Sucks To Be You [DESTIEL]

Chapter Two

Lunch could not come sooner and Dean found himself piling up a plate of food and sliding in to a seat at the biggest lunch table before the bell had even rung. Before long, the hall was alive, filled with over-hungry students, fighting like five year olds over the last burger. And still, Dean sat, picking aimlessly at his forgotten lunch, laughing at the way the pupils bustled past each other to find the best seat in the hall. It was a new year after all, all places were up for grabs.

Sure enough, within a few seconds a majority of the seats at Dean's table were filled, Crowley to his left, Adam to his right and Mike and Luc opposite. Ah, things never really changed from high school, did they?

Dean shot his friends a glare, silently punishing them for the stunt they had pulled earlier on Castiel. They shook their heads, simultaneously raising their hands in surrender, resigned to Dean's objections.

Castiel. On the topic of Castiel, where was he? As if on instinct, Dean's head was consumed with a thousand thoughts as to where the boy had got to, admittedly none of them good. His eyes scanned the lunch room, searching desperately for one glimpse of the over-sized trench coat. Crowley caught on to Dean frantic behavior, raising his eyebrow in the direction of the table in the furthest corner, one boy sitting alone. Of course, Dean didn't have to check, he knew it was Cas. He admired the boys confidence at sitting alone, but regretted that he hadn't offered Castiel a seat at his table.

Dean raised his hand, slowly and cautiously, not wanting to alert the boy so fixated on his sandwich. He smiled to himself, waving slightly as his eyes met Cas'. The boy reciprocated, waving back, blinking a few times, most likely confused by Dean's forwardness. The footballer finished off his burger, pushing the tray way before leaning in to Crowley and whispering that he would be right back. Dean stood up, suddenly unexpectedly nervous, before walking across the hall, swinging his arms; an action which he hoped came across as confident and not obnoxious. The smile playing at the corner of Cas' lips confirmed to Dean that the boy was happy to be in his company.

Elegantly, Dean slid onto the bench opposite Castiel, pulling a chocolate bar from his pocket and offering it across. Castiel graciously declined.

"Your loss." Dean muttered, pretending to be hurt by the whole wordless exchange before cracking open the chocolate and eating it for himself. "There's a space on our table, you know." Dean continued, nodding his head towards the place that he had just been situated at. His eye briefly caught Crowley's and his friend tilted his head upwards in response. Dean's attention snapped back to Castiel, anxious to not lose the boy's focus. "A space for you, I mean." Dean confirmed, frantically blabbing as he felt his palms get sweaty.

Dean wasn't used to this. Feeling something more than just a mere liking. He didn't like it at all. It threatened to consume him, confuse him and this was something Dean could not deal with. Especially as this person was a male. Dean could not let himself fall for Castiel all over again. Their short exchanges in summer had been fun, harmless jokes and harmless prospects of dating. But nothing from it and Dean supposed that that outcome was probably for the best, no matter how much it pained him to even consider it. Imagine having to explain to the football team that he was with a male, imagine having to explain to Sammy or his parents. Dean realised that he had been staring at the wall behind him for an unexplainable amount of time and forced himself to look back at Castiel.

The boy began to speak almost on queue. "Dean, whilst I appreciate your offer, you know I can not accept." Cas looked sadly down at the remainder of his discarded sandwich, pushing it about slightly with the tip of his thumb. "You saw the way they treated me. I don't fit in with them." He looked up, smiling at Dean, obviously content with his position in the school. Castiel picked up his sandwich, taking a small bite, all the while his eyes stayed glued on Dean.

"Well then." Dean spoke, resigned to the unwavering stance of his friend. "I guess I'll just have to compromise. I like this table anyway, I'll be joining you from now on." Dean felt that Cas was about to object, so he continued speaking, louder this time with the hopes of drowning out the smaller boy's protests. "And Crowley would be happy to join us to, he hates those football jerks." Dean smiled across the hall at Crowley, giving him a secret thumbs up that he hoped would settle the boy's unspoken questions.

The bell sounded, ending Dean's train of thought and subsequently Castiel's chances of arguing and Dean found himself offering to walk to the other boy to class. Of course, Castiel accepted in an instant, desperate to spend more time with Dean. the two exited the hall, shoulders almost touching as a comfortable silence formed between them. Dean smiled to himself and was sure he saw Cas do the same.

"Look, Dean." Castiel reached his hand out towards the other boy's shoulder, hesitating for a second until he placed it there. "What I did in summer, leaving and not calling you, it was wrong, I shouldn't have." Castiel spoke frantically, hoping that Dean's response would be one of acceptance and forgiveness.

He didn't have long to wait as Dean began speaking almost immediately after Castiel had stopped, forced to admit the thoughts that had plagued his mind mere moments ago. "It was probably for the best." Dean's voice was emotionless and unwavering. It sent chills down Cas' spine, and not the good type. "I'm not ready for a relationship, especially with a male."

Castiel withdrew his hand in one swift, sharp motion, sucking in a breath, his lips forming a tight line. "This classroom is mine. I'll meet you out here after and we can check out the room." He spoke, motioning to the door in front. He looked at Dean and smiled before entering wordlessly.