This Night Sky [DeanxCas] Chapter 2

Chapter Text

“Another bank robbery?” Anna announced through a mouthful of cereal from her spot on the sofa in front of the television. “This is the third one this week!”
“Mrfle?” Cas muttered. Anna turned to see him leaning on his hand, barely supporting his head, half asleep.
“Cas, what's wrong?” She asked after chewing and swallowing.
“Tired...” He muttered.
“Are you having sleeping trouble?” Michael asked sternly, sitting down at the dinning room table next to him. “We can take you for medical attention right away if you feel like you need it.”
“I'm fine, Dad!” Cas grumbled. He closed his eyes over his cereal until he felt the eyes of his siblings burning into him.
“What was that?” questioned Gabe. “Did you just call him “Dad”? I think I heard that.” He smirked.
Cas looked around nervously before standing quickly up from the table.
“I'm just really tired, and that's all.” He said quickly before rushing back to his room.
“It isn't a big deal!” Michael shouted after him, only to be cut off by the slamming door. “Gabriel, you offended him, again.”

Cas slumped down on his balcony and stared up at the morning sky. The clouds floated overhead, fluffy and light. He wished he could float away too. He wanted to float all the way to Sector Eight and not leave Dean again. Maybe Dean would let him sleep in the Impala, because he certainly hadn't been sleeping lately. He had snuck out to the Cavern every night since he met Dean, and that was almost two weeks ago. He was used to the muck and grime of Sector Eight. So used to it, in fact, that the sterile calm of Sector One no longer suited him. He couldn't wait to leave each night. He regretted the time when he had to leave Dean and come back to his house. He would strip off the dirty clothes that he had bought and quickly shower in his own private bathroom- for which he was now extremely grateful- and throw on his pajamas. If sneaking in late wasn't bad enough, he barely slept when he was in bed. He would lay awake thinking about Dean, and it seemed by the time he fell asleep, his alarm clock was screaming at him.
“Hey Cassie, I didn't mean to offend you.”
Cas jumped as Gabe entered the balcony otherwise unannounced.
“No, that's okay. I just haven't been myself lately.”
“Dammit, I traumatized you by taking you to Sector Eight, didn't I?”
“It isn't that, really.”
“Then what is it?”
“Nothing.”
Gabe scoffed. “You know, I pay attention to you, Cas. You haven't been right.”
“I just had a couple bad nights of sleep.”
“But why? You called Michael “Dad.” Are you missing Dad?”
Cas shook his head. “I barely remember him leaving anymore. I don't have a problem like that. I just want to look at the sky.”
“You and your sky. What is it with looking up?”
“Maybe it's more positive that what I see around me.”
“Huh?”
“Haven't you noticed Sector One lately? The government is starting to put out stricter laws because of all these robberies, or at least they say they are. They're taxing the lower sectors harder and harder, and that money isn't replacing the stolen money in the banks. There's been a decrease in community projects, also.”
“You can't tell me you're losing sleep over Sector Politics.”
“No, I'm just expressing a concern. There's an increase in crime in sectors farther from Eight, now too.”
“It's those bank robbers. Always the same group. They call themselves Free Will, but the government calls them trouble. To be completely honest with you, I hope they don't catch them.”
“Why not?”
“Because it makes boring life here more fun. Even if there's not crime in Sector One, it's got the government on edge. It gives me something to think about.”
“You think bank robberies and the vandalizing of government offices is fun?”
“Yeah, kinda. Don't be so stiff, Cassie. I'm not saying we should all go out and rob a bank, but you're right about the government overstepping its boundaries. Maybe “Team Free Will” or whatever can knock out some of those corrupt dickwads trying to run us.”
“By robbing banks?”
“By spreading confusion!”
Cas shrugged. “I guess so.”
“Either way, come down and finish breakfast. I need you to show Michael that you don't hate me so he doesn't kick me out.”
Cas nodded and stood up, still drowsy. He and Gabe joined the others downstairs where he proceeded to go through the motions of eating a bowl of cereal.

“Are they suspicious of you?” Dean asked from the driver's seat of his car. Cas sat in the passenger seat leaning back almost asleep. They were in the very farthest corner of Sector Eight, parked in a clearing and staring up at the night sky through the windshield.
“Not yet, I don't think. Gabe was worried that I miss our dad, but they don't seem to know I'm sneaking out.”
“Why don't you just disappear?”
“Excuse me?”
“Sneak out one night and just don't go back. Stay here with me. It would be fun to have a friend who I don't have to worry about stealing my stuff.”
“Do your other friends do that?”
“If they're hungry enough they do.”
“I can't leave my family though. I have a duty to them.”
“What, to sit in your room and never talk to them, maybe have the occasional family meal?”
“Family is important in Sector One. I love my family.”
“Family is important in every sector, even if all of mine is gone or dead.”
“I'm sorry.”
“Don't be. I understand how you feel. It was just a suggestion.”
“Okay.”
“Why don't you just try to sleep right now? You look tired as Hell and that's not healthy.”
“I barely get to see you, how can I sleep?”
“Are you worried I'll eat you in your sleep?”
“No, I'll just lose time with you.”
“I'll always be here. You won't though, if you keep not sleeping.”
Cas sighed and leaned further back onto the seat. “Fine, but you had better still be here when I get up.”
“Promise.” Dean crossed his heart, albeit a little over-dramatically.
Cas had fallen into a deep sleep. It was the best sleep he'd had in the last two weeks, and when he woke up, Dean was still there, watching him from the driver's seat. They sat on the Sector Four border, still in Five, the same place that Dean would leave him every night.
“Is it time to go?” Cas asked.
“I'm afraid so.”
“I guess I have to then.”
“Yup. Get some more sleep. I don't want you to be tired and suspicious anymore.”
Cas chuckled and got out of the car. “I'll do that.”
“Good boy.” Dean grabbed his hand through the open window and shook it. See you soon, Buddy.”
With that, he was gone, speeding down the dark street. Cas watched him go until he was gone, then turned around for home.

He wasn't as tired when he got up the next morning. He sat down at the television next to Raphael and tuned into the news. There was nothing about any bank robbing that morning. Gabe must be disappointed.
“Better morning, Castiel?” Anna leaned over the back of the sofa.
“Yes. I had more sleep.”
“Mm-hm.”
“Any plans for today?” He asked.
“There's an event at the government building today.” Raphael chimed in. “The four oldest of us are attending.”
Cas noticed that he, Michael, Lucifer, and Gabe were dressed more formally than usual. Gabe looked extremely displeased.
“What is it?”
“I don't know. An emergency meeting.”
“Probably just about all the robberies.” Gabe said.
“Well, good luck.” Cas responded.
“I'll need it to not die of boredom.” Gabe whined. “I hate government meetings. I don't want to work for the government!”
“As the fourth in line, you have to be there in consideration that your services could possibly be required.” Michael stated entering the living room.
“What should we do?” Anna asked.
“Whatever you normally do.” Michael turned to go outside.
Anna seemed annoyed, as if she wanted to go to. Cas had no interest in what she wanted, though. He stood up from the sofa and left the room. He ascended the stairs and returned to his bedroom. He took to the balcony again, and from there watched his older brothers leave the driveway in one of the family cars.
The compact, electric cars that everyone in Sector One drove had been starting to get on his nerves lately. They all had a perpetual new car smell that never seemed to fade. His family owned four of these cars. He rarely drove anywhere, however. Sector One was a small sector and everything was close by. You could walk to any location, including the government building. Most people walked or rode bikes. Even so, there were at least two cars in every driveway. Cas had never found this odd until being exposed to other sectors. Now, he found it wasteful. He had come to realize that Sector One was extremely wasteful, inhabited only by residents who liked to spend loads of money on pointless things like expensive cars.
He sighed and stood up. He didn't want to look out during the day. Upon returning inside, he found Anna sitting on his bed.
“What do you want?” He asked.
“Jeez, don't be so hostile. A couple of us are going to go down to the shopping center. Do you want to come, or are you going to stare at clouds all day?”
“Come to the shopping center?” Cas considered all of the overpriced things they sold and all the people that were extravagant enough to buy them. He had never liked the shopping center much, but now he liked it even less.
“Yes, some of us will walk there.”
“Fine.” He said despite himself.
“Right, meet me downstairs.”
With that, Anna left. Cas looked around the room, then down at himself. He was in a grey button-down shirt and black trousers. These clothes would be appropriate for walking around Sector One's center. He might even want to put on a vest or a coat. Either way, he was also wearing his bedroom slippers. He kicked them off and quickly looked around for something else to wear. The first thing he saw was Balthazar's boots that he had been wearing to Sector Eight each night, shoved into the back of his closet with the clothes that he and Dean brought together in a second hand shop on one of his visits.
He and Dean had been spending time between shows together now. Cas thought back to all the things they had done in the time since they met. He had lived more in those two weeks than in the rest of his life. At this point, he felt weird to be going out of his house dressed in anything but the shabby outfit hidden in his closet.
He grabbed a pair of white sneakers and slipped them on. He grabbed a jacket on his way out of the room and walked downstairs to find some of the others waiting for him, including Anna and Balthazar, and two others.
“What's the plan?” He said coming to a stop.
“There isn't a plan.” said Balthazar.
“Oh.”
“Not as exciting as our last outing, sorry.”
Cas shot him a look of warning, as the others with them had not gone on the previous outing.
“Don't look at me like that, Cassie.”
Cas continued to look at him like that.
“Stop.”
“No.”
“Stop it.”
“What are you too doing?” Anna interjected. “Do you have a secret you need to tell me?”
“No.” Cas said, stopping his looks and turning to her. “Balthazar is teasing me.”
“Is he?” She poked him. “Stop teasing him.”
“Can we leave now?” The shorter boy standing in the doorway said.
“Yep.” She said matter-of-factually and pushed the younger brother outside. The remaining three followed.

Cas pushed his way through the revolving doors of the shopping center. It was a humongous building with mostly white tiles and glass windows for a ceiling. There were escalators in the middle of the room with fountains on either side. Off to one side, there was also a lift, surrounded by a clean glass tube that looked out over the whole center. The whole building was clean and almost glowed in the late morning sun that shined through the window-ceiling.
Anna lead them off to a store, Balthazar looking very displeased at her choice, the others following quietly behind them. Cas also followed quietly. He stared around at the store's nice, stylish clothing. There was nothing interesting. Everything sold in this store was extremely uniform and similar. He assumed that most stores would have the similar semi-formal styles that he saw here. They would have better luck in Sector Two or Three if they wanted something that was actually interesting. They didn't though. No other Sector One resident did, but him. Cas was alone in his sudden desire for excitement. Even his other brothers that had snuck out with him on the first night, practically dragging him out the door, seemed content, like the night's experience was nothing to even think about again. He couldn't help but to wonder if they had done that before.
“What do you think of this one, Cas?”
Cas was knocked from his thoughts by the girl in front of him holding up a black and white dress to her front.
“It's very nice.” He said, though he didn't really see a difference between it and any other dress she could have taken off a rack.
“Should I get it?” Before Cas could respond, Balthazar appeared from behind the rack.
“Yes, hurry up because this store is a waste.” he said. She stared at him until he raised his eyebrows. She nodded and shuffled to the front counter.
“What's wrong, Cassie? I thought you had a real dedication to sweater-vests.”
“I have plenty sweater-vests, Balthazar.” His brother made a face and Cas continued. “I don't want to look at clothing.”
“What do you want to look at? Oh, wait, let me guess. Stars?”
“Or just another store.”
“I'm with you there.”
Cas would have figured. Even with the general dress of the people of Sector One, a few of his brothers were in a constant state of casual dress. Balthazar was one of them. He wore regular jeans, ones that the older brothers would accept, but nothing to fancy, and any one of numerous plain v-neck tee shirts. Cas didn't know how he got away with it with all of their older brothers' strict rules.
The others were walking away now and Cas followed them out of the store. They didn't go into any others for some time. The majority of stores were clothing, very similar clothing to the first store. There was no point in coming here.
Something caught his eye as he walked by. It was a different sort of store. The store had a sign on the front with a puppy and a kitten next to the letters. It was a pet store with glass windows on the front. The windows contained puppies of all fur colours, hopping around and making small, whimpering barks. He stopped by the window.
“Like the doggies, Cas?” Balthazar stood by where Cas had squatted next to the window.
“I- yes.”
The other three members of the group looked overjoyed to be looking at cute baby animals, and walked inside.
Cas watched the dogs for a while before one bounded up bravely to the glass. He stared up at Cas with big, green eyes. His light brown fur was ruffled and messy. He looked more scruffy than the other well groomed puppies in the glass window.
“Dean...”
“Hm?” Balthazar glanced down at him. “What was that?”
“Oh, nothing. Um- green. He has green eyes.”
“Yeah, he does.”
Cas stared back into the puppies eyes and thought about sneaking out again tonight to see Dean again. He would have some stuff to tell him today, like about how boring life is in his sector. He looked forward to his nightly dose of excitement.

Balthazar seemed to sense that his brother was no longer interested in shopping and suggested taking him home early. The others stayed at the shopping center. Cas was pleased to walk home.
“Okay, so what is your problem?”
Cas squinted at him. “What do you mean?”
“You have been acting very out of character lately, and I want to know why.”
“I haven't.”
“You have.”
“There isn't anything wrong with me.”
“That is exactly what something with something wrong with them would say.”
“Or something with nothing wrong.”
Balthazar rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine, don't confide in me then.” He turned the corner onto the street where their house was located.
“I'm sorry if I've offended you.”
“You haven't.”
“Are you sure?”
“We're all just worried about you. And I'm not going to pry or anything, but I think Michael thinks there's something wrong with you.”
“There's nothing wrong with me, Michael’s concerns are unfounded.”
They stepped into the driveway as the sun started to go down. The brilliant orange light lit up the white houses, making them glow.
“If you say so.” Balthazar walked into the house and shut the door. Cas stood on the porch and sighed. He took another look around the neighborhood before going inside. Balthazar had already sat down in the living room. Cas took it as him not wanting to talk anymore and headed upstairs. He knew his brother was still suspicious. He pretended to not care.
Cas laid down on the bed, kicking his shoes off. He thought about the puppy. He knew he wouldn't be allowed to get a dog, but it was nice to think about having one. He was sick of rules and being told what to do by his family. Maybe that was what he liked about Sector Eight. In Sector Eight, he had no family. No one told him what to do. Dean gave him suggestions of what to do, but that was so he didn't wind up dead in the street. He appreciated that.
His eyes rested on the ceiling until they slowly closed. He slipped off to sleep with is mind on dogs and sneaking out.