Chapter Text
Dean walks out of the studio, yawning and wishing he had a bigger cup of coffee that morning. He’s on interview ten of what feels like a thousand and he’s already sick of them. They all ask the same questions: do you feel this tour has been a success; what's your favorite song on this album; are you seeing anyone special? It’s annoying but Sam says it's necessary, since New York is a huge market for him and the band.
They’re on the last stop of their U.S. Tour and Dean is exhausted, but this is the job so he sucks it up and trudges along.
As Dean makes the rounds, he thanks whatever genius stuck fifteen radio stations in one building so he could get them all done at once. Dean checks his watch and thinks he might have enough time to grab another coffee before hitting the next show and climbs on the elevator to go down to the lobby where he saw a coffee cart earlier.
His phone is buzzing in his pocket once he hits the ground floor. He pulls it out and grins.
Castiel Novak’s name is flashing on his screen over a picture Dean took of him last year in Fiji. Cas is sitting on the dock of their bungalow, his head thrown back in laughter at some dumb joke Dean made. He’s shirtless and his skin is golden, his hair wild from the wind and Dean’s hands, his smile wide and gummy. Cas’ eyes are bluer than the ocean behind him and he looks radiant. The picture always makes Dean smile.
Dean slides his finger over the screen to answer the call.
“Heya, Cas. Long time, no see.” Dean saw Cas last month on a short overnight in Los Angeles but anytime they’re apart always seems too long to Dean.
“Hello, Dean.” Cas’ whiskey soaked voice always makes something stir in the pit of Dean’s stomach.
“How's it going? How's the newest book?” Cas writes biographies about famous dead people. His latest is a New York Times bestseller about Steve McQueen (Dean’s suggestion) and Dean's already read it twice. “Who's the next dead guy?”
“I've started working on JFK. He might be my biggest project yet.”
Hell yeah, Dean is a John F. Kennedy junkie and Cas knows it.
“Ooh awesome. He's my favorite.”
“Yes, Dean, I remember.” Cas clears his throat. “Did you know he lived in New York on and off since he was ten years old?”
“Well shit, Cas. I did not know that.” Dean clears his throat. “Did you know I'm on the road? We just so happen to be playing in New York this month. Finishing up our U.S. tour.”
“Is that so?” Cas’ voice is teasing. “That's quite the coincidence, considering.”
“Come on, Cas, accidents don’t just happen accidentally, ” Dean grins; he knows this game. Loves it, in fact. “You talked to Sam, huh.”
“I did.” He can hear the smile in Cas’ voice. “I’ll be working here for a month or two. I arrived last week and rented a place in the Tenderloin, right on the river. Not far from Madison Square Garden, actually.”
Dean’s smile is wide. “Tell you what, if you're available tonight, I'll leave a ticket at the door for you.”
“I believe my schedule just opened up.” Cas is trying hard to sound casual but Dean can hear the suggestiveness in his voice.
The call ends and Dean feels a jolt of excitement. He buys his coffee and makes his way back upstairs, not realizing how much he’s smiling until the next DJ mentions how happy he looks. All Dean can do is nod and continue with his interviews, thoughts of Cas running through his head the rest of the morning.
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After their call ends, Castiel tosses his phone on the bed and steps out onto the deck of the houseboat he’s rented for the month. He loves this spot; it’s the best rental he’s ever found in New York. The boat is permanently moored in a private harbor but the sound of the river is soothing and he’s surrounded on every side by the sights of the city.
Castiel has definitely stayed in worse places.
He leans on the railing and gazes out over the water. Castiel watches the boats sliding by and thinks about the email he got from Sam six months ago with a copy of the band’s schedule. Seeing New York as the last tour stop solidified his decision to finally try and tackle JFK as the subject for his next book. Sam manages the public relations for Dean’s band and always keeps Castiel in the loop about their comings and goings.
They’ve been friends since senior year of high school. Sam struggled with math and the school assigned Castiel as his tutor and from there, they became fast friends. It was during a particularly sudden winter storm which prevented Sam from riding his bike home that Castiel met Sam’s big brother Dean for the first time. When he came rolling up to the school in his beautiful 67’ Chevy Impala to pick Sam up, he took Castiel’s breath away. Up until then, he’d never seen anything as intriguing and beautiful as Dean Winchester.
After that, their study sessions moved to the house the brothers lived in with their dad and his relationship with Dean began. It started with intense make out sessions; Dean pushing Castiel up against the wall anytime he would leave Sam’s room. Dean would wait for him in the shadows and when Dean would kiss Cas, it taught him what it felt like to be alive.
Castiel lost his virginity to Dean the night of his graduation after Dean snuck them out of the party his dad threw for Sam, driving to their favorite spot, an open field where they could come together under the stars. Dean was gentle and sweet that night, opening Castiel up and moving slow as could be so as not to hurt him. It wasn't until Castiel wrapped his legs around Dean and asked him, “please Dean, fuck me harder,” that Dean stopped holding back. When Castiel closed his eyes that night, he could see the entire universe on the back of his eyelids.
Dean had all Castiel’s firsts and he wouldn't change that for anything.
The only problem with their relationship, and when Castiel thinks about it hard enough, it really is the only problem—
Sam doesn't know.
Castiel should feel guilty, but he doesn't. It's not Sam's fault he has no idea his brother and his best friend have been hooking up since high school. They've just never opted to tell him. Him and Dean are happy with their arrangement, always have been. If Sam knew, he'd kill them both, mostly for keeping him in the dark.
They kept it up while Castiel was at UCLA, Dean having moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music. They practically lived together then, Dean renting an apartment in West Hollywood, close enough for Castiel to stay over and not have to get up too early for his morning classes. When Sam would come visit, Castiel would go back to his dorm, but not before Dean would kiss him stupid when he walked him to his car.
Four years went by and suddenly, Castiel was graduating and Dean's band was taking off, opening for bigger bands and getting picked up to join a tour with some of the hottest artists in the industry.
Castiel started his first book, a biography about Winston Churchill that had him living in London for a year and as usual, timing was everything and Dean's band toured Europe for the first time.
They spent a week together in Paris, only leaving their room to eat and kiss under the Eiffel Tower.
Castiel’s writing took him all over the world and most people would chalk it up to coincidence when his research took him to the same country that Dean's career brought him. Castiel would deny it till his dying day if anyone accused him of planning his books around Dean's tour schedules.
It’s also no one else’s business if in between albums and books and tours for both of them, they drop off the face of the earth for a month at the same time.
The first time Dean suggested they escape for a while was when he surprised Castiel by whisking him away to a cabin in Whistler, Canada. They spent their days skiing and exploring on the snowmobiles Dean rented. They spent their nights cooking elaborate meals together and drinking expensive bottles of wine before getting wrapped around each other in front of the fire. Castiel will never forget the sound of the flames crackling and popping mixed with Dean’s groans when Castiel would sink into him. Whenever Castiel can make Dean’s eyes roll in the back of his head as he loses himself in Castiel’s touch, it makes Castiel feel like he’s flying.
Another vacation was spent in Bali. Castiel planned this trip for them and together they swam with sea turtles, climbed a volcano to watch the sunrise, and toured a Hindu temple inhabited by monkeys. One of Castiel’s favorite pictures of Dean was taken when one of the monkeys tried to steal his sunglasses. Dean is trying to scowl through his laughter and his eyes are sparkling and every time Castiel looks at the photo, he feels the same sense of warmth and wonder he felt the first time he laid eyes on Dean.
Castiel has the picture set as the background on his phone.
Their private bungalow was steps away from a waterfall and their own beach and they spent hours making love in the spray of the falls and napping together on the warm sand. It was the closest to Heaven Castiel ever thinks he might reach.
They've seen the world together and Castiel thinks his life has been well lived. His time with Dean is never wasted, and Castiel relishes every moment in his arms.
Castiel checks his watch and sees he has a few hours before the show starts. He goes back inside to tidy up, stacking the pages of his manuscript and all the books he borrowed from the library the day before. He changes the sheets on his bed and makes sure everything they might need is in one drawer of the nightstand. Castiel eats a light dinner, showers and dresses, buttoning his waistcoat closed and smoothing out the wrinkles. He grabs his phone and his keys and leaves to catch a cab to Madison Square Garden.
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With his interviews done for the day, Dean is back in his hotel with only a few hours before he has to be at the Garden for his show. He eats and has his pre-show meeting with the band, firming up their final set list for the weekend.
After his shower with a towel wrapped around his waist, Dean pulls his duffle out of the closet. He opens the zipper and grabs a smaller bag—a smaller black satin bag, to be exact. Dean tugs on the drawstring and the pouch opens, and he takes in the shimmery, soft fabrics in every color imaginable. He dips his hand in, the contrasting fabrics rubbing against his skin, arousal zipping down his spine.
Dean has to remind himself that he's going to get what he needs tonight, and it will be worth the wait.
Cas always is.
Dean finds what he's looking for; a pair of satin panties, maroon and trimmed with black lace. He drops his towel and gives himself a few quick strokes to take the edge off before he steps into the panties, feeling the drag of the fabric catching the fine hair on the inside of his thighs. Dean adjusts himself so everything stays put and he shudders as he walks the few steps to the closet, feeling the slide of the satin against his cock as he moves. He grabs his phone and snaps a few pictures for Cas. Dean tries not to think about how dirty they'll be getting later, and instead focuses on getting dressed, pulling on his favorite pair of leather pants and a maroon v-neck.
He's half hard when he climbs out of the limo at the back entrance to MSG, the leather and satin working together to make him suffer. It's not until he's in his dressing room, minutes before he's about to go on stage, that he shoots a quick text to Cas with one of the pictures he took earlier.
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Castiel stares at the picture from Dean and swallows hard. It's a shot of Dean from the nose down, his pink, full lips twisted in a devilish smirk, freckles scattered across his chest, including the one on Dean's left peck that Castiel loves to kiss. Dean's sun kissed skin goes for miles, lower and lower until Castiel’s eyes find one of the few things in the world that can make his mouth water.
Dean is wearing a pair of maroon satin panties, his hard dick creasing the front, the tip of the head peeking out from behind black lace trim and holy shit, Castiel can't wait to get his mouth on Dean.
Before he can think too much about it, the house lights go down and the crowd cheers. Castiel is sitting to the left of the stage, having been given a VIP pass when he visited Will Call. He smiles and waves at Andrea and Dorothy. He’s with the husbands and wives of the band and Castiel laughs to himself as he greets them; his face is as familiar to them as anyone considered a “spouse” and their friends often joke they should just get married already, make it official.
Castiel would say yes if Dean ever really asked him.
When Dean comes on stage, the atmosphere of the arena shifts. The crowd is electric and their cheers buzz through his skin. It reminds Castiel of how Dean makes him feel anytime he walks into a room. The light changes and Castiel’s blood hums every time Dean is near. Watching him on stage in front of twenty thousand people doesn’t change that.
Castiel is staring, and he knows the smile on his face is huge; it makes his cheeks hurt. Dean steps into the light and his eyes lock on Castiel. Dean’s grin widens and Castiel feels a thrill run through him. Castiel takes Dean in, his eyes trailing up from his black boots to his bow legs wrapped in leather. He squirms a little when he thinks about what's underneath, waiting for him to discover later.
Dean is wearing a matching maroon v-neck and Castiel licks his lips in appreciation. He looks delicious and Castiel looks forward to seeing all those clothes on his bedroom floor tomorrow morning.
Dean greets the crowd here to see him and his voice reverberating throughout the stadium sends chills down Castiel’s spine. Dean’s voice always reminds Castiel of autumn, like that feeling he gets when the days become shorter and he can feel dusk settle in his bones. It’s like a deep breath of cold air, the kind that makes you feel new, like you can take on just about anything.
Castiel dreams about it and now, he closes his eyes to let Dean’s voice and the sound of twenty thousand people worshipping him, wrap around him. Dean once confided in Castiel that hearing all these people chant his name made him feel like he was flying and falling at the same time. Considering that was exactly how Dean made Castiel feel, he could understand completely.
Castiel told him as much when Dean was riding him later that night.
The band opens with one of their biggest hits. The opening chords to “The Righteous Man” start and Castiel grins. When Dean was writing this song, they were spending a week in Seattle before Castiel went away for a promotional tour and their conversation had turned to religion. When Castiel woke in the morning, Dean was up and scribbling in the notebook he always carried, inspired by their conversation so much that it kept him up all night.
The song spent ten weeks in the number one spot on the charts and twenty-four weeks in the top ten. It was the song that catapulted the band from good to great. After that, it was all headline tours and months on the road. Castiel is proud of Dean and his success and the thought he might have played even a small part of that always makes him feel warm. When Dean sent him the album before it was released and he read the last line of the dedication Dean wrote, his heart felt fit to burst.
I find my happiness where my sun shines. Shine, darling.
Dean always calls Castiel his sunshine and the endearment is something that makes Castiel’s heart flutter every single time Dean utters it.
Castiel settles into his seat to enjoy the show.