The click of keys echoed through the room as Sam busily typed, researching their latest case. Castiel sat across the table from him, looking blankly behind Sam. The silence had a peaceful atmosphere. The bathroom door opened causing Castiel to look backward over his shoulder. Dean stepped through it. His bare chest freshly cleaned and strangely illuminated. His arms alone were in the sleeves of his tee-shirt and he nodded slightly acknowledging Castiel presence, and slid the shirt over his head to cover his damp torso. Then, calmly and quietly, Dean took a seat next to Castiel, placing his hands gently on the circular table.

"Hey! Get this," Sam prompted. "In the last two years there have been nine murders of the same description." Dean nodded, pretending he was interested in what Sam was saying.

"So, what do you think this is, Sammy?" Dean uttered, purely to be polite.

"Just your old, run-of-the-mill youth-sucking demon, but the case notes are amazing. Listen to this, a seven year old girl with the body of a one hundred and twenty year old. Or this..." Sam voice faded into inexistence in Dean's ears as he continued to burble about the case, his eyes never leaving his computer screen. Dean became bored with this in record time. Sam noticed his brother's hand slid from the table from the table and onto Dean's lap but he ignored this unimportant gesture and continued to feed them case notes and relevant facts.
Castiel was more than a little surprised to feel Dean stroking his inner thigh. He frowned slightly but made no sudden reaction, in case Sam realised what was going on.
The look on Castiel's face resembled confusion masked with understanding and interest. Dean seemed unable to contain a smile as Sam continued to talk, his voice edgy as he assumed Dean was mocking him. Sam didn't appreciate Dean's sense of humour. Sam was truly startled as Castiel gasped slightly and sat up straight. The angel placed both hands on the table, his wrists a few inches apart. Although the table was solid, Castiel seemed to be attempting to dig his extended fingers straight through it. Sam paused, frowning slightly.

"You okay?" Sam questioned. Castiel was evidently not okay but he nodded determinedly.

"I am perfectly fine. Go on." Sam raised his Neanderthal eyebrows matter-of-factly but continued to speak. Castiel expression was strange. He looked uncomfortable but happy at the same time. Sam paused again, sighing.

"Would you like a drink?" Sam offered.

"No, I don-" Castiel was cut off as he jolted upwards. "I mean, yes please." Sam glanced at Dean. Dean smiled widely in an action of confirmation. Sam heaved himself up al slowly wandered to the fridge, swinging open the door.

"We have... milk, orange juice and lots of beer courteously of Dean." Sam looked around to give Dean a disapproving glance, only to find him gone.

"Hey, where did Dean go?"

"He, um, went to get something out his bedroom. May I please have a glass of milk?" Sam nodded and poured the drink slowly. Castiel didn't turn to look at him once. Castiel coat hung from the back of his chair down to his ankles, eclipsing Castiel body and anything beneath the table, a detail which perturbed Sam as he placed the glass in front of Castiel and sat down. Without warning, Sam's thoughts were interrupted by a distinct metallic click.

"That sounded like a belt or something." Sam noted. Castiel frowned, his expression bridging on terror. Slowly it eased off into his casual empty look.

Perhaps Dean is changing his clothing? " Castiel offered, his voice drowning out what Sam could have sworn was a zipper being undone. Sam ignored it. Castiel was probably right, but it sounded so close. Sam felt a sharp pain in his ankle as something booted him underneath the table.

"Why did you kick me?" Sam demanded. Castiel was truly unsure what to say.
Dean frowned sheepishly under the table. He really hated putting Castiel's under Sam's predictable interrogation, but it would be worth it. Cas wasn't a particularly good liar but mumbling his carefully structure excuses seemed to satisfy Dean. Dean rolled his eyes as he heard the angel's latest excuse.

"You kicked me because you wanted to see what would happen?" Castiel nodded under the criticizing frown of Sam. Castiel looked down at his knees, shifting his gaze as if something exceedingly interesting was happening under the table. Sam placed his palms on the table to look under it.

"I am worried for Dean." Castiel interrupted, sounding panicked. This immediately distracted Sam. He sat upright again looking at Castiel expectantly.

"Worried about what?"

"Uh," The angel hesitated blurting the first thing that came to mind. "I am worried that he, uh, has not been seeing enough of the bar women he is usually with." Then Castiel's expression became again agonised as if he wanted to steal his words back. Suddenly, Castiel's eyes widened to immense proportion, his expression fell short, no longer expressing emotion. Sam was caught off guard by this; it was like Castiel had suffered an electric shock or something.

"I'm not so sure." Sam laughed uneasily. "There's one he's been seeing almost every night. I guess it's the same girl because sometimes they talk and the voice is the same. Thank god for iPods louder than those two, aye?" Castiel nodded barely, his breathing unsteady and his chest jolting slightly. They sat in silence, in only change being Castiel's facial expression. The angel looked extremely tragic and exhausted, as if he had been holding a great weight for a long period of time. Then, with a sigh of relief, Castiel's shoulders slumped and he resumed his usual calm, collected expression but he was slightly smiling.

"Maybe you should go check in the bedroom. Dean has been gone quite a while." Castiel's newly calmed tone suggested. Sam thought this was a strange thing to say but he left to go and find Dean regardless. The bedroom was empty, and as far as Sam could see Dean hadn't been in there recently. Sam strutted out into the lounge to find Dean sitting beside Castiel as if he'd never left. Sam sat down, slowly and cautiously.

"So," Dean prompted, wiping the corner of his mouth with his thumb.

"Where did you go?" Queried Sam.

"I, uh, was getting ready to have a, um, shower then I changed my mind so I came back out again. Uh, yep."

"Fair enough. Hey Dean. I know how much you hate research but if you could skim through it and see what info you could find I would really appreciate it." Sam had said this as more of a favour to Dean. Dean jumped at the chance.

"Yeah. Fine. Sure. But I'm, uh, not happy about it. Cas, you want to give us a hand? Help translate some science speak for me?" Castiel gaze met Dean's then shifted to Sam who was untangling his iPod headphones. Castiel nodded, smiling, and left with Dean. As the door clicked shut, Sam turned his music all the way up to drown out any sound. As deafening techno invaded his ears, he wondered whether he should tell Dean and Castiel that he knew what was going on between them.