POV: Cas
August 6, 2003
I had been camping before but my parents preferred RV’s or even hotels with day trips to the lakes. When I heard camping that was my assumption until I’d gone to Dean’s on Friday and saw real tents and sleeping bags. This was authentic camping at its best. I’d been worried about the hard ground but the two of them were pros with the tents. They were pitched quickly and on soft ground.
The area that Sam had chosen was amazing with a huge lake and lots of trails. During the daytime it was perfectly warm and great for any number of activities. When the sun set however, it cooled down and after midnight it got even colder. This was the reason I was awake at three am. I had warm clothes on and I was zipped up tight in my sleeping bag but I was cold. I tried moving around and nothing seemed to warm me enough to get back to sleep.
“Castiel? Are you okay over there?”
“I am, I just can’t get warm. I don’t know how you and Sam do this.”
“Sammy brought extra blankets and has long johns.”
“I’ll make a note for the next trip.”
I heard him chuckle some and was about to say something when I heard his sleeping bag unzip.
“Come on, join me. It’s why I’m awake too.”
Well, he didn’t need to make that offer twice. His sleeping bag was big enough for two and I moved quickly sliding in beside him and letting him zip up the bag again. Truthfully, I wouldn’t mind sharing his sleeping bag every night we were here. I had no shame curling up to him either. But it took me a moment to realize that his hands were warm.
“You don’t feel cold to me.”
Another little giggle. “You caught me, but you are cold. Those hands are like ice cubes.”
“I think my hands are the worst.”
He moved my hands in between us and scooted closer.
“Are you enjoying the trip so far?” he asked.
“It’s…different. My past trips have been less rugged. But, I am enjoying it. It’s nice to spend time with you and with Sam.”
“I think he has a hike planned today.”
I sighed. “Yes, he asked me to tag along with or without you.”
“I hiked yesterday, me and my tir…”
I didn’t let him finish the sentence before I pressed my lips into his, mid-word. He didn’t hesitate in kissing me back, one arm moving over my side, keeping my hands trapped between us. When I pulled back some he got to breathe.
“That’s one way to warm up.”
I didn’t stop him when he moved back in. It was pleasing and warming me up as well. I felt his hand on my side but I wanted more, more contact. He seemed slightly taken aback when I moved my leg over his hip but his leg moved between mine just as smoothly.
“Warm now?” he asked.
“Getting there.”
“I know you should get some sleep Cas, he’s gonna be well rested.”
I nuzzled against him. “Sure you won’t join us?”
“No no, as I was trying to say I was letting my feet rest and being lazy.”
“Fine.”
I snuggled in and fell asleep just like we were, waking up to soft kisses all along my cheeks and face. I could hear Sam moving around and the sun was rising as well. It took some time to unravel ourselves and get up. Sam was already fixing breakfast for everyone and it was sweet of him. Trips to the woods for bathroom purposes and then we were sitting down to eat.
“Sleep well?” Sam asked.
“It got chilly early. Did you stay warm enough?”
He smiled. “Yeah, I was warm enough. I brought a fleece blanket with me. You two seemed to have gotten cold.”
“We did.” Dean said.
“So, Dean are you walking or being lazy today?”
He huffed. “I’m being lazy. I might fish a bit though.”
“Cas, are you still coming with me?”
“I am.”
We ate breakfast and then Sam and I packed a backpack to take with us with water and snacks. We then changed from sleep clothes into comfortable walking clothes. It was a bit weird to be with Sam without Dean with us. But I wanted to know Sam and have a connection with him similar to what he had with Dean. However, Sam had scouted this so I let him lead as we walked the trails, he also had a map.
“How do you like California?”
He paused, letting me catch up. “It’s…okay. A little too warm for my liking but they do have the best law school in the country.”
“I can agree with that. California was never my taste but then again, never was New York.”
He seemed a little surprised, his brow raising some. “You’ve been to New York?”
I nodded. “I have a few times. The publisher is based there but we usually do phone calls. However, there have been book signings there and in
California. Do you have anything you would miss in California?”
He stepped over a huge log and turned to make sure I could make it, fuck he was tall. Once I was cleared we continued.
“I think I’d miss the trails, I like to travel when I can to visit other nature trails. It’s calming. Dean likes them too but he has a limit. Usually I take one or two hikes when we travel like this, he tends to join for one but the other one he doesn’t. But California has plenty of good trails and I’d probably miss a few friends from school. But we’re not that close really.”
“I didn’t have a lot of friends from school either.”
“Dean has mentioned your high school and college years weren’t that great. I wish you have some good times.”
I shrugged. “Well, I had a good time. In a non-traditional way. I didn’t party and drink but Charlie had some wild gatherings.”
“Charlie can be wild.” He paused, stepping over another down log. “If you could change things would you? Anything at all?”
“That’s a tough question. Would you?”
He smiled. “Not really. If anything I would want to learn more about cars like Dean did. Dad and I talked more about school and academics whereas Dean was always more interested in cars.”
I chuckled. “He’d still teach you.”
“He does when I ask. Are you planning to learn about cars too?”
“Yes. Although my reason for being there might be different.”
He laughed. “I’ve heard a few say they like his uniforms, not my thing. But, women in those...that’s another story.”
I chuckled. “Has he always been bi?”
His steps floundered and I wondered if I overstepped a boundary, I was about to say he didn’t have to answer when he turned.
“I think he was always curious in school but wasn’t really brave enough like you to show it. Sasha was his friend and he got hell for being that way. Sometime after school I think he realized it was okay to be that way. I credit Sasha for that. I’m honestly not sure if he’d had any dates with men, if he has, he hasn’t told me.”
“If I understood him right, he hasn’t.”
We continued on in silence for a bit, conversation harder because we were going uphill now. But once we got to the top it was break time, so we both sat down and got our bottles of water and protein bars.
“Will you be glad to be home more once you finish school?” I asked curiously.
“I will be. I miss being around Dean and our parents. I even miss the town which is weird. I already have a job lined up. I’ll probably continue education but maybe not. What about you? Do you ever want to leave town?”
I nodded, taking a drink from the bottle. “I used to all the time. I did for college but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to really continue that and after the first book got big I realized that writing was my favorite thing and something I was good at, even if writers are lame.”
He scoffed. “Dude, writers are not lame. Some of the best known people are authors in some form. Edgar Allen Poe for example, known worldwide. Some of my favorite celebrity figures are writers, including you. I mean the Supernatural books get me out of my head and into another world. I can relate to Jared and Jensen. Even Dean read them and enjoyed them.”
I finished the bite I’d taken. “I know that most aren’t but sometimes I feel like I am. Dean says otherwise. As for leaving Lebanon, no. I’ll never leave the town, it’ll always be home. I may travel for work or vacations but that is home.”
“What about your family?”
I had explained to Dean briefly but we really hadn’t talked about my family in depth. Nor had we discussed him meeting my family. It was probably why he was asking or he was curious.
“My parents are still alive and I have an older brother. But, our relationships are…tense. They support me but they don’t really agree with my sexual preference. My mom would prefer I settle down with a nice woman and have kids. My dad doesn’t really mind or care, but he does follow Mom. Gabriel is older than me and I wish we had a better relationship. He’s not totally okay with it. I talk to them every few weeks and I’ve told them about Dean. I would like for him to meet them but I’m just really unsure if they would be approving of us.”
“That sucks. Do you think they would approve if they knew how happy you were?”
I considered that question for a moment. “I think they would. They still have Robert on their minds too.”
“Oh?”
“Gabriel is the one who found me. It worried them. It didn’t help that he went on to marry a woman.”
He finished his bar. “He’s an asshole and he’ll eventually leave you alone. Dean worries when you’re home though.”
“I know. He called about three times a day when I went back home.”
I didn’t want to mention to either of them that he still called, I was pretty glad to have this time without my phone. I was sure he would continue to call.
I was trying not to let those calls bother me because they were mostly put downs. I am sure Dean would do something but I just felt I needed to do this myself. I wasn’t a child after all, I wasn’t even a teenager!
After a break we continued on the trail. We talked about his favorite Supernatural book to date, which was the fourth one The Benders. When I asked why, he stated because it was close to real life, that it was hard to imagine the monster was humans. His least favorite had been the first one, because he said Jared should have kept his girlfriend and she shouldn’t have died. I couldn’t tell him that there were plans for the books and her dying was pivotal.
We also talked about his potential career path and where he wanted to go. He was ambitious and wanted to be a great prosecutor, he wanted to bring justice to people who needed it. He did mention wanting to do defense if the person truly was innocent, but his biggest passion was getting justice for people and saving people.
Our hike back was less grueling and I felt like Sam and I got to really connect, it would improve once he was back home I was sure. But, that would mean that Dean and I would make it beyond three months or even four. So far, there was no reason to doubt we would.
When we got back to camp Dean was recline back by the water, soaking up the sun his golden skin didn’t need the extra sun.
He glanced over his shoulder. “Did you two enjoy the hike?”
“We did. Have you been enjoying the sun?” Sam asked.
“You know it. I’ve been swimming and had lunch. You guys should join me.”
There was no way we could pass up that offer. We fixed something to eat before we joined him by the water.
August 8, 2003
We’d all slept late thankfully but Sam headed out on a trail alone and I stayed with Dean this time. It was nice to get time with them both but I hadn’t really spent any one on one time with Dean. Even our hotel room had been a shared one. Sam was taking the longest trail today, so he would be gone until mid-afternoon. Once he left we finished getting woken up and having food, today was sandwiches.
“Anything you want to do?” I asked.
“I want to make use of that lake. You haven’t spent much time in the water either.”
I tilted my head. “I try not to burn.”
“Sunblock, Sunshine.”
I couldn’t get out of it so I let him drown me in sunblock and then about noon we got in the water. It felt divine. I swam out with him and back and then it was playing around. Splashing, dunking, chasing and general banter. We took a break for lunch and to reapply sunblock before going back into the water, little less playtime though it was just being there with him and enjoying how relaxing it was.
“Have you had a good week?” I asked.
He smiled. “I have. Not sure I want to go back on Monday but I know I can’t stay here forever.”
“Here is nice but it’s not home.”
“Nothing beats home.”
I ducked my head some. “I think I like spending time with you and Sam though. He’s nerdy but I can be nerdy as well.”
“I’m destined to be surrounded by nerds but I’m okay with that. I can’t ask for better ones.”
I chuckled some. “We can teach you to be nerdy.”
“Not happening, Sunshine.”
“Why do you call me that?”
The words were out of my mouth before I could even think about them. Fuck! This was going so well and I had to go and blow it with those words? Fear claimed me for a second before his smile broke through it.
“You bring joy when you’re around. I can be stressed or upset and just seeing you helps so much. Like sunshine on a cloudy day, you’re my sunshine. You’ll just have to deal with that nickname, Sunshine.”
“You’re making me blush on purpose, I know you are.”
“It’s true though; even if you are blushing and yeah I may sort of like that look on you.”
I gently poked his side. “You mean it though?”
“I mean every word. You’re my sunshine on cloudy days. Even before your reunion. I liked when you came by even if it was for a mild problem I was certain you could fix.”
I moved a little closer, closing the foot of space to just inches. “Maybe that was just my way to see you.”
“I think I figured that out after the second time your washer fluid went empty.”
I just smiled but let him pull me on closer to him.
“You didn’t have to do that Sunshine, you could have just dropped by.”
I moved my arms around him. “I didn’t know that you went both ways. I only ever saw you with women. I was afraid of being punched.”
I felt his hands move behind me and lace together. “I wouldn’t have punched you. Even if I didn’t go both ways, I wouldn’t have done that.”
“You keep setting bars high.”
His head tilted slightly. “Oh?”
“This has to be the most romantic thing I’ve ever been part of. Well, Sam aside.”
“I think it’s why he chose today to trek out.”
“I think so.” I wiggled my brow. “We could have used the time more wisely.”
“Oh? You think we didn’t?”
I felt brave, something that Dean seemed to bring out in me. I leaned in and kissed him, then moved my lips across his strong jawline then down onto his neck.
“We did. But, there were other things we could have done while Sam was away…”
“My my…I should bring you to the lake more often, you seem to get frisky easier.”
I nipped his neck. “I think it’s more you than the lake.”
I kept kissing and nipping his neck, my hands moving along his back. His hands moved a few times as well, but then I felt them move onto my sides, lingering just at the waistband.
“Sunshine, you’re giving me all kinds of issues here.”
I gently nipped his collarbone. “Maybe…that’s the goal, Sweetie Pie.”
He pulled me closer and even with clothes on, I could feel how hard he was. I moaned into his neck when our erections rubbed together. I couldn’t deny issues were my goal.
“Mmm…I think you knew what you were doing.”
“Maybe.”
I moved back up his neck and across his jaw, back to those lips. He kept grinding into me, our dicks rubbing together through the fabric. There were all kinds of wonderful sensations.
“Fuck, Dean.”
“There’s more I can do…”
My brain took several moments to connect the words to any potential actions.
“This is…public.” I stammered.
Honestly though, I wasn’t sure I cared.
“No one is around and we’re covered by the water.”
“I’ve never…”
His hands moved to the front of my shorts.
“Neither have I. We can cross this off the list together.”
Logic said not to but the risk of being caught was causing my body to heat up quickly. It really didn’t help that he was still grinding into me. Also, doing something with him that no one else had was thrilling.
“Will you stop teasing me already?”
“This isn’t teasing, Sunshine.”
He could have fooled me. But he moved in on my neck and at the same time I could feel the string of my shorts being untied. The feeling of his lips on my skin sent sparks traveling everywhere. The feeling of his hands sliding under the fabric and pushing them down made me a little hazy. I felt his hand move to my ass and gently squeeze.
My own mind seemed to clear a bit and I began working on removing his shorts as well or at least getting them out of the way. I got them pushed down at least, and out of the way.
He bit down on my neck about the same time his hand closed around the base of my cock. Fuck, I was glad he was still kind of holding me up.
“Seems you really like that.”
“Maybe.”
Once the initial shock wore off I moved my hands onto him, closing around the base and getting the best moan out of him. I’d never done this type of contact before; usually it was like our first time. One and then the other. But I liked how we could kiss, nip and bite. I liked that we were close.
It really didn’t take long before we were both coming, the water seeming to wash away all evidence and leaving us clinging to each other.
It was good we could still somewhat stand. But eventually we both agreed that getting out of the water may be best for a bit. It took a moment to fix our shorts and then get to the beach towels which were warm thanks to the sun.
“Sweetie Pie, huh?” he asked.
“It’s not a lie. You are sweet and you like pie.”
I was curled up beside him on the towel and we both slightly turned when we heard twigs breaking.
“Is it safe?” Sam called out.
“Yeah Sammy.”
He came from the same direction he had left this morning and sat his pack down beside his tent.
“You two seem comfortable.”
“Long day swimming.” I said.
He sat in the chair near us. “Among other things. Glad to see my trip wasn’t wasted.”
“Watch it Sammy.”
“Just saying. I did call Mom, Dad, and Charlie and let them know we were still alive and kicking.”
I heard a click and a familiar one from Sam’s camera. I know he’d taken several over the weekend, not that Dean and I hadn’t.
“Really Sam?” Dean asked.
“You’ll thank me later, but seriously…I swim here as well. You could have gone elsewhere.”
“Dude!” Dean said.
I startled. “Uh…Sam…Where were you?”
He laughed. “I came in when I heard Sweetie Pie. But, I decided that it was best if I just went back and took some more pictures. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
I know my own face was reddening but Dean’s didn’t seem to. Guess Sam knowing wasn’t new to him, but it was a little embarrassing to me.
“So, I’m cooking tonight. No arguments.” Sam said.
“None from us.” I said.
“Good.”
We lay on the towels for a few hours. Eventually Sam joined the sunbathing and then he fixed dinner. Sam was a good cook and I didn’t question why he wanted to fix dinner, just went with it. It was peaceful and I didn’t really want to leave. But, I knew I’d have to. We’d return home soon and then I’d have to face reality. But, for right now I was going to enjoy the time with my boyfriend and his brother.