Deanâs looking through Casâs contacts for the number of their favorite pizza place. (Really, why isnât it on speed dial by now?) He slides through the first few letters of the alphabet, then back up to D. He pauses. âHey, Cas?â
Cas is at the opposite end of the couch, watching the news on the TV screen with a frown. He doesnât bother to look at Dean. âYes?â
âWhy am I saved as Dean Winchester on your phone?â He canât help his derisive tone.
Cas, brow furrowed, slides his gaze to Dean. âI was under the impression that was your name.â
âIt is,â Dean says. He scratches his chin. âItâs just - I mean, weâve known each other for six years, dude.â
Cas is ignoring the TV now, which is a feat, but heâs also staring at Dean through narrowed eyes. âYes,â he says slowly. âIâm glad you can count that high.â
âShut up,â Dean says, making a face. âIâm just sayinâ - weâre best friends, arenât we?â
Cas blinks, still confused. âYes. What does that have to do with your name?â
Dean pulls out his own phone. âLook,â he says, then taps on the screen a few times before showing Cas his contact info.
Cas has to lean in to see. ââCasâ is certainly my name,â he confirms, then lifts his gaze to Dean with concern. âDean, are you feeling alright?â
Thing is, Deanâs phone doesnât just say Cas. It says Cas with a little bee emoji. It certainly doesnât say Castiel Novak. Jesus. Heâs not sure how to explain the difference to Cas without feeling like an idiot, so he tries a different tack:Â âIncluding my last name is weird, man.â
âIt just is! I mean, Iâm not goinâ around with my mom saved as Mary Winchester, am I?â
âNo, since sheâs saved under âmomâ because thatâs what you call her. Youâre saved as Dean Winchester because I call you Dean Winchester.â
âYou only call me that when youâre pissed,â Dean says, stammering. âAnd it reminds me of my mom. Trust me - itâs weird.â
Cas is doing the thing again. Staring at Dean with narrowed eyes, picking apart information in that creepy way of his, making silent deductions like heâs Sherlock Holmes, except infinitely hotter. âThatâs not why it bothers youâ is all he says.
Deanâs face is on fire. âWeâre best friends, man,â he says weakly, not knowing what else to say that could capture this very specific frustration. Then he shakes his head. He canât believe heâs put off ordering his pizza for this. âWhatever,â he eventually says. He directs his attention back to pizza. âPepperoni OK? We can get mushrooms on one side or something, you fungus freak.â
Cas doesnât answer. All he does is frown, then pluck his phone out from Deanâs grip and start tapping away. Itâs only a few seconds later that Cas is handing it back.
Dean takes a look. Cas has changed Deanâs contact info, and now it says Dean â„. Deanâs heart jumps in his throat. Face burning, he looks at Cas.
Cas has already turned back to the news. But⊠Is Dean imagining it, or are Casâs ears turning red? âDidnât know what else to put,â Cas mumbles. âThereâs no Chevy Impala emoji. And pepperoniâs fine.â
Deanâs grinning all of a sudden. He canât stifle it. He doesnât know what to do with this giddiness, so he just scrolls through Casâs contacts and dials the pizza place.
Heâs on the phone ordering the half pepperoni-half mushroom pizza when Cas finally turns and meets his gaze. He sees Deanâs smile and shakes his head in exasperation, but heâs biting down on a smile himself.
Deanâs still smiling when the pizza gets there.