PROMPT: 40 “Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?
PAIRING: Dean/Cas
TAGS: Dean/Cas, flirting, AU
“Just go talk to him,” Charlie said as she pretended to choose from the various bags of chips in front of her.
“I’ve been working on him for weeks. He’s not interested.” Dean tore his eyes away from Cas, who was behind the Gas-N-Sip counter with another customer. “I can hardly get him to look at me when I talk to him.”
“Maybe he’s shy. Maybe he’s waiting for you to make a grand gesture.” Charlie smiled, her eyes bright. “Ask him out. No more flirting.”
Dean shook his head. “Flirting is my A game, I can’t just give that up.” He grabbed a bag of Doritos, stole another glance at Cas, and then turned to the fountain drinks.
“Then he’s impervious.” Charlie said. “You have to try a different tactic.”
Dean shook his head as he filled his cup. “I don't think he gets what I'm trying to do.”
Charlie elbowed him. “Then stop trying to do a thing and actually do the thing.”
“Okay, okay! Let me get a lid.” Dean grabbed a plastic lid from the dispenser and applied it to his cup with more care and precision than he gave his car.
“You’re stalling,” Charlie hissed.
“It’s called working up courage,” Dean muttered. He took a deep breath and smiled--easy, relaxed, the patented Winchester charm working in his favor once again. He walked up to the counter with his items and waited for the older guy in overalls to finish paying for his gas.
“Hey, Cas.”
Cas lifted his eyes from the counter for a brief moment. “Dean.” He typed prices into the aged cash register like Dean was any other customer, not the one who’d come in daily for weeks just to talk to him.
Dean glanced back at Charlie, eyes wide with exasperation.
“You working tomorrow?” Dean tried.
“Yes.” Cas bagged the chips and packaged sandwich. “That’ll be $8.42.”
Dean reached for his wallet and sorted through his cash in slow motion. “How about Monday?”
Cas squinted at him. “For what?”
“Do you work?”
“Of course.”
“Tuesday?”
“Yes.”
Dean propped one hand on the counter and leaned in. “Hey, Cas. They ever let you out of this place? Blink twice if you need someone to bust you out of here.”
Cas laughed softly and smiled as he looked back down at the bag on the counter between them.
Dean smiled broadly. “Is this an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?”
“You’re funny.”
“So tell me when your next day off is so we can grab dinner and maybe I make you laugh some more.”
Cas met his eyes. “Thursday--if you’re free.”
“I’m always free for you,” Dean said, and ignored Charlie’s unmistakable laugh from an aisle over.
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