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DEJA VU DEAN Since he started working at the Gas ‘n Sip six months ago, Dean’s been looking forward to working each and every Monday morning for exactly one reason- the gorgeous dark haired, blue eyed man who comes in regularly. He’s always wearing a ridiculous beige what Dean inwardly refers to as a ‘flasher coat’ over a black suit jacket with matching slacks. He looks like a respectable guy, with a good job. Dean tries to imagine him working as an accountant or maybe a lawyer or something. Though Dean doesn’t so much as know his name, he has been harboring a long-time crush on the man but just hasn’t had the nerve to make a move. Hell, he doesn’t even know if the man is into dudes but he’s working up the courage to ask him out, just… not yet. It’s one such Monday morning when Blue Eyes comes in and gets his usual- $40 in gas, a starbucks cold brew coffee and a blueberry muffin. Dean rings him up and asks, “Will there be anything else?” The man offers a polite, “No, that’s all,” in his familiar gravelly tone. Dean nods and tells him his total and the man hands over some bills and their fingers brush for a split second. Dean's heart begins to race as he types in the amount and the cash register opens. He hands over the man’s change along with his receipt and like always, tells him, “Have a nice day.” The man, also like always, replies, “You too,” with a smile before walking away. These interactions have been the same every time for six months and Dean lives for them- as pathetic as that sounds. He hasn’t dated in two years, ever since Benny broke his heart by falling in love with someone else while they were still together. He doesn’t fault Benny though, you can’t help who you fall in love with or out of love with he guesses. And at least Benny had been honest about it and hadn’t cheated on him- Dean will always respect him for that. They’re still good friends to this day. Benny and Andrea are married now and expecting their first child any day now- A little girl to be named Elizabeth. Dean’s thoughts go back to Blue Eyes whenever he’s restocking things in between customers and he wonders if they could realistically have a future together. Maybe have their own blue eyed children with IVF and an egg donor/surrogate parent. He can almost picture them together with a little blue eyed blonde haired boy by their side as they take family portraits together and go on adventures and read the little boy bedtime stories before tucking him in for the night. Dean’s brought back from his thoughts when another customer enters and the bell above the door rings. “Welcome to Gas ‘n Sip. Anything I can help you with?” he greets them with a polite smile, watching as they walk toward the cash register without so much as a glance in his direction. He sighs and leaves the rest of the boxes to be unloaded while he goes back to ring up the current customer, leaving his daydreams behind for now. ************ CASTIEL Cas has been stopping at the Gas 'n Sip every Monday morning for gas and a quick breakfast ever since he started working at Mercy General Hospital, which was eight years ago. But about six months ago there was a new, extremely handsome face there to greet him. A man with grown out but tamed light brown hair, a mustache and a light beard that was neatly trimmed and definitely suited him, along with a name tag that says, ‘Dean’. This man has also got the most beautiful eyes Cas has ever seen- emerald green with flecks of gold around the edges. Dean has a great smile too, the kind that brings out the wrinkles around his eyes. He’s just a beautiful human being. Though they’ve barely spoken, Cas finds himself thinking about Dean often. Call it a crush if you want, but he finds himself wondering what his last name is or what he does for fun or if he’s into men. What about family? Does he want a family someday? Does he already have one? As far as Cas can tell, Dean isn't married or at least he doesn't wear a ring. Of course just because you aren't married doesn't mean you don't have kids or can't be in a relationship. And if he had to guess, he thinks Dean is about five years younger than himself. Cas may think about Dean so much because he's a little lonely since his last relationship ended over a year ago. April, his ex, had been an exciting development to his little routine centered world. She rode a motorcycle and had multiple piercings and was totally unlike anyone Cas dated before. She was perhaps a little intense even before they got intimate, but Cas had chosen to ignore those red flags at the time. A mistake he would come to regret when time came to end things and she pulled a knife on him screaming at him that if she couldn’t have him nobody could. He looks down at the fading scar on his forearm where April had cut him then shakes himself out of his memories. He realizes he hasn’t even been paying attention to the movie he was supposed to be watching in the comfort of his living room. What was it called again? He can’t even recall what movie he put on or why he picked it, so instead of rewinding or starting it over, he just turns the tv off. He gets up, puts his meat lover’s pizza in the fridge before downing the rest of his light beer and heads for bed. ************ DEAN Thursday rolls around and Dean’s just waiting for a sign or something. For the universe to tell him somehow to make his move on Blue Eyes. Not long after he clocks in, the usual every morning customers come through and pay for their gas and/or breakfast. Dean’s just going through the motions until he notices Blue Eyes walk through the automatic doors. Dean’s jaw hits the floor with how surprised he is to see him. Could this be the sign he asked for? Only…he’s not wearing his usual outfit, no this time he’s wearing a pair of black jeans and an olive green sweater vest. Dean steadies himself and takes a deep breath before Blue Eyes makes it to the counter. You can do this. You got this, just ask him out. He tells himself. When Blue Eyes does make it to the counter, his clothes aren’t the only thing different about him. Instead of his usual Starbucks cold brew coffee and blueberry muffin, he’s got an apple juice and a banana. “Decide to change things up today, huh?” Dean tries, but that only earns him an odd look from the man in front of him. After Blue Eyes pays for his things and gets his change, Dean presses on. “So, this might be a little weird, I don’t even know your name or anything, but would you like to go out sometime?” The man smiles, but then holds up his left hand for Dean to see a wedding band that he’s apparently never noticed before. “I appreciate the compliment, but I’m happily married. Sorry.” Blue Eyes says and it shouldn’t hurt so much to be rejected by someone he’s had such little interaction with, but it does. Dean watches Blue Eyes walk away like it’s no big deal and that hurts even worse. ************ CASTIEL After a long uneventful weekend, Monday finally comes around and Cas can’t wait to see Dean again. Cas thinks maybe after all this time of crushing on the man he’ll finally get the courage to give him his phone number or something this time. But today when Cas gets to the register Dean barely makes eye contact and seems deeply uncomfortable. “$40 in gas, coffee and a blueberry muffin,” Cas tells him, just like every other time. “Will there be anything else?” Dean asks, like always, but this time there’s no smile or sparkle in his eyes. “No, that’s all,” Cas replies, losing his nerve about giving Dean his phone number since the man’s acting like he can’t wait to get away from him for some reason. Dean tells him his total and Cas hands him some bills, and just like every other Monday for the past six months, their fingers brush for a split second and Cas finds himself blushing. Cas thinks maybe he’s just let this little crush of his become more than it ever should have and he’s made Dean uncomfortable. Dean clears his throat and hands Cas his change and the receipt and opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. He opens, then closes his mouth again and shakes his head. “Look, I just wanted to apologize about what happened the other day. I obviously didn’t know you were married or I would have never hit on you in the first place. I’m sorry and I hope I haven’t made you too uncomfortable.” Cas raises an eyebrow. “I’m not married, Dean. And I think I would remember if you hit on me.” “Wait, you’re not married?” “No, I’m not.” “Then why the hell were you wearing a wedding band when I saw you last? Oh god, was that just for my benefit? You trying to keep the creepy cashier/gas station attendant from hitting on you?” “What? Wedding band? I wasn’t wearing a wedding-” It suddenly hits Cas like a ton of bricks and he starts laughing hysterically. So hard that tears start falling. Dean just looks at him like he’s lost his mind, crossing his arms in front of him and waiting for an explanation. “That must have been my brother- my twin brother, Jimmy who you hit on. He is happily married.” “You’re telling me you have a twin brother?” “Yes, I am. I only ever come in here on Mondays before work. What day did you see him?” “Thursday.” “And I bet he didn’t get the same things I always get and I know for a fact we don’t dress the same. Didn’t you get even a hint that it wasn’t me?” “I guess there was something off about him, but I didn’t know there were two of you.” “That’s fair. Plus this is literally the most we’ve ever spoken to one another before, so it’s not like I can blame you for not seeing our very noticeable differences. Also, my name is Castiel, but you can call me ‘Cas’.” Dean is blushing furiously now and he clears his throat, then licks his lips. “Well, Cas, since you’re not ‘happily married’ like your brother, would you like to go out sometime?” Cas grins from ear to ear. “I absolutely would. Why don’t I give you my phone number and you can text me later.” Dean smiles, that beautiful smile that Cas loves to see. “That works.” THE END