I Promise | A Destiel High School & College AU

CHAPTER 16 - New Looks, the Ultimate Prank, and Unwanted Help

"When all is done, there is nothing to say. And if you're done with embarrassing me, on your own you can go ahead, tell them. Tell them all I know now, shout it from the rooftops, write it on the skyline. All we had is gone now. Tell them I was happy, and my heart is broken...all my scars are open. Tell them what I hoped would be impossible."
-Impossible by James Arthur

Over the course of the next few weeks, everyone under the roof of the Roadhouse fell into a routine.

Every morning, Ellen would make everyone breakfast, which Jo and Dean would help clean up.

Sam and Castiel walked to school, Sam to the high school and Cas to the community college across the street. Castiel's classes always ended around one in the afternoon, so he made it back to the Roadhouse in time to help with the end of the lunch rush and to serve the afternoon drifters behind the bar while Jo and Ellen waited tables.

Benny and Dean always stayed in the kitchen. Dean stayed because one, he loved to cook; and two, because they couldn't risk anyone recognizing him. 

When Sam came home from school, he'd do his homework with Ash, who was a lot smarter than he looked, and who was happy to help. Ash would teach Sam something new about computers before he began his nightly ritual of drinking till he could see the sun and passing out on the pool table. Sam wouldn't mind hustling pool the way Dean taught him, but they couldn't risk him being recognized either.

But they didn't really mind. They felt safe and no one treated them different.

Dean and Cas stayed in the same room. They said it was because they didn't want to make a fuss about switching rooms, but the real reason was because they liked each other's company too much.

They never minded sleeping in the same bed. Cas didn't mind if he woke up with Dean's arm draped over his waist, and Dean didn't mind if he woke up with Cas closer to him than he was when they fell asleep.

Benny and Sam had a bet that had been going on since the first morning when everyone realized they had slept in the same bed. Benny bet that Dean would ask Cas out by the end of the month, and Sam bet that Dean would wuss out and it would take him at least three months, maybe more. The stakes were high, a hundred dollars on the line. Benny kept trying to get them to spend as much time together as they could, which Sam would always try to sabotage. It had been two and a half weeks. Benny was running out of time.

Cas was walking home from school one day, admiring the cool breeze of the September air and the leaves that were beginning to change color and fall. He was always excited for winter.
Cas' backpack hung loosely over his shoulder, slung lazily over one of his shoulders instead of both.

The hole in his chest hadn't bothered him much in a while, for which he was grateful. The last thing he needed was to become a liability. He didn't like it when someone wasted their time worrying about him. He wasn't worth it...at least, that's what he always told himself.

He'd be lying if he said that Dean didn't make him feel better. Despite all the pain he'd caused him in the past, Castiel knew how sorry he was. He knew how much stress Dean was under to keep Sam and himself safe all those months ago. And granted, he and Dean had only known each other for a day or two...it's not like Castiel was even a priority for Dean.

He hoped he would be one day.

He found himself smiling when the Roadhouse came into view. He'd grown rather fond of the rundown building.

It reminded him of seeing Meg every day at the café back home. But Cas supposed he couldn't call that place home. Never.

He made his way into the Roadhouse, heading for the stairs to go drop off his school things and change into cooler clothes, but something caught his eye.