The Dreams of Princes

Part XII

Cas woke up soaked and freezing, his body aching as rain hit him. While he had been sleeping, it had begun, and by then. it was pouring. Dragging himself down the ladder, he practically fell as his legs shook from the cold. Stumbling back to his room, he shed his clothes and got into the shower, hoping it would warm him. He stood, trembling, letting the water hit his back.

   After being in the shower for only a few minutes, he found his legs were shaking too much to stand for long, so he sat on the floor of the shower. Letting the hot water run over him, he let the tears fall and the shower wash them away. He ran through his thoughts again and again, getting lost in the endless loop of "what if" and "why." By the time he pried himself up, he was finally warm again, but his muscles were sore from the cramped position he had fallen asleep in on that rooftop.

   Stepping out of the shower, he managed to get on a thick pair of pajamas and curled into his bed. It was still roughly two in the morning, so he sighed and texted Gabriel, needing some support from the one person who always understood him, who was always there for him.

   Cas: Hey, you up? I'm having a sucky night and wanted to tell someone.

Almost immediately, Gabe responded.

   Gabe: I'm up. Can't sleep, but definitely for different reasons. Sam is amazing.

   Cas: ...

   Gabe: Sorry. Anyway, what's up?

   Cas shook his head, typing out everything he felt to Gabe.

   Cas: I love Dean, a lot, and he just keeps stringing me along, knowing nothing can come of it and not wanting anything to. It sucks, because he kissed me twice, but he doesn't want any real relationship. He wants me to pretend they didn't happen. And even if he did, Lisa is in the way, not that I blame her. It isn't her fault. But it just sucks.

   Gabe typed for a while, and Cas snuggled in as he felt his phone buzz.

   Gabe: That son of a bitch. Do I need to talk to him? Or do you just want me to listen? I can help or just be an ear.

   Cas smiled. Gabe always had been good at these kinds of things.

   Cas: Just needed a rant, I think. Thanks, Gabe, really.

   As Cas felt his eyelids growing heavy, he felt his phone buzz, and looked over to see the final message he'd read before going to sleep.

   Gabe: You're my brother. Of course.

   In the morning, there was no doubt about the fact that Cas was going to have a rough day. The rain and cold must have gotten him, because he had a terrible headache. Not that he'd admit it, because that would require him to explain why he'd been out on the roof in the first place. And he knew he would never tell Dean that he had affected him at all, let alone like that, after how bitchy he had been to Cas recently.

   Taking some medicine to hopefully curb the headache, Cas dragged himself downstairs after throwing on some warm, comfortable clothes. He wasn't in the mood for dressing up that day, not feeling much of anything.

   Immediately after turning into a main hallway, he saw servants dashing this way and that, frantically getting things ready. This was the second damn day in a row that he had woken up to chaos, and he had frankly just about had it. Cas didn't know why they were doing it this time, but whatever it was, it was a big deal.

   Shaking his head, he went to eat breakfast, not caring enough to stop someone and ask them about it. Sitting down next to Gabe, he sent him a weak smile and took a deep breath.

   "Mornin'," he said quietly, exhausted and not in the mood for people. Gabe grinned at him, which Cas thought was odd. Gabe was not a morning person. Something was up with him. Was he sick?

   "So, Cassie, Dean decided he's throwing a huge party tonight," Gabe said, buzzing. Cas groaned.

   "First of all, what the fuck? We went to a party two days ago. And why is that good?" Cas said, annoyed. Gabe gave him a look.

   "To answer your first question: I really couldn't tell you. But as for the second one, I do, in fact, have the answer. This is good because, dear brother, we're going to fuck with Dean just as much as he's been fucking with you," he said, a wicked grin on his face. Cas sat up, suddenly far less drained than he had been a moment before.

   "I'm listening," he said, tapping the table and watching Gabe. Gabe smiled again, and Cas was suddenly very glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of his malice this time.

   "Dean's been fucking with you a damn lot, right? He's been kissing you and whatever the fuck else bullshit he gets up to. So now, he's throwing a huge party that a ton of people from the kingdom will be at. He and Sam won't be able to escape recognition, but we are a completely different story. No one knows we're here but the royal family, so our parents won't find anything out and we won't be recognized," Gabe says. Cas was immediately curious as to what Gabriel had planned that required such anonymity. Before he could ask, Gabe continued. "Then comes the plan."

   Gabe explained his plan in detail, clearly having thought this through, and Cas smirked. It was a great plan, actually. Maybe Dean would finally stop playing games and leave him the fuck alone this way.

   Phase one of the plan was to make Cas look phenomenal at this party. It was less of a ball and more "wear what you would wear to a house party" kind of event, as Dean was only inviting people in their late teens or early twenties. It was just to have fun and show off a bit according to him. Cas was convinced that he just wanted a distraction from the tension in the castle. According to Gabe, even Sam was still being pissy with Dean over what he'd done, which Cas appreciated.

   Gabe and Cas spent almost two hours in Cas's room, digging through all the clothes that he had and trying to find something that was just... him. Something that would floor anyone.

   Eventually, they settled on ripped black jeans, a thin long-sleeved shirt that was almost see through, and a trusty pair of combat boots. Cas felt like himself, and he loved it. For once, he had more confidence in himself. No one would be scrutinizing him, and he could make a first impression without people knowing him already.

   Gabe insisted on a little bit of extra decoration, as he called it. He loaned Cas one of his chain necklaces, and made sure to carefully apply eyeliner in just a ring around Cas's eyes to make them stand out. When they were done, Cas was a huge fan of the look. He styled his hair a bit, but he mostly stuck to the natural hair look. In all fairness, he didn't bother with his hair often enough to do much else.

   Phase two was the fun one. At least, fun for Cas. Because phase two was just Cas flirting relentlessly with any guy he thought was attractive, the whole night. Maybe make sure to get a few phone numbers, kiss a few of them, the works. Because Dean couldn't say anything about it without bringing suspicion to his marriage plans with Lisa. And Cas knew that that was a low move. But he was hurting, and Dean hadn't cared how low it was to kiss him and then practically say "never mind."

   And frankly, right then, Cas didn't give a shit about Dean's feelings either. So, as he waited the hours for the party to start, he found himself almost excited. Maybe then he wouldn't seem like someone who could be walked all over. Maybe Dean would finally catch the fucking hint.

   Just a few hours until he got back at Dean. It may feel good, it may not. But at least he knew it would piss off Dean. And that was what really mattered.

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The author of this story definitely deleted a part because no one read it and she didn't like it and then replaced it with this. Perks of having no one read your stuff lol