Mandated

Cas' sudden appearance at Dean's elbow, startled Mal at first, but it downright spooked Dean, who nearly fell off his chair.

"C-Cas?" Dean exclaimed.

"I was worried. That you might get into trouble because I could not control your vehicle," Cas stated, his brow wrinkled in concern.

"You must be Cas," Mal held out his hand, smiling warmly.

"Um, Mal, Cas; Cas, this is Mal," Dean mumbled, his face red, "and you need to take his hand."

Cas regarded Mal's outstretched hand with curiosity just a beat too long.

"No worries," Mal said amiably as he withdrew his hand. "Can I get you a beer, Cas?"

"Cas isn't staying, are you?" Dean asked pointedly.

"If you are staying here, then I will stay here," Cas said simply.

Dean groaned.

"I was concerned that I might have caused you some problems. That policeman didn't put you in jail?"

"No, said I was local so he gave me a Mandate to go see Mal here."

"Oh, you are on a man date. With this man." Cas stated without a hint of emotion.

"Wha …? No. No!"

"Look, Dean, Cas, why don't I call it a night? Let you guys catch up?" Mal started to rise from his chair.

"No, it's ok Mal," Dean put his hand on the other man's arm to stop him. A bolt of lightning shot up from Mal's arm and Dean flinched. Yeah, this guy was something out of the X-Men, or the Fantastic Four, or Creepy Worlds maybe. Dean struggled to focus.

"Cas was just leaving, weren't you Cas?" Dean tried, stressing the last three words.

"No, I have just arrived." Cas smiled.

And Dean's breath hitched. He must be very, very drunk, he thought to himself, because that smile.… He didn't finish his thought – just in case it led somewhere he wasn't expecting. Or, maybe, somewhere he was expecting. Oh fuck!

Mal leant across to bring his lips close to Dean's ear. "Much as I'd love a threesome with you and Cas, it wouldn't be right – not for your first time together. Tell him, Dean, he deserves to know. You deserve to know how good it can be. Take care and stay safe."

Mal planted a small kiss, just a peck, on Dean's cheek and stood up. Dean froze.

"Here Cas, take my seat. I have to go. Nice to have met you." Mal fumbled in his jacket pocket for a moment before retrieving a business card. "Here, Dean. In case you're ever passing through again. Even if it's just to chat about classic cars. Seriously."

When Dean made no move to take the card, Mal slipped it into Dean's top pocket. "I would love to see you again, Dean," he murmured, "and Cas."

Dean nodded mutely, looking on the wigged out side of seriously freaked.

"Ok, I'm off," Mal moved away from the table but as he passed Cas he whispered something in the angel's ear, before disappearing into crowd.

Cas continued to stand stock still, like a powered-down animatronic.

"Si'down, Cas," Dean barked.

Cas just stood there, not taking his eyes from Dean's face.

"Quit staring," Dean grumbled, "and sit down will ya?"

"I was wondering how your man date went. He seemed nice." Cas dropped down into the seat Mal had vacated.

"Not a man date, Cas! No such thing," Dean said firmly.

"But you do, um, date, um, men?"

"Wha…? No! Cas, where is this coming from?" Dean ran his hand through his hair.

Cas said nothing, which was unusual since if he was in the room with you and you asked him something he always answered, even if the answer made absolutely no damn sense.

Dean lifted his head, turning slightly to look Cas in the eye. "What's going on here, Cas?" Even as the words sprung from his mouth Dean was hoping Cas wouldn't answer again, or maybe hoping he would, or maybe … ah, fuck it!

Dean bought his lips to press against Cas', his hand snaking behind the other's head to pull him closer.

And god help him, if Cas didn't kiss him right back!

"Cas?" Dean breathed as he broke contact and drew back a little to question those beautiful blue eyes.

"Dean?" A slight smile was playing on the angel's lips.

"Dammit! You and I need to talk."

"Yes?"

"Not here. C'mon."

Dean stood up and grabbed Cas' arm, ignoring the electric sparks that shot into his fingers, as he dragged him up and guided him to the exit.

The cold night air hit Dean like a Kendo bokuto; he nearly doubled up as the first inhalations hit his lungs. But suddenly Cas was at his side; as in, he was pressed at his side, arm round Dean's waist supporting him.

"Too much to drink," Dean mumbled to try cover his embarrassment. He wasn't quite sure why he felt embarrassed; perhaps it was because of his inexplicable inability to hold his drink. Or the fact that he felt uncomfortable, or was that 'inappropriately comfortable', that Cas was cuddled up to him?

"Motel's up there, on the left," Dean managed as he pointed down the street.

Suddenly they were both standing in Dean's motel room, Cas still pinned to Dean's side.

"Damn it, Cas, warn me if you're gonna go all 'transporter' on me," Dean whined, but he didn't extricate himself from Cas' arms.

"Sorry, Dean, but I determined that we needed to be somewhere private."

Cas helped Dean over to one of the beds and got him to sit down.

"What's the time? Sam'll be back soon." Dean wasn't quite sure why this was of interest, no, make that, of concern, to him.

"Sam will not be back until morning, Dean. About mid-morning and he will bring us coffee and those sticky pastry confections you like."

"Wait, how'd you know that?"

Cas sat himself down on the bed next to Dean leaving a small gap between them. Dean felt a little disconcerted, lost even, that Cas was no longer in physical contact with him. Well, that feeling was weird with a dusting of confusion on top!

"I have arranged for Sam to be away. Until morning." Cas smiled and Dean thought, 'smug bastard' or it might have been, 'smug beautiful bastard'.

"How? Why?"

"The 'how', Dean, is easy to explain. I sent Sam a, um, text that he thinks you sent. It told him not to come back until tomorrow and to bring coffee and pastries with him."

"Why would you do that Cas?" Dean murmured, not really wanting to know the reason. Or perhaps needing to know the reason.

"The 'why' is the difficult part to explain because I don't really understand that myself," Cas told him, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Any clues there, buddy?" Dean asked turning so that he could look at his friend. But before Cas could reply, Dean continued, "Did you send Sam away so we could do this again?"

Dean scooted alongside the angel, grabbing his arms and pinning them to his side as he pressed his lips to Cas'. He didn't attempt anything more, not yet, but he felt Cas push forward eagerly.

Breaking the kiss, Dean whispered, "Do you want this, Cas? Say you want this."

"Yes, Dean, I do. I had planned to intercept Sam, even before your friend said anything."

"What? Who? Oh, Mal," Dean realised with a start, "Wha'd he say to you?"

"He said you were a good man and I should kiss you if I got the chance." Cas smiled and his eyes seemed to sparkle.

At least, Dean thought they sparkled, but that was probably just him. And, oh crap, he knew what that meant right enough.

"Cas, you need to know something, here, dude," Dean muttered, not sure how to explain gay relationships, societal pressure, the whole, 'you're unfamiliar with all this, Cas – you might prefer girls' issue, and then there was explaining the mechanics to a novice – at novice at human experience in general not just …

"You love me," Cas said succinctly.

"Well, yeah, but…" Dean could feel his neck glow red, even through the rosy blush of the alcohol.

"And I love you," Cas was beaming now, and fuck if his eyes weren't damn well shining as well. "However, I need to tell you that in future the only person you will man date is me. Do I have your assurance on this, Dean? It is very important to me."

"Mandate? Oh crap, dude, you didn't really think …?"

"Please, do not man date anyone but me," Cas whimpered. God Almighty, he fucking whimpered!

"No, Cas, no more mandates for me, ever. Only you. Only ever you," Dean breathed just before his lips found Cas' lips, and then tongues found tongues.

Sam didn't need his hunter's tracking abilities or his inherent investigative skills the next morning, as he set down the cardboard tray and the small paper sack from the coffee shop on their motel room table. One glance around the room, and another glance at the two other occupants, told him everything. One bed unslept in. One trenchcoat balled up on the floor, forgotten it seemed. Two matching hickeys; one on Dean's neck, one on Cas'.

Then there was the not inconsiderable clue, that Dean hadn't bitched once to Cas about personal space, despite the fact that Cas had been closer to Dean than his shadow from the moment Sam stepped into the room.

And when you added the text message Sam had received the night before, it all made perfect sense. Sam smiled at both the awkward happiness he saw in his brother and as he remembered the text that Dean had purportedly sent last night:

Please do not come back to the motel until 11am tomorrow.

Then bring 3 coffees and Dean's favourite pastries for breakfast.

I have a man date tonight.

Dean.

~ FIN ~

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this. Thank you for reading.