02 - Not the devil you know

On the next morning, both Selena and Balthazar had been warned about a complaint filled against Dean Winchester, from a random stranger. The man said he had been brutalized by the singer after exchanging heated words in front of a bar. The security footage of an ATM nearby showed the heated exchange, Dean moving suddenly towards them, then all men left the frame in the same direction.
The man complained he had a few broken bones and medical bills to pay. He added that he had not dared to fill that complaint right away due to the fear of having to face Dean Winchester again, for the man had been quite violent that night... According to his friends' testimony.

The story was supposed to remain secret, until both parties figured out a way to deal with it. Even though it hadn't been made public to the press yet, a rumor had started to run into the corridors of the studio. All knew. And all suddenly acted quite wary around Dean upon that knowledge.
Even Charlie had gotten out of her department to try and find the singer, irritated to no end about the fact that bullshit was spreading faster than anything else.

Dean had woken up that day expecting his usual mundane, if not boring, routine. Thankfully enough it was supposed to be one of those days he would enjoy anyway. He was scheduled to get to the studios and record a couple of new pieces, which would have taken him the whole day (he was a perfectionist, and despite what people said about him, very professional), and which in turn meant stick with Charlie until the evening came. Lately, he felt like she was the only person he enjoyed spending time with.
And instead, there he was, being carefully avoided by the whole staff that looked at him as if he was some kind of escaped criminal, having to withstand the murmuring, the judging glares.
And he was angry as hell, and wounded, because he had never hurt or endangered anyone but yet everyone was more than ready to think he could assault a complete stranger just cause.
Even those people that worked with him everyday.
He was trying to tune his guitar to keep his mind focused on something else, like Balthazar had suggested him (after seeing that he had no intention whatsoever to stay hidden in his hotel room like some sort of scared rabbit). But this was proving not to be so easy, as he could hear very well the staff working on the lights behind him whispering about how surprised they were that this hadn't happened before.
He had thought he could take it. Maybe he was wrong.

Charlie finallly showed up in the room where Dean was, and sighed with relief when she spotted him. "I don't know which idiot started that rumor, but they're a complete prick," she exclaimed while stopping in front of Dean. She took a deep breath, and looked at him carefully. "How are you?"

Usually hearing his best friend's voice was enough to make Dean start feeling a little better already. On this day, however, it didn't help a great deal. "Peachy", he answered through gritted teeth, roughly manhandling his guitar. "I'm having the time of my life while I listen to people I work with daily whisper about how I am a freak that should have been put in prison to cool down ages ago. I wonder if I'll be on the next issue of America's Most Wanted." He was clearly trying to joke, and failing miserably.

Charlie sighed, and looked around. "Say. Wanna get out for a drink or something? Going away from all of that gossiping might do you good." She sure hoped it would. The mood around the studio was downright suffocating.

Dean was about to refuse - he definitely was. But as he opened his mouth, one of the chords he had been trafficking with just popped, snapping in two. He growled in frustration and pushed his guitar away. "Let's go", he said, getting on his feet. "I don't feel like staying around people who think I could beat the shit out of them on a whim." He had said that last part out loud, just to make a point, and the two technicians who had been throwing glances at him immediately turned away. Whether in guilt or fear, no one was sure.

Charlie sighed, and offered Dean a sorry smile. "I know you wouldn't. People should all know you wouldn't. She grabbed his arm to guide him through the corridors, but stopped near the open door of the resting room, when she heard a familiar voice. Yet- she had never heard it so loud, so angry.
"He may act like a jerk sometimes, but Dean is not that kind of jerk, and you should all know that." Castiel grabbed his coffee and stormed out of the room, only to stop in front of Charlie and Dean. He blinked a few times, and instantly avoided Dean's gaze. He was even about to leave right away when Charlie let out a "Hi, Cas," still bewildered by what she had just heard.
Could Castiel really get angry? For Dean's reputation?

Dean was following her friend, grumpily dragging his feet along. He was still lost in his thoughts, so at first he didn't understand why she had stopped so abruptly in front of the staff room - that is, until he had heard those anger-fueled words spoken in his defense, and from a frighteningly familiar voice too. He soon found himself staring at Castiel when he stormed out of the room, just as bewildered as Charlie was - if not more. That man had been avoiding him since after his last concert, barely even aknowledging him those rare times in which they bumped against each other. And now he was getting mad about people speaking ill of him? But... why? He instinctively echoed Charlie's greeting, awkwardly waving a hand at him and muttering a "Hey Castiel". Because he guessed he wasn't allowed to call him Cas still.
And... was it him, or he had gotten even more handsome- wait, no, shut up. He had distanced himself from this man exactly to avoid bullshit thoughts like that one!

"...Hello," Castiel answered a bit hesitantly. He looked really uncomfortable right now, yet Charlie smiled.
"We're getting out for a drink. Wanna come?"
"No. Thank you." Castiel massaged his neck, a bit nervous. "I- have some work to finish. I'll start working on completely different projects on Monday. You know why," he told Charlie, a bit uneasy, before he added "Have a nice day," and basically fled, going back to his own office.
Charlie crossed her arms, frowning slightly, and turned to look at Dean. "Alright. Now I need to know. Cas is acting weird whenever you're mentioned, avoids you, yet is ready to vouch for you in front of a crowd. What happened?"

Dean watched as Castiel ran off, and then turned back towards his friend. "What? So now that's my fault too?", he immediately exclaimed, getting defensive and crossing his arms on his chest. "I don't know, ok? I guess he just doesn't like me or something - I have no idea why he would defend me now. Maybe those two words we exchanged made him think that I'm not that awful. And besides he said that you know why, so I should be asking that question! Why is he behaving like that?" He was clearly hiding something - he changed topics at the speed of light, like he usually did whenever he felt nervous.

Charlie sighed, yet held back a smile. "Well. I know that he's asked to stop working for you because of the massive crush he has on you. Yet Cas's the kind of guy that can live with a crush, even when it kills him. So, I'm wondering. Did he confess his feelings to you or something?"

Dean blinked owlishly at Charlie. And proceeded to stare at her for a full minute, in complete and deafening silence, mouth slightly open. He did look a bit stupid right now, let's be honest. But, if that was a ploy to make him forget about his anger and the gossips going around, damn, it had worked just fine! "... he has a what", he wheezed, finally. "I'm- I just knew he was into, well... into men, but I didn't- I-" He kept stuttering, and the more he stuttered the more he flushed. Truly a terrific show.

Charlie was trying her best not to laugh. She really was. But seeing Dean so flustered by knowing that Castiel, specifically Castiel had a crush on him was downright hilarious. "So he dared to come out to you. Aw. You know, he still hasn't done so with his brothers. I'm pretty sure he only came out to me and a few friends so far. I guess he probably intended on confessing his feelings." She sighed dramatically. "I'd feel sorry for him, but my gaydar tells me that you might not be the straightest guy alive, in the end."

"I've never- listen-" Dean ran a hand over his face, feeling half mad but honestly half relieved about the fact that his carefully built image was crumbling because he was an idiot who couldn't keep his own stupid crush for himself. He pushed Charlie away, hastily trying to find a place where they could talk and not have anyone eavesdrop on what would have been a very delicate conversation. "... I know I'm not straight, ok? It's just- I don't know what I am supposed to do with that knowledge", he explained, whispering shamefully as they walked off. "I'm- I've talked to you about my father. About what's expected from me, and all that. Did I?"

Charlie sighed, and nodded. "Sure. But your father's not here anymore, Dean." she looked at him, her voice kinder. "Who cares if you're bi? The only persons it should matter to are you, and the girl or the guy you choose to have a thing with." She looked genuinely concerned, though. She was worried he'd keep overthinking this situation way too much. Hell, he probably had done some overthinking, if he had come to the conclusion he wasn't just straight, yet didn't feel at ease with that idea at all.

Indeed, Dean had been overthinking that. A lot. "Look, when Castiel told me he wasn't into girls, it bothered me. A lot. And I couldn't understand why, it just drove me mad. I tried to understand why. I was scared I could be just homophobic. I mean, you are gay, and that never bothered me at all, but maybe men were a different thing in my book - I spent at least two nights wondering what the hell was wrong with me, hell, more than that. Weeks." He ran a hand over his face. "Then it came to me that maybe I didn't feel safe with that knowledge because it meant that he was on the market. Because I found him uncomfortably attractive, because he is handsome, hot even, and can keep up with me but still be awkward and kind of cute - and I really don't know what to do about that. Can I really just, realize something like that and shrug? It's - what would everyone think?" He looked honestly terrified, and lost. All the thinking and doubting he had been doing and kept for himself during all the past weeks was coming out like a flood, and he couldn't stop it.

Charlie listened quietly to that flood of feelings Dean was now unable to keep to himself anymore. She had to fight a smile that grew on her lips the moment he told her just how handsome and attractive he found Castiel. "Well. Not that my opinion is everyone's opinion, but- Cas sure is dreamy," she gently teased him. "Yet, I have to agree with you on one thing. He's got this massive crush on you, and you find him hot. You can't just realize something like that and shrug it off." She paused, and took a deep breath. "Listen, Dean- I'm not asking you to go make out with him. But maybe you two could talk about it. Grab a drink. There might not even be any spark between you two, and you could both go back home and finally sleep it off."

"It would be way easier if I could just go and make out with him without any consequences whatsoever", Dean muttered before he could keep that consideration for himself. "So I should go talk to him? And to tell him what? 'Hey hi, sorry for avoiding you for weeks after you told me you were gay, I'm not an homophobe I swear, the truth is I think you're kinda hot and that seriously messed me up. Wanna hang out or something?'" He rolled his eyes, meaning to be sarcastic. "Besides, you've heard him - he defended me, but he still thinks I am a giant jerk."

Charlie shrugged. "Let's be real, Dean. You're not perfect either," she gently teased him. "Even Sam and I think you're a jerk." She gave his shoulder a light punch, grinning. "But maybe you could start with that. Ask him why he thinks you're a jerk, yet defended you. Besides, I heard him saying you were sometimes a jerk. I bet there's a full story, there."

Dean snorted. "I wasn't denying that I am a jerk. that's one of my best parts", he answered, elbowing Charlie slightly. He was hiding a smile, though. "Well - I guess I could try and talk to him. I don't know if now's the right moment, though", he added, still a bit hesitant. Well, that was kind of a big deal, and he still wasn't that sure he wanted to jump into it like that!

Charlie made a face. "Well- today's the last day Castiel will be working here. I mean, I could arrange a meeting for the two of you later on, but maybe you should take that chance today while you still can. He's obviously worked up about that assault story as much as you are, so it might do good for the both of you to talk about it." She smiled kindly at him. "Y'know what, I'll even go make sure people in the staff room behave while you two are talking, and you can message me when you're done."

Dean wasn't convinced. He really wasn't. But that sparkle in Charlie's eyes was the same she got when she told him she would kick his ass at whatever videogame they had been playing, and he knew better than to argue with someone looking at him like that. He sighed. "Alright, whatever. This can go horribly wrong, just so you know it", he warned her as he tucked his hands in his pockets, before starting to begrudgingly walk towards the offices. He threw one last glance at Charlie before going, as if looking for a way to flee from this.

Charlie waved at Dean happily, and threw him two thumbs up. When he went around the corner, she quickly typed a message to Castiel, that merely read "Be nice."
Castiel frowned and was about to reply to her. He was in his office, actually busy gathering his things, and now had Dean's portrait in his hands. He hadn't dared to take it off, yet now he wondered. Would it be safer for him to get rid of it? Maybe Selena would have been able to make it a reward for a massive giveaway.
Then again, the thought of anyone else owning that picture made his stomach knot in the most unpleasant ways.

Dean took all the time he could. He very slowly walked up to Castiel's office, stared at the door for a good couple of minutes in silence, and only after giving himself a good kick in the ass he did get enough courage to finally lift his hand and knock on the door. "Hey, uh. Could I talk to you for a sec?", he said out loud, feeling even more stupid than he did before. Well, maybe he was lucky. Maybe Castiel had actually gone somewhere else.

Castiel froze on the spot when he heard Dean's voice. Now, Charlie's message made sense. He tried not to panic. Dean probably wanted to say something about what he was accused of. Or he had learned about him moving on and wanted to- to what, actually? What could he want with him? Castiel took a deep breath, and opened the door of his office, looking at Dean a bit warily. "... Do you want to come in?" He asked him, a bit awkwardly. "I- sorry for the mess." Well. There were cardboard boxes all over the place, and his office seemed oddly empty, safe for that portrait of Dean leaning against the wall.