AN: My sister was given a scoubi making kit and I went nuts and made a green and blue one and I was like holy shit I'm 12 years old again. And then I was all 'IT MATCHES THE COLOUR OF THEIR EYES' and got all philosophical and shit about Destiel and scoubis and this was born. Was meant to be short and sweet, got kind of longer than expected. Enjoy! Reviews are nice!

Of Scoubis and Sandcastles

The pair of them had been inseparable since day one: The day Dean had accidentally knocked over Castiel's sandcastle, causing the smaller boy to promptly burst into tears. Dean, his big heart unable to deal with the thought that it had been him to cause the other boy to cry, had immediately offered to help rebuild it. Within the next ten minutes, the two of them were best friends, short blonde hair almost brushing against the mop of dark brown as they worked to create a sand kingdom. The two five year olds left school that day with their respective guardians, talking nine to the dozen about their new friend.

They were like that all throughout school, right up until the ages of 17. They knew each other like the backs of their hands – had practically been adopted into one another's families, who only lived a street away from one another. It was habitual for Michael or Gabriel (Castiel's older brothers and, in the case of Michael, guardian) to find Dean in Castiel's room with him, without even knowing he was in the house in the first place. It was common for Dean to wake up at 3am with his phone buzzing with a text from Castiel, that simply said "Outside. Walk?"

Dean always said yes.

They always ended up at their old primary school when this happened, uncovering the sandpit and building sandcastles.

It was a hot, sunny afternoon when Dean scaled the wall of the Novak home and tapped impatiently on the glass of his best friend's window. Castiel sighed and let him in, returning to what he was doing as Dean flopped onto Castiel's bed next to him from the windowsill.

"It's so freaking hot, man."

"Really? I never would have guessed," Castiel said mildly, making another loop in the plastic thread. Dean, who was about to shoot back a remark about just where his quiet friend could shove his sarcasm, abruptly grinned as he realised what the slightly built boy was doing.

"Dude. Are you making a scoubi?"

"Um….no?" Castiel said, quickly shoving the half-finished accessory underneath his pillow.

"Nah uh. You totally are! What, are you like stuck in 2007? Is Avril Lavigne about to start singing about how much she hates your girlfriend?" Dean snorted. He had always been the louder of the two, Castiel quietly following his lead. The both of them were fiercely protective of one another – many shared nosebleeds and bruises were the result of someone (mainly Lucifer Pellegrino) thinking it was okay to pick on one half of the duo. As Dean looked at the blush on his friends face, he wondered when his feelings had gone from 'protective best friendship' to 'I'm 100% completely and utterly in love with you and have been since we met but I'm really stupid and didn't realise this sooner and honestly Cas I wanna spend the rest of my life with you'. He knew he'd only fully understood when Lisa Braedon, hottest girl in school, had cornered him after school one day and attempted to make out with him. An image of Castiel's face had seared itself into Dean's brain, and he couldn't run away fast enough. He'd told the (heavily edited) version to Castiel later, and the pair of them roared with laughter at how awkward the following day would be with Lisa, who was Castiel's lab partner in the one class he and Dean didn't share. Dean's laughter had been affected, though, by the distraction caused by the way the light reflected off Castiel's eyes and hair as he threw back his head with rare, guttural laughter.

Castiel's fingers tightened around the hidden scoubi.

"Just drop it, Dean."

"No, this is funny! I wanna see it," Dean lunged forward before Castiel could react, managing to free the scoubi from Castiel's grasp. He tried in vain to ignore the fact that he was now practically lying on top of his best friend – they'd play-wrestled before, come on – and both boys were too caught up in their own racing heartbeats to notice that the other was in the exact same predicament.

"Give it back!" Castiel complained in vain. Dean ruled him completely, heart and soul, whether he was aware of it or not. Castiel had realised that he was in love with his best friend the day Dean had told him about Lisa. A wholly unexpected feeling of possessiveness had taken control of him after the shock had worn off, and it had been with a cocktail of hysteria, relief and genuine amusement that he had laughed when Dean recounted how he had run away. Hysteria because holy shit, I'm in love with Dean. Dean. Relief because Dean hadn't wanted Lisa to kiss him. Amusement because, well, maybe he and Lisa, Captain of the cheerleading squad, had more in common that originally thought – they both wanted Dean. Castiel knew that no one could love Dean like he did, though. He knew Dean inside and out, had been there for him though his father's alcoholism and recovery, through the countless detentions suffered for defending Sam or Castiel against 'that dickbag Lu Pellegrino'. He knew exactly how to make Dean laugh, what would make him cry (and therefore what to avoid). He knew Dean's deepest fears, even if they were unsaid. He knew that Dean, with his heart full of affection and love for everyone around him, was terrified of being abandoned by those he cared about, and had promised himself a long time ago – quite possibly the day they met – that he would never leave this boy to be alone again.

Right now, however, Castiel wanted nothing more than for Dean to be off him, because otherwise he was definitely going to have the most awkward boner ever.

"Them's some pretty colours, Cas," Dean commented as he inspected the scoubi. He was now leaning against the wall one Castiel's bed, legs thrown across his friend and pinning him down where he lay. "Why blue and green?"

Castiel stared determinedly at the ceiling as he replied, "Nothing. It's stupid."

"Aw, come on! You suck at lying, man. Especially to me. I know your tells, dude, and you chewing the inside of your cheek and not looking at me? That's one of 'em."

There was a sigh.

"It is really stupid."

"I don't care. This is me, you realise. Your best friend?"

"Yes, well. It was going to be a friendship keychain this. For you. Midsummer present thing? Green for your eyes, blue for mine. Just so you know I'm not going anywhere. The way the threads interlock…..I know that you are scared people will leave you, Dean, and this was to show you that our friendship, like this accessory, is something far more permanent." Castiel refused to look at Dean as he spoke, gaze still fixated on the crack in the ceiling plaster. Dean looked at him, then the scoubi.

"That's not stupid, Cas. That's…that's awesome."

Now Castiel looked at him. "Really?"

"Yeah! I mean, the blue is kinda off, your eyes are darker and they have these little flecks of grey in them that…" Dean's voice trailed off, and now he was the one blushing.

"Dean, are you waxing poetic about my eyes?" Castiel teased.

"Shuddup."

"I'm flattered, really!"

Dean stared at the scoubi still in his palm, then back at his best friend.

"Cas, can you shut up for a second?"

"Um, okay." The two of them shuffled so that Castiel was now against the wall next to Dean.

"You know that whole spiel you just gave about staying my friend?"

"Yes, Dean. I was the one talking, in case you didn't realise."

"Dude, shut up. Would you still be my friend if I…um"

"If you what?"

"Did this." And Dean ignored the butterflies causing a riot in his stomach and brushed his lips over Castiel's. They were slightly dry and chapped, but that was a part of what made them perfect. Castiel stared at him, heart thudding painfully in his ribs.

"What was that for?" he asked breathlessly. Dean looked at him with something akin to despair.

"Been wanting to do that for a while. Sorry, I'll just…I'll just go." Dean went to climb out of the window, to run away and hide himself forever, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

"Dean." Before Dean knew it, Castiel was pulling him back down, and they were kissing passionately, tongues deciding to join the party as Dean opened his mouth with a low moan and attempted to lose himself within Castiel. Castiel fisted his hands in Dean's hair, whimpering slightly as he pulled his friend so that Dean lay on top of him.

They did need air, however, and broke off, gasping. Castiel stroked Dean's cheek gently with a single finger as he said "I've been wanting to do that for a while, too."

"Since when?" Dean was unable to remove his stare from Castiel's deliciously flushed face and the way he was smiling dreamily up at Dean.

"Since you told me about Lisa. Well, that's when I realised it. Probably before then, though."

Dean gaped.

"Dude, same."

"What?" Castiel's brow furrowed with confusion. Dean blushed and hid his face in Castiel's neck, the last part of his sentence muttered into Castiel's skin.

"She tried to kiss me, and….all I wanted was you." Dean confessed.

Castiel pondered this, slowly rubbing lazy circles into the back of Dean's neck.

"Interesting." Dean let out a snort, pulling back his head to see Castiel's thoughtful expression.

"Cas, do you wanna be my boyfriend? Like, officially and stuff?"

They smiled at each other.

"Yes. Yes I do, Dean."

The scoubi was pressed between their palms as their lips met once more for a slow, sweet kiss, fingers tangling and keeping a firm hold of one another.

The transition from 'best friends' to, well….'insanely in love' was virtually non-existent. Mary, John and Sam Winchester had merely smiled and said they had assumed it was like that already, causing the both of them to go bright red. On the other hand, Gabriel had screeched "IIII KNEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWW IIIIIITTTTTTTT!" to the heavens, before leaping onto Michael's back and forcing the aggrieved eldest brother to give him a victory piggyback ride around the house as he tossed lollipop wrappers around in celebration.

At school, no one was surprised in the least when they wandered around hand in hand, with Dean pressing Castiel up against his locker for a kiss goodbye when the bell went. A couple of people (encouraged by Gabriel, no doubt) had even cheered and whistled, making the two of them smile in embarrassment before kissing again.

All in all, it was pretty awesome. And all thanks to a stupid scoubi.

10 years later

Dean's keys jangled in his pocket as he strode to the front door of his home. Pulling them out, he gave the worn green and blue scoubi that dangled from them a small smile before letting himself in.

"Cas! I'm home!" he called out, before all the air was knocked out of him. Castiel pressed his face into Dean's shoulder, hugging him tightly.

"Hello, Dean."

"Hey, Cas. A little warning next time?" Dean mock-wheezed, causing the both of them to stagger dramatically.

"You know you like my bear hugs." Castiel's voice was muffled and amused.

"Yeah, I do," Dean tipped his husbands chin up as he tossed his keys aside and they kissed, slow and deep.

"I love you, Cas."

"I love you too, Dean."

FIN