They go a week without talking to each other, Sam scowling over breakfast and Dean sighing during dinner. Sam is still angry at being lied to. Dean doesn't know what to say to fix it. They continue to stare each other down.

The gay thing or two-guys-together thing or whatever Dean and Cas are calling it doesn't bother him at all, really. It's a little strange knowing it's his brother, and they didn't exactly cover this option in his health class, but if Dean is okay with it that suits Sam just fine. He doesn't have to understand the reasons or their choices. He loves Cas like a brother. And considering they've been in a relationship right under his nose without saying anything, Sam figures he handled it pretty well, tears and all.

When he thinks about it, though, he wonders if Dean understands this. He doesn't want Dean to think he's upset at them being together. He wants Dean to feel bad about lying.

"Dean," he says one afternoon after school, "we need to talk about stuff."

"Yeah, I think so too."

Sam lays it out there, how he loves Dean and loves Cas and loves that everyone in the middle of this whole thing is happy except him. He wants Dean to know he's angry at being lied to and left out and that he's slowly getting over it, but that he's not upset or freaked out about Dean and Cas being together.

Dean seems relieved and hugs Sam, which earns him a jerk and Dean gives him a bitch in return.

The next morning there's plastic wrap covering the toilet seat, and everything goes back to normal.

* * *

The cold weather slowly begins to warm up again. The flowers bloom, the spring rains come, then Sam's 13th birthday and the end of school, until it's summer again. As the weeks pass, Sam can feel the change in the air, even though the heat of August is stifling everything else.

Cas goes on a trip with his mother to look at colleges, which leaves Dean in a horrible mood because he's not sure what his plans are yet. He's talked about technical schools and automotive training, which Sam thinks is the best idea. Dean can take an engine apart and put it back together again with this eyes closed. All he needs is a piece of paper saying that he's trained and he can be making good money.

At first, though, Dean had his mind made up about what his future should be. Sam, who turns into the voice of reason the moment his brother goes starry-eyed with love, had to explain a few things to set him straight. The conversation they had was fairly short and to the point:

"I want to find an apartment and have Cas move in with me," Dean had said.

"What about college?" Sam had asked.

"I'm not going to college, Sammy."

"I figured that. I was talkin' about Cas."

"I'm gonna tell him I love him so I don't lose him and we're gonna be together."

"No, you idiot, you're gonna tell him you love him — which you should've done already — and let him go to college, and be an accountant and all those other things he was talkin' about to become an FBI agent. Don't expect him to give up his dream and rebel for you. You can't use love like some kinda ultimatum," Sam had answered.

And that was that. As much as Dean wants to say otherwise, he knows Sam is right and gives up on the idea.

"How was the college trip, Cas?" Sam asks one hot afternoon down by the lake. They're stretched out the way they always are, with Dean in the middle and Sam and Cas on either side, their heads on Dean's stomach.

"Enlightening. This was only the first trip, however. I have many more to visit before I make a final decision."

Dean taps Cas's forehead. "You sound excited."

"I am. We're going to be juniors. Junior year is very important academically, Dean. I'll have to maintain my GPA as well. I want any potential college or university to be impressed with my grades."

"They will, don't worry. You'll get in anywhere you want."

Cas turns over and props himself up on his elbow to look at Dean. "Why don't you sound excited for me?"

"It's not that."

"Then what, Dean? I don't understand."

"It's just — "

Sam rolls over and sits up. He can hear the tension in Dean's voice.

"What?" Cas asks, placing his hand on Dean's arm.

"I love you, all right? And all this talk about college and goin' away and leavin' me is makin' me feel like shit."

"That's how you decide to say 'I love you'?" Sam asks. "Like that? Really? Wow, you're romantic."

"Shut up, Sammy."

But Cas only smiles, because he knows Dean as well as Sam does. He leans over and kisses Dean on the lips.

"I told you your brother has a difficult time expressing himself, Sam," Cas says, kissing Dean again.

"Yeah, for like two years," Sam scoffs.

Cas takes Dean's hand. "I love you, too. But you know, Dean, I'm merely attending college, not moving to another country. You can visit whenever you'd like."

"I guess."

"Can I visit too?" Sam asks, and he scowls when Dean answers "No" and Cas answers "Yes" at the same time.

"You won't lose me. Don't worry about that."

"I wasn't," Dean mumbles.

"Yes, you were," Sam says.

"We still have all of this year and all of senior year to look forward to," Cas says. "I'm not leaving yet."

Cas squeezes Dean's hand and kisses him one more time, and then settles back down on Dean's stomach. Dean makes a face at Sam and he in return sticks out his tongue before reclaiming his spot on Dean's right side.

"Now," Cas announces, "I believe this is the time in which you require music, Dean."

"You know me so well," Dean says, reaching behind him for the CD player.

"What do you think Dad is gonna say about this?" Sam asks.

"About me and Cas?"

"Yeah."

Dean sighs and presses Play. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Gonna be an awfully wobbly bridge."

The strains of a recognizable guitar riff start coming through the stereo, and then the drums join in on Dean's other favorite Zeppelin song.

When Dean doesn't say anything else, Sam asks, "What about the junior prom?"

"What about it?"

"Are you guys gonna go together?"

"I believe it's a little early to be thinking about the prom," Cas says.

"No," Dean answers, "I've already thought about it. I have our gowns all picked out."

Sam sits up to look at his brother. "Gowns? That sounds — "

"He's joking, Sam," Cas says with a laugh.

"Oh. Very funny, Dean," Sam says, and punches Dean's leg. "Ha. Ha."

Sam scowls, but Dean ruffles his hair in apology. "Bitch."

"Jerk," he says, smiling.

Dean reaches over and takes Cas's hand, and Sam lies back down again. He knows that his brother and Cas are in for a difficult road ahead, dealing with parents, teachers, classmates, and probably most of the damn town. They don't seem to realize it yet, based on how happy they are right now. Sam knows he'll be standing beside them the entire way regardless.

Life is going to be difficult, but as far as Sam's concerned, when Dean starts tapping his fingers on Sam's chest in time to the drums in Travelling Riverside Blues, he feels like everything will be okay.