Jo's Diner, May 1943 Prosper, Kansas

…..

Cas was wiping down the last table for the night. The Wurlitzer jukebox was playing Jumpin' Jive by Cab Calloway and he couldn't help but dance his way around the empty diner with the mop as his partner.

Jo Harvelle couldn't resist, she twirled her way over to her honorary big brother and yanked the mop out of his hands, the teenagers took turns leading each other around the tables as Ellen watched them through the service window.

When the song ended she whistled and applauded then told them to get their butts back to work.

Jo tapped her way over to the door and turned the lock. The sixteen year old glanced at the clock on the wall and squealed, "Sam and his brother will be here any minute! Cas I'm going to clean up, can you let them in when they get here?"

Force of habit had Cas checking his reflection in a napkin dispenser, he was a mess, "Sure thing Jo, I didn't know Sam had a brother. Is he nice…not that I care."

Ellen had taken the eighteen year old under her wing a few years back when his father kicked him out and the kid had no place else to go. He was grateful for the job and the money plus the little room upstairs to call is own. Since arriving Cas didn't socialize except for going to school and how that he just graduated he rarely went out anywhere.

Jo gave her lonely friend a hug, "You don't have to pretend with me big brother, Mom and I understand you. I've never met the guy but he's shipping out next week for boot camp and Sam wants to spend as much time as possible with him."

Cas would never be drafted or put into civilian work for the war effort. He was labeled IV-F, a registrant not acceptable for military service due to physical, mental or moral defect.

Cas was a fully functioning hermaphrodite and when the army doctor doing the intake physicals took one look between Cas' legs in a private room, the doctor said no branch of the military would touch him with a ten foot pole. Cas failed the mental evaluation just for the fact he was a homosexual. It was one of the most embarrassing things that had ever happened to Cas not counting the way his dad had treated him growing up.

Cas figured this brother of Sam's had to be a poster boy for the military. Sam at only sixteen was a strong handsome kid and most likely his big brother was the same.

Now he was intrigued to see what this mystery guy was like.

….

It was Saturday night and Dean was ready to live it up. The eighteen year old had one week of freedom left before he was shipped off to boot camp and he was determined to make the best of it.

Sam had his arm draped over his big brothers shoulder as they hiked down the busy main street of Prosper. It was a funny name for a place that had been hit hard by the depression. Every other shop was closed but the places still open picked up the slack and seemed to be booming.

Sam pointed to the diner, "There it is, Jo's Diner. I can't wait for you to meet her Dean, she's swell."

"Your gal owns the place?"

"No, her mom and dad named it after Jo when she was born. Her dad is dead so don't bring that up. She's got a sort of adopted brother that lives in a room upstairs. Jo and her mom have the bigger apartment together."

Sam rapped on the door; Cas hurried over and unlocked it. Sam entered first followed by his brother.

"Hi Cas, this is my brother Dean."

Cas looked up at the young guy that seemed a good two inches taller than him. Dean looked like a movie star, beautiful green eyes, white teeth and perfect features. Cas could see he was very fit, the perfect all American male.

Dean thrust out his hand to Cas, "Good to meet you."

Cas wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers and took the hand offered. Dean had a strong grip but didn't try to show off and crush the more delicate hand in his. Cas liked that, usually guys like Dean scared the crap out of him.

Dean gave him a dazzling smile, "Are you coming out with us? I plan to drink like a fish and get some dancing in with the ladies. Do you have gal Cas?"

Cas cocked his head while trying to decide if Dean was asking an honest question or if he was being an ass and could sense the homosexual wafting off him. Cas just couldn't figure it out so he answered, "Nope, no gal. I'm staying in but thanks for asking."

For a second Dean looked disappointed or maybe it was Cas' imagination. He ushered them to the counter and brought out some of the leftover sandwiches then poured them each a cup of coffee.

….

Dean studied the little guy sitting on the back counter eating a sandwich. Cas was a curiosity for sure. A little smaller than average but his body was pretty nice from what Dean could tell plus Cas was good looking in a unique way.

Dean took in his best features, big cobalt blue eyes that had a world weary look to them for someone so young. Dean liked his flared nostrils that reminded him of a little bull. Cas had a cute chin with a slight cleft and a messy head of shiny dark hair. His skin was much tanner than Dean's and he figured the kid was mixed with something exotic.

There was a softness about him that Dean found very attractive. Not that Cas looked like a wimp but it was more in the way he carried himself, the crooked little smile he flashed Dean and the deep voice with no hard edges.

Sam nudged his brother and whispered, "Ask him again."

Dean scowled at his little brother and got down to eating the sandwich in front of him.

Sam said what his brother wouldn't, "Cas, I won't take no for an answer. Go change and come out with us."

He gave the brothers a shy glance, "Ok, for a little while." Cas hopped down from the counter and hurried around the back and upstairs to clean up and change clothes.

As soon as he was out of earshot Dean growled, "Damn it Sammy stop getting involved in my life. I plan on a pussy hunt and I doubt he's going to want to see that. I was just being polite before."

Sam rolled his eyes at his liar of a brother, "Bullshit Dean, I saw the way you were looking at him. At least socialize with Cas but promise to treat him nice because as far as what Jo told me he's never been out with anyone before."

Don't worry I'll be a total gentleman. You assume a hell of a lot about me Sam, I like women just fine."

Sam softened his voice and placed a hand on his brother's arm, "I know you do Dean, I'm just saying if you feel like you need male companionship get it before you're stuck in a barracks with a bunch of men."

"I know Sam, I'll be careful. Let's not talk about it."

….

Jo knocked on Cas' door and when it opened there was her friend with his hair neatly combed plus a clean shirt and tie. "Wow, you clean up really nice Cas."

She twirled into the room showing off her cream cap sleeve dress with pearl buttons and dotted with tiny blue roses. Jo was adept at sewing and when Ellen brought home a pair of curtains from a church rummage the girl whipped up a dress from one of them in no time.

She touched a blue silk rose fancy holding back her blonde hair, "What do you think?"

Cas grabbed her around the waist and they danced around the room as Jo giggled and Cas laughed.

"Jo if I had any romantic feelings for girls I would steal you away from Sam in a heartbeat." He kissed her cheek and held out his arm, "shall we?"

"Absolutely, we will have the two best looking guys out there."

Cas muttered, "Don't tease me."

"Cas I'm not teasing you." Jo didn't want to scare him away from a night out, Cas rarely left his room except for work. Now that he had graduated the kid had become a hermit.

She straightened the collar on his hand-me-down shirt, "You look so handsome, come on brother lets go have some fun."

…

Sam whistled when Jo entered the diner from the back. "Wow, you look amazing sweetheart." He stood up and the size difference caused Dean to smile, "Don't crush that pretty little gal Sammy." He stuck out his hand, "Good to meet you Jo."

Jo was blown away by Sam's handsome brother; still she thought Sam was cuter, "I finally get to meet the great Dean Winchester."

Dean felt himself blushing, "I'm not so great. Sammy is the one that's gonna be a college boy someday and a real lawyer."

She suddenly took one of Dean's hands and held it, "You are great, when a man serves his country it's a very great thing."

Cas hung back feeling like the flat tire on a set of four, he just didn't know how to approach. Dean was the one that noticed him, "Cas look at you all dressed up. Come on over here buddy, let's go get a drink."

…..

The four entered the Moon Glow Club; Dean had the others find a table while he ordered the beer. Jo and Sam weren't legal but then no one was checking either. They each got a big glass mug and the brothers chugged theirs down. Jo wasn't far behind but Cas was taking his time. He didn't drink much because he was afraid to lose control.

Dean had to get right next to Cas' ear once the band started, "You don't have to nurse it Blue Eyes, the beer is my treat."

Cas couldn't believe what he had just heard, this god of a man just gave him a nickname. He never had one before, at least not one that was nice. Cas smiled at Dean and lifted the mug in the air, "Thanks."

Sam and Jo were already dancing and before Cas knew it Dean left him to ask a pretty brunette girl to dance. His heart was crushed, "What were you thinking…stupid, stupid, stupid! A guy like Dean is all red blooded male and not a damn sissy like me."

Eventually Sam and Jo gravitated back to the table and Dean brought over the girl he was dancing with. Her name was Ester and Cas hated her on sight. She was loud, rude and wore too much makeup. There wasn't one classy thing about her.

Dean brought them over a tray of shots and Cas down his drinking out of anger and disappointment.

When Dean kissed Ester that was all Cas could take, he felt like a fool for daring to dream that he might have a chance. People like him didn't find nice guys, it wasn't normal and neither was he.

Cas slipped out and started the walk back to his little room above the diner. Just his luck there was a sudden cloud burst that did little to sober him up. Now he was drunk, wet and miserable.

A couple of guys three sheets to wind walked right into him knocking Cas on the sidewalk. They laughed as he floundered in a puddle trying to right himself but thankfully they moved on.

"You need a hand?"

Cas looked up and there was Dean his soaking wet hero, he took the help offered and Dean yanked him to his feet as if Cas were a feather. Dean held his hand a moment longer than he should have then let go. "Come on, I'll walk you home so you get there in once piece."

"I was doing fine on my own, go back to the floozy."

"Naw…she was there with someone and I struck out. I know, that's hard to believe with me being so charming and handsome but sometimes it happens. Besides I'm dripping wet now because I had to save your little ass."

Cas stuffed his hands in his pockets and shuffled along with Dean by his side. "Did you call me Blue Eyes before?"

"Yeah…you got blue eyes. I'm not that original with nicknames. If you don't like it …"

Cas blurted out, "No, I love it!"

Despite being cold, wet and drunk Dean felt very happy. He got under the kids skin and that was a first step. "You can give me a nickname if you want."

"I'll think about it."

TBC

A/N—In the 1940's marriages increased as young couples rushed to tie the knot before men shipped off for war. Many of these marriages created "goodbye babies." There was also a rise in "goodbye babies" born to single mothers.

There were lots of USO dances with handsome soldiers looking to jitterbug the night away. People fell in love with dance, whether it was watching Gene Kelly in "Singing In The Rain," or hitting the dance floor yourself, helped with a few lessons from Arthur Murray's Dance School.