Archive of Our Own ^beta

Day 8- Insipid

Cas draped an arm over the edge of the table and crossed his legs as he watched the people dancing elegantly.  He sighed and looked across the table at his sister, Anna.  She looked so beautiful in her ball gown, her dark red hair pulled up in an elegant chignon that showed off her slender neck.  She was on display, as if she were a shiny bauble meant to attract the available Alphas here tonight.  It was the same reason he was here.  He hated these insipid parties.  Omegas were nothing but cattle to be sold off to the highest bidder.  That wasn’t what he was and he’d denied every Alpha that had approached him tonight, even after being threatened by his mother. 

“Are you alright?”  Anna asked.

“I’m bored,”  He sighed again.

“You should accept one of the dances.  Not every Alpha here is unkind or selfish.  I’ve met several nice ones tonight,”

He frowned at her before looking out at the people dancing again.  “Any you’d consider taking as your mate?”

She laid one perfectly manicured hand on the table and pointed across the room to a tall man dancing with a girl they knew from church, Rachel.  While they danced beautifully together, there was something stiff and formal about it that told Cas and Anna both that Rachel wasn’t interested in the Alpha. 

“I like him.  I like that one too,”  She pointed to another man, this one with perfectly styled blonde hair.  “The tall one, his name is Sam, the blonde one, he’s British.  His name is Balthazar.  He’s very charming.  Sam is more…reserved, but I like that about him.  He’s also a bit young.  I don’t think he’d be happy to know I’m already finished with school.  I don’t want to hold him back.  He has a brother here too, but his brother showed no interest at all in me, didn’t even ask me to dance.  This whole courting thing, it’s a give and take.  It does me no good to like an Alpha if they don’t like me back,”

Cas looked at Balthazar who was sitting at another table, chatting with several people that he was fairly certain were other Alphas.  One in particular caught his attention, the first one that had piqued his interest all evening.  He looked handsome in his tux.  He hadn’t realized he was staring until the Alpha was looking back at him. 

“Oh my god,”  He gasped when the Alpha stood up and started walking over to their table.

“Oh, that’s Sam’s brother!”  Anna whispered.  She sat up straighter, thinking he was coming to ask her to dance finally, but instead he stopped in front of Cas.

“Hello,”

Cas looked up at the man who was most certainly an Alpha.

“H-hello,”  He glanced nervously at his sister before looking at the Alpha again.  The man was holding out his hand.  Before he knew what he was doing, he was taking the Alpha’s hand and being led out onto the dance floor.

“My name’s Dean, what’s yours?”

“Castiel, though most people call me Cas,”  He inhaled sharply as Dean placed a hand on his lower back and tugged him close enough that they were touching, then took his hand.  It was a waltz, a dance the Omega could do with his eyes closed, but it was apparent that Dean knew the dance as well.  They moved fluidly together but he found it impossible to take his eyes off the Alpha’s face.  Dean was absolutely gorgeous, definitely the most handsome man here.

“Castiel, are you one of the angels?”

Cas blushed but maintained eye contact.  He wasn’t meek or shy, and if Dean was looking for someone like that, he wasn’t going to find it with him. 

“Angels?  If you’re asking am I one of Charles Novak’s children, the answer would be yes,”

“Then the beauty sitting at your table would be your sister, Anna.  My brother has found her to be quite lovely, however I don’t find her nearly as beautiful as you,” 

Cas found himself smiling softly.  Dean was charming.  He hoped the man wasn't simply superficial.  He was curious about Sam though, and why he wasn’t with Anna if he liked her so much.  “Then why did he choose to dance with my cousin, Rachel?”  Cas didn’t care that he might be considered undesirable for opening his mouth and speaking his mind, but Dean only seemed to look amused.

“Well, our father is here, and he basically ordered us to speak to as many Omegas as possible.  Sam butts heads with our dad a lot, but for some reason, this he listened to.  He’s been dancing with people all night,”

“And you?  Have you been dancing with people all night?”  Cas asked.  Dean smiled at him, a charming, beautiful smile he had a hard time looking away from.

“No, just you.  He’s mad at me for that.  You’re the only one that has interested me at all tonight, or at any of these parties, really.  These parties are horrible and I hate that parents use them to mate off their single children.  I mean, I’m twenty two, I think I could stand to be left to choose for myself.  My father was chosen by my mother, and without any of these stupid parties, but they seem to think I need help.  Poor Sammy’s only eighteen.  He’s leaving to go to Stanford in two months.  Whatever Omega chooses him, he’ll have to go with them where they want, unless he’s still allowed to go to school, and that I don’t think is fair.  It’s up to us Alphas to choose which Omegas we would like to dance and talk with, but then we’re at their mercy to be chosen as a potential mate,”  Dean studied his face for a moment.  “What about you?”

“I hate these parties.  This is my fourth one and I have turned away every single Alpha, every single time because I hate that my father is forcing me to attend them.  You are the first one I’ve agreed to dance with,”  Cas held his chin proudly.  Dean’s smile was back.

“Tonight?”

“At any party.  Your father is not the only one upset,” 

Dean raised his eyebrows.  “Really?  May I ask, why me?”

“I…thought you looked handsome in your tux.  You’re very handsome, for more reasons than just your tux, of course, and I thought maybe I would see what you’re like.  It goes beyond just physical attraction.  You say you’re twenty two?  Have you gone to college?”

Dean paused when the song ended.  When the next one started, Cas gave a small nod and they began dancing to that one.

“Well, I have completed my bachelor’s and I’m currently working on my masters.  I’m earning a degree in psychology.  I want to be a child psychologist.  I should be done in another year, then I’ll start on my doctorate.  What about you?”

Cas liked hearing that Dean had plans for his future, and he didn’t want to do anything to discourage him.  It dawned on him that he was thinking in terms of mating.  He took a second to clear his head.

“Well, I’m twenty five, I already have my masters, I’m working towards a doctorate in history.  I want to teach, though I’m not sure which university yet,”

“Have you thought about taking a mate?”  Dean asked.  The song ended so Dean took a moment to look around and once he’d spotted an empty table, he led Cas over to it.  Once the Omega was seated, Dean took the chair closest and scooted it over so they were able to talk and be heard over the other people and the band that was playing.

“From a biological standpoint, yes, it’s been on my mind for a while now, but I wanted to finish school first.  My father doesn’t understand that.  He wants me to select a mate now.  He and my mother met through church, they never had to attend these parties, and there was no hierarchy as to who chose who.  Then this upper class crap started and suddenly Omegas have to pick an Alpha, and basically lead them around by the nose.  I would say it’s archaic, but our ancestors were better about knowing what they wanted and going after it.  I highly doubt there were high society dinners and parties with the intention of basically getting rid of unmated offspring, but not to just anyone, mind you.  They have to be bartered off to others with money.  So, where did yours come from?  Mother?  Father?  Both?”  Cas crossed his legs again and leaned an elbow on the table as he shifted closer to Dean.  The Alpha smelled wonderful and he wanted to be near his scent.  The way Dean was leaning towards him told him the Alpha enjoyed his scent too, but was trying to be polite about scenting him.

“It was my mother.  My dad was a business owner, but he didn’t come from money.  He built his auto shops one at a time.  He had two already by the time he met my mother, and by the time I was born he had two more.  He has twenty four now.  My grandfather, that being my mother’s father, thought my dad was not good enough for her because he didn’t come from old money, but made his own.  My dad didn’t ask my mother for a single penny, and he made sure her dad knew that too as he built his business up.  I’m not going to say my grandfather likes my dad, but the fact that my dad now makes millions a year sure has gone a long way towards at least giving him tolerance.  He accepts myself and my brother though, but insisted that we attend only the best schools, attend the best universities, play the sports he approved of, stuff like that.  Too bad I also worked for my dad.  He taught me how to build a car from the ground up, something my grandfather absolutely hates.  He says that working with my hands is beneath me.  I like it though.  To me, it feels like I’m accomplishing something.  It beats playing lacrosse and tennis.  You have no idea how much I hate tennis,”

Cas chuckled softly and nodded.  “Oh, I know that one.  Weekends at the country club, Tennis, lacrosse, but add on ballet, because all the Omegas in my family are made to do dance.  I learned to play piano, another must do, and violin.  Anna learned piano and flute.  She tried to learn saxophone, just to upset our father, but he put his foot down.  Growing up in money feels like having a noose around my neck.  I come from old money, on my mother and father’s side.  They set me up so I would be perfect for whatever Alpha I chose, but I get a twisted kick out of throwing a wrench into their plans every chance I get,”

“Like avoiding Alphas at these parties?”  Dean grinned.

“And learning to cook and play baseball and soccer and listen to rock and anything else I knew would get under my father’s skin,”

Dean leaned in closer, his eyes lighting up with interest.  “What kind of rock do you listen to?”

“Classic 80’s, mostly, but I like earlier rock too.  Some 90’s is good too,”

His eyes widened as Dean took his hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it.

“I like you very much, Cas.  I don’t want a mate that is a refined snob, there’s enough of those already, I’m hoping you’re looking for the same,”

Cas gave his most dazzling smile and leaned close enough to press his lips to the Alpha’s ear.

“If I wanted a snob, I’d have picked one years ago.  I want my equal, someone that can think for themselves, and will respect that I can think for myself.  Do you think you can give me what I want?”

He felt the way Dean shivered and leaned even closer.

“Absolutely.  So, does this mean I can court you?”

Cas liked Dean.  His father would be glad to know that he wanted this Alpha.

“Yes, it does,”

“Can I still go to school?”  Dean asked.

“Of course.  None of this one is better than the other nonsense.  We’re equals or there’s no courting,”  Cas said firmly.  He blushed when Dean kissed his hand again.

“I really wish it was your lips I was kissing right now, but I can see both of our fathers watching us, and I don’t think it would go over very well if I did,”  Dean’s voice was low against his ear and it made him shiver.  He was tempted to just drag the Alpha out with him now.  Instead, he turned his head and caught Dean’s lips in a quick but intense kiss.  It startled the Alpha, but then he was grinning wide.

“You’re definitely the Omega I want.  I’ll talk to your dad, since he’s walking over here now and he doesn’t look too happy,”

Cas looked up and saw that Dean was right, his father was making his way over, and there was a dark haired man with him.

“I think that’s your dad too,”

Dean turned around and spotting his father, he stood up.  Cas followed suit, smoothing down his tuxedo jacket.

“Castiel,”  Charles sounded stern but his son was quick to speak up.

“Father, I’ve made my choice.  I am choosing Dean…,” 

“Winchester.  Dean Winchester,”  Dean offered the man his hand.  Charles looked at it for a moment before taking it and shaking it firmly.

“Winchester, I don’t believe I know that name,”

“My grandfather is Samuel Campbell,”  Dean said.  That sparked recognition in the older man’s eyes.

“Yes, Samuel, and Mary would be your mother,”

Dean nodded.  “Yes, and this is my father, John,”  He made a sweeping gesture towards his father who had just arrived at the table.

“Dean, what was the meaning of that?”  John glanced nervously at Charles before glaring again at his son.

“Please, let us stop the posturing.  I have chosen Dean, he has my blessing to court me, now he just needs my father’s,”  Cas said.  John’s demeanor instantly changed.

“Really?”

“Sure did,”  Dean glanced at Charles before politely nodding to his own.  “And I’d like to start immediately.”

“Well, considering my son has turned away all other suitors, I consider this to be a wonderful moment.  You have my blessing.  I must check on your sister, the party is almost over and I believe that she has not yet chosen an Alpha,”  Charles shook hands with Dean again, then John before excusing himself.

“God I’m glad that’s over,”  Cas rolled his eyes and groaned.  John quirked an eyebrow at him and looked to his son.

“I found the least stuffy rich guy in the room,”  Dean grinned.  “He’s so cool, and he likes classic rock.  I can’t wait to take him on a road trip once we’re done with school.”

John smiled and chuckled at his son’s enthusiasm.  “Your mother is going to be thrilled.  I need to see what Sam is up to.  Last I saw, he was on his twelfth Omega.  I’m sure his feet are killing him by now.  I didn’t literally mean every Omega in the room.  He’s too young for this.  If your darn grandfather wasn’t pushing for these stupid parties I’d have kept him at home.  I think the next one, if he didn’t find someone he liked here, I’m not forcing him to attend the next one.  It’s good to know you found someone you’re compatible with.  I don’t believe in this hoity toity, froo froo crap, and I didn’t raise my boys to either.  Neither has my mate.  She might come from old money but she’s not the snob her father is.  I think you’ll like Mary.  I know she’s going to like you,”

Cas smiled and when Dean wrapped an arm around his waist, he moved closer, leaning into the Alpha’s side.  “Everything equal, just like our ancestors were.  I can shift too, not that my father likes it.  My sister and I go running sometimes when they think we’re at the country club,”

“We can too.  Sam and I go all the time.  Sometimes dad comes, and once or twice mom has too, but only when my grandfather is traveling out of the country.  He doesn’t like that we shift and run.  Too bad I don’t care,”  Dean laughed.  “I’m probably the least refined guy here, and I’m perfectly ok with that.”

“I like you just the way you are.”  Cas smiled at the handsome Alpha.  This would be his mate soon, and he knew he couldn’t have chosen a better one.  For once, he was glad he’d come to one of these parties.