Standing Together

Chapter 40

It's a couple days later when Dean finally comes home without immediately collapsing on their bed to beg for death.

Castiel is sitting at the piano, playing Dust In The Wind for the 50th time just so he remembers how to use a piano. He doesn't even hear the door open, so he jumps when someone sits down beside him on the bench, but it only takes a moment for him to realize it's Dean.

"This sounds really good," Dean tells him. "I can definitely tell you're channeling your inner Kansas."

"That obvious, huh?" Castiel closes the lid of the piano, covering the keys up. "Probably a good sign."

"Well, it's certainly not a bad one."

Castiel slides closer to the boy, resting his head against his fiancés shoulder. "You're surprisingly alive today."

"Well, I do eventually get used to football every year," Dean says. "You, on the other hand, look very tired."

Castiel just hums in response. He's not sure how Dean's not just as tired. It's been a long time since Castiel got a good night's sleep, and that typically doesn't let Dean sleep, either. Maybe it's because Dean tends to fall asleep quicker. The time adds up quickly.

"I feel like we haven't really talked lately," Dean says. "What have you been up to lately?"

"Looking through old songs," Castiel says. "I've sent a couple off to different people."

"Anyone I'd know, keeping in mind that I don't listen to pop?" Dean asks.

"Probably just Jack Kline," Castiel replies. "I'm going over to California in a few weeks to work on it with him."

"How long have you been planning that and neglecting to tell me?" Dean asks, not in an accusing tone, but just curious.

"Like, two days?" Castiel estimates. "Not long. I meant to tell you, but then I just didn't."

"How long are you staying?" Dean asks.

"A week, max."

"Are you staying with Jack?" Dean asks.

"No, I have my own hotel room." Although Jack did offer to let him take the guest room if he wanted.

"Are you going to be okay by yourself?" Dean asks, and now his questions are starting to make sense. He's like a concerned parent.

"I'll be fine," Castiel assures him. "I've been flying all over the country since I was 16. I'm 23 now. I think I can handle it."

"I know, I know," Dean says quickly. "But what if you have a panic attack while you're gone?"

Castiel sighs. "I don't know. I'll handle it. As long as I'm alone and not near any cameras, it shouldn't be too bad."

Dean hesitates, then says, "I know I can't stop you, but this really doesn't sound like a good idea."

"It's going to be fine," Castiel assures him. "I'll call you every day — or you can call me every day, because knowing my luck, I'll call you while you're doing sporty stuff. But I'll talk to you every day. It'll feel like I was never gone. Okay?"

Dean sighs. "I still don't like the idea of you going somewhere alone right now, but I won't stop you." He rests his head on top of the other boy's. "You really shouldn't have told me about that this soon. Now I'm not gonna be able to stop thinking about it."

"Dean, it's going to be fine," Castiel insists. "There's literally no reason for you to be worried. I'll come back in one piece. I promise."

There's a knocking on the door, but neither of them go to check who it is. It's probably just a fan. No one's knocked before, but Castiel hasn't left the house today — they're done feeding the cat now — so maybe they're getting anxious. But when the doorbell rings about a minute later, they decide to check it out.

"I'm gonna stand behind a wall and eavesdrop," Castiel tells him. He's not even wearing his trench coat — just jeans, a tee shirt, and one of Dean's many flannels — so he can't leave the house. He's committed to looking exactly the same in every picture his fans get of him at his house, and flannel would ruin the streak.

Dean glances out the window, then opens the door. "Sorry for making you wait. I kinda assumed you were one of the psycho fans 'til I actually looked out the window."

"Oh, is that who these people are?" an old woman's voice says. "Your fans found you?"

Dean chuckles. "No, Cas' fans found him, but I think it's cute that you think I have fans."

"Oh, I'm sure you do. Football's apparently very popular around here."

It's not until Dean sneezes that Castiel realizes that he knows who this is. Should he go say hi? He did just feed her cat for a week, after all.

"Woah, okay, cat in the house!" Dean says, not sounding happy about it.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ruth says. "She doesn't usually do that."

Princess walks into view, rubbing her head against Castiel's pants. Castiel chuckles and picks her up, holding her to his chest as he carries her back to the door.

"Looking for someone?" Castiel asks with a grin.

Dean sneezes again. "Get that thing as far away from my face as possible."

"Whoops, sorry." Castiel carefully puts her down on the ground, and she lies in the doorway.

"Thank you so much for taking care of Princess," Ruth says.

"No problem," Castiel says. "She's the sweetest little thing. I would be more than happy to do it again if you go away again."

"Oh, thank you!" she says with a grateful smile. "I don't want to take up too much of your time, but I wanted to give you this." She hands him an unmarked, unsealed envelope.

Castiel looks inside, then immediately hands it back to her. "You don't need to pay me."

"Oh, please, take it," she insists. "It's the least I can do."

"No, really, you don't need to pay me," Castiel says. "I'm not gonna lie; I already have way more money than I could ever possibly spend. It would take a few million dollars to make any type of noticeable difference in my bank account. Trust me, the money's better off with you."

"Well, if you're sure..." She puts the envelope in her back pocket. "But really, thank you so much. I'm sure Princess appreciated getting to stay home instead of getting locked in some weird cage. We'll leave you two alone now, though."

"Thanks for stopping by," Castiel says. "And really, if you go away again, I'll watch Princess for you, no charge, as long as I'm in town."

"Oh, thank you," she says. "You two are just the sweetest young men."

When she walks away, Princess immediately gets up and follows her. Castiel closes the door as quickly as possible to get away from his fans — god, he's a horrible celebrity — and turns to Dean.

"Do you think she'll actually take me up on it?" Castiel asks, the specifies, "on watching the cat again?"

"I think she realizes you were serious the second time you offered," Dean says. "And they're just a little elderly couple, so I'm sure they'd like to save the money. Yeah, I think they'll start checking with you before they go away."

Castiel grins. "Awesome."