at the precinct, showering in the locker room. If anyone noticed, they didn’t say anything.

 “I’ll miss you,” Dean said honestly. It would be hard to come home to an empty apartment. Shit, maybe he should think about buying a place near Sam. Something small… maybe a fixer-upper he could work on in his spare time.

 “I’ll miss you too, Dean.” She stepped closer and kissed his cheek. “Take care of yourself.” When she turned to go, Dean didn’t watch. Another chapter in his life had closed. It hurt, but it wasn’t even close to the pain he’d felt when Cas left.

 “Hey, Winchester, I need you to run this over to the courthouse,” the chief called out over the usual din of the bullpen the next day.

“Seriously, Chief, it’s almost lunchtime. Can’t you get a uniform to do it?” He was beaned in the back of the head by his friend, Charlie, who was wearing a uniform. He shrugged at her. “Hey, I worked hard to wear this suit. You gotta pay your dues, kiddo.”

 “Well, I’m paying your ass to work,” Chief Singer said, slamming the folder onto his messy desk. Dean rolled his eyes and gave a put-upon sigh, but he stood up. He picked up the file and was in his car before he even glanced at it. It was addressed to one Assistant District Attorney C. Novak.

 “Shitshitshit.” Bobby, his godfather and his boss, knew how bad the breakup had been on Dean. He fucking knew. Why was he doing this to him? Dean knew he was bound to run into Cas on occasion, but he hoped it would be a long time coming.

 When he got out of the Impala, he bent to look into the side mirror to straighten his tie. He took a deep breath and took the marble steps two at a time. He waved to the guard that was on duty and stepped around the metal detector. No need to set it off with his gun. He took the elevator to the third floor and started reading the brass plaques to find the newest one. Noting Cas hadn’t gotten his old office back, Dean kept walking. Cas’ door was open and he took a minute to watch the man, his dark messy head bent over a pile of paperwork. Dean knocked on the doorjamb. “Heya, Cas.” Blue eyes widened and Dean, an expert at body language, saw the way Cas’ hands twitched before he hid them under his desk. He was nervous, but not overly so. Had he been expecting him?

 “Dean. It’s good to see you.” Dean raised an eyebrow. How could he be so cool when Dean’s heart was beating like a set drums at a Metallica concert?

 “Yeah, well, I was told to deliver this,” Dean said, setting the folder on Cas’ desk and taking a few steps back.

 “Thank you. Bobby said I would be getting it today,” Cas stated matter-of-factly, picking up the file and opening it.

 “So, you’ve talked to Bobby?” Cas stopped pretending to read, Dean wasn’t stupid after all, and looked up.

 “He’s the Chief of Police, Dean. I’m an assistant DA. We run in the same circles.” Dean picked up on the slight tremor in Cas’ voice. Yeah, the bastard wasn’t as unaffected as he seemed.

 “Uh huh. So, he tell you Anna moved out?” Dean saw the pink tinge to Cas’ cheeks and knew his answer. “Son of a bitch,” Dean fumed. “Sam talk to you too?” He snapped out the question and noted Cas didn’t meet his eyes. “Fuck.”

 “Dean, Sam and I… we were friends once.” They were. Good friends. They might argue like cats and dogs in the courtroom, since Sam was a public defender, but after the gavel came down, the two of them would hit the bar and have a beer together.

 “Well…I’m glad you and he…” Dean stopped talking when he met Cas’ eyes. He was looking at him like he used to…like he loved him. Dean’s gaze dropped to Cas’ lips. Those beautiful lips. Cas stood up and walked around the desk. He stuck his hand out and for a second, Dean didn’t know why. “Thank you for dropping the file off, Dean. Perhaps I will see you around.” Dean took the outstretched palm and shook it.

 “Yeah…maybe.” Dean held onto the hand and felt the warmth there. He imagined that same hand on his back, on his neck, on his…” He released it like it was made from molten lava and took another step backward, hitting the edge of the door with a resounding thud. “Uhm, bye.”

 Dean was down the hall and around the corner to the elevators when he finally stopped to catch his breath. He sank to the floor, his legs sprawled out on the old tile.

Several people looked at him strangely, but no one took the time to ask if there was a problem. What would he say? The man I tossed out of my pathetic life… the man who I still fuckin’ love… is just around the corner and I don’t know what to do. Yeah, that would be a riot.

 He didn’t know how long he sat there, but eventually his ass went to sleep and he struggled to his feet. He pulled out his phone and called the precinct. “It’s Winchester. Let me talk to the chief.” Dean waited, listening to the stupid elevator music until Bobby picked up.

 “Singer.”

“It’s me.”

 “Sorry, kid. I know you are probably pissed at me, but I think you and Cas need to…”

 “Stop, Bobby.” Dean pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just stop. Cas is… Cas doesn’t…”

 “He still loves you. I don’t know why. You are a real dumbass sometimes. No accounting for taste I guess.”

“Bobby…” Dean couldn’t do this.

“Take the rest of the day. Go home.”

“Okay,” Dean mumbled softly. He was just too tired to argue.

“And son, no booze.” Dean laughed mirthlessly. Bobby and Sam had pulled him out of the bottle quite a few times after Cas left. No, that’s where he was wrong. Cas never left. Dean pushed him out, but the specter of what they had lived on. It was in bed with him and Anna. It was in the passenger seat of the Impala. It was packed in untouched boxes in Sam’s garage. It was in the fucking picture he still carried in his wallet.

Home was empty. A big-screen TV didn’t greet you with a kiss. Dean walked around the small apartment that had served as his and Anna’s home for the last year. He didn’t miss her. Not like that anyway. He missed a warm body to take up space. Maybe he should get a dog.

He sat down on the sofa and stared at the screen of his phone for a long time. He thought about taking a drink to give him some courage, but no, he needed to be sober. He scrolled through until he got to the unknown number and made it into a contact. Cas. He tapped the icon and waited, unbreathing, as it rang against his ear.

“Hello, Dean.”

“I never stopped loving you.” Dean laid back on the couch, eyes closed.

“And I never stopped loving you. I never will.”

“We need… can we take this slow?” Dean asked, not really sure what he was doing.

“As slow as you need.”

“What time do you get off, Angel?” Dean asked, wanting… no, needing to believe he could have this again.

“I can leave now.”

“The usual place?”

“Of course, Dean.” Dean sat up and wiped his eyes. Stupid allergies. He went into his bedroom to change into jeans.

Twenty minutes later, he parked the Impala in a small lot and stepped into a tiny bakery. Cas was already sitting in ‘their’ booth, slices of pie waiting on the table. Cas’ eyes tracked him across the room. “I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered your favorite.”

“You were always too good for me, Angel.”

“I’d hoped you’d have gotten smarter, but we can work on that.” Dean smiled at the offhanded promise of a future.

They ate in comfortable silence and when they were done, Dean tossed a twenty on the table and stood. He held out his hand and Cas took it. Not a handshake this time. Fingers intertwined like hundreds of times in the past. Dean refused to think about the lost time. The three years, six months, twelve days and four hours. Because he was that pathetic. And he was in love.

[palominopup]

Fanfic fan art time again.

This piece is based solely on the summary for @palominopup newest wip ‘House & Home’ so I don’t actually know if it fits the story because I haven’t read it yet. But when I read the summary this is what my mind conjured up. 

I can’t wait to read it and I know I’ll love it because I’ve loved every other fic I’ve read from this author.

[palominopup]

CRUISIN’

Sam is tired of hearing his brother whine about not being able to get a date, but a gay man in a small Southern town doesn’t have a whole lot of choices. Sam wishes Dean would move to a big city, he could write anywhere – couldn’t he? But no, Dean refuses to leave his little brother, even if said brother is thirty-four, married and expecting his first child. Without Dean’s knowledge, Sam enters him in the contest to win a cruise.

Dean is livid when he is informed he has won a trip to the Caribbean…on a fuckin’ cruise ship. Dean doesn’t like planes or boats – they can fall out of the sky or sink to the murky depths. Besides he was on a deadline for his next book. His publisher was starting to get impatient. Gay romance wasn’t easy to write when your love life sucked balls. Reluctantly, he packed his bags and decided to make the best of it.  

Castiel and his business partner, Balthazar, booked the cruise to celebrate the success of their new restaurant. Balthazar said it would be a great place to meet men. Castiel didn’t have time for entanglements with The Delta’s popularity. As head chef, he stayed too busy for a relationship, but maybe some no-strings shipboard sex would be just what the doctor ordered.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/10796541/chapters/23949132

[palominopup]

See Us

Castiel shows his possessive streak towards Dean when Ketch gets a bit too close to the man he loves.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/10914405

[palominopup]

I Got You, Babe

New little ficlet up.  http://archiveofourown.org/works/10481925