Castiel sucked his busted lip in between his teeth as he shivered under the sheets. He felt awful. Like, wow, I'm going to die awful. The twins had left his school, but the torture got worse. People constantly picked on him, especially when Dean wasn't around, but Castiel was determined not to let anyone know how bad things were actually getting. They made it very clear that if he told anyone, that they would gut him like a fish. Gut Dean like a fish. That is not rights. No how much light Cas shines on the situation, he cannot see through any cracks at all.

Lucifer wasn't a fan either, but he could do nothing about it. He was out of that school, and Castiel didn't want any drama. As a good brother, Luci kept his mouth shut while his little brother stood miserable in his own school. Every day, he would wake up, and after lucifer took theater tech in his middle school, Cas would make him cover up the bruises and the black eyes. It was just the big stuff.

But that isn't why Cas is miserable now. Not the only reason.

Castiel's stomach felt like it was going to tear straight through his skin. He was dizzy. He was thirsty. He had a headache that made him think that his skull wasn't strong enough to hold his brain. It's 3AM, and Cas didn't want to get up and wake Luci or Gabe. He just wanted to wait it out.

But he really couldn't.

He is going to throw up in his sheets if he doesn't get up now. He slowly tiptoed to the bathroom, holding his breath, and maybe a little more in. He takes the makeup off every night, and Lucifer helps. Can't wake anyone up. He slowly sped up, finding his way onto the tile floor and sloppily shutting the door behind him.

To say the least, he puked.

Nah. It was worse than just puke. He felt like he was on fire. He was weak. His nostrils and throat burned, and his heart was beating really, really fast. Cas was afraid.

"Cas, a-" Lucifer's worried voice sounded as he heard the door open. Castiel didn't move, besides his stomach heaving. "Cas, oh my gosh." Lucifer practically jumped on his brother, patting his back as he threw up. "Cassie, you're burning up." Lucifer looked at his brother's blue eyes. "I'll go get mom."

"No, Lucifer," Castiel pleaded, staring sadly into his brothers eyes. "Please, don't."

"Cas, you're sick!" Lucifer narrowed his eyes and stood up. "I have to, bud. I want you to get better."

"Not while I look like this." Castiel gestured to his eye, which was a tiny bit swollen and still purple. He couldn't let his mother see him like this. He can't tell anyone.

"Cas—"

"I said no, Lucifer."

"You have to tell her, someday!" Lucifer's lip quivered, and a tear formed in his eye. "Cas, you're sick, and you are getting beat up. I love you, little brother. I can't stand to see you get hurt like you are."

"Then stop caring."

Ten years of age. That's all Cas was. He was only ten, and he just told his teenaged brother, the one he was closest to, to stop caring about him. That isn't something that he's supposed to do. That isn't supposed to happen.

"You want me to stop caring?" Lucifer narrowed his eyes once more. "Cas, we've been inseparable since you were born! I can't just stop caring about you!"

"Why not?" Castiel didn't understand why he was saying what he was saying. He wanted to hug Lucifer and tell him that he just wanted out of it. He wanted out of school. He wanted out of the pain. He just wanted a different life. But all that came out of Castiel's mouth were lies. Blatant lies.

Lucifer stumbled back. Staring at his brother in shock. From that moment, Cas knew he messed up. "What are they saying to you, Castiel?"

"Hm? Who?" Castiel whimpered. Twisting himself to where he was back over the toilet and throwing up.

"The people who did that to you. What are they telling you?" Lucifer clenched his fists, I afraid of letting the tears in his eyes fall onto the floor.

"Useless." To sum it up, that was how it felt. That was how he felt. He couldn't fight back, and he couldn't tell anyone. He was just protecting them.

At that moment, Lucifer understood, and Castiel saw it. This needs to stop. The problem is, Cas doesn't know how. He can't tell anyone. Not even Dean. That's the hardest thing: not telling Dean, but Castiel cannot have Dean worried about him every breathing moment. That's be constricting. Dean couldn't do anything he wanted without the tiny feeling of sadness, or worse, guilt, tugging at the back of his brain. He can't tell his mother for the same reasons, plus the gigantic deal she would make out of it. "Lucifer, I... I'm so sorry."

"I'm getting mom, Cas."

"I'm already here," she said. Her tall frame was leaned against the doorway. She shook her head. "Lucifer, go back to bed. I need to talk to your brother."

"But-"

"Bed, now." With that simple command, Luci shut his eyes, hung his head, and trudged back to his bed.

"Mom-"

"Castiel, not now. Open up." She held up the thermometer, and Cas tried his best not to hang his head. Surely he was in trouble. He's been keeping that secret for almost two years, and has been getting away with it until now. She stuck the thermometer in his mouth, feeling his forehead. "Oh, honey." The rest of the time the thermometer was in his mouth was a completely awkward silence, where he was looking down, and she was so close to tilting his head up. "102.4."

"Sorry," he squeaked, bracing himself. A fever was something wrong in his body. He was doing something wrong.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart." She pulled him up, and made him force down some Zofran (nausea pills) and sit on the side of the bath tub. "Now, Cas, look at me."

"I can't."

"You can, Castiel, and you will. It pains me to see my baby so miserable. If you don't want me to make a big deal out of it, fine. But Cas... This... This needs to stop." She brushed her thumb under the bruise on his eye. "Baby, it's changing you."

"I haven't changed a bit, Mom."

"Cas, you agree with them. I can see it in your eyes. That's change enough, bud. You're ten, Cas. You should be living a fun, happy childhood with your brothers. You're supposed to have friends—friends like Dean. You shouldn't be sitting here relying on your brother to make all of your problems disappear." She paused, looking down at her trembling son, who was coughing a little bit.

"No one compares to Dean." Castiel looked up. He snapped. He can't make a better friend than Dean. That'd make Castiel feel like a traitor.

"That's not what this is about, Cas. I know what you're doing. No more hiding your pain from me, Cas. I swear that you are a man hiding inside of a boy's body. Sometimes being so humble can bring too much pain."

"Then what am I supposed to do, mom?" Castiel was shaking. He couldn't bare the thought of those bullies following through with their plan.

If you tell a soul about this, your little buddy boy has a lot worse coming to him.

"You have to tell someone, Castiel." She took his hand. "Baby, please."

"I can't. You don't understand. They threatened Dean!"

"They won't be able to get to Dean. I can make you that promise right here, right now." She pulled him into a hug. "Let's get you into bed and see how you're feeling tomorrow, okay?"

Reluctantly, Castiel followed his mother back to his bed. "Good night, mom."

"Good night, sweet boy."

--

"Hey, Cas. Dean wants to hang out." Lucifer shook him awake, sighing as Castiel groaned.

"Okay." He still didn't feel well, but Dean was sick before he was, and Cas wanted to hang out with his Astro. He was willing to walk across the street just to see his friend.

"He's still sick." Mary gave Castiel a smile. "He's up in his room, if you want to go say hello, Castiel."

Cas nodded and slowly walked up the stairs. He was tired. That didn't matter, though. Castiel knew his mother had to talk to Dean's. She wouldn't have let Cas come in this condition unless she had another reason. It must be because of last night.

"Hey, Dean."

"Hi, Cas!" Dean chirped. His lips were chapped and his eyes were tired, but he didn't let that put a damper on his mood when his friend came into the room.

What did was Castiel's eye.

"Angel, what happened?" He squirmed in his bed, trying to get up.

"It's nothing, Dean. Nothing that I could really prevent." Castiel sat next to him, shutting his eyes. "I'm sorry I just let it happen. They said they'd hurt you." Cas hung his head.

"Wait you mean that girl who keeps picking on you at lunch?"

"And her 3 best friends."

"Oh, Cas. Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"It was too real. They were too real. Their threats were genuine."

"Oh, Angel." Cas felt Dean's arms wrap around him. "Let's not think about that. Let's think about... How we're sick buddies!" Dean laughed as he leaned back. Cas leaned back, landing right next to Dean, and eventually, they both were asleep.

--a/n--

Look another bootiful chapter

I love this book but no one else does I cri.

Pls comment vote and share.

Btw Camp was fun AF. I'm going back in 3 weeks (more like 2 now) and also I'm seeing tøp in the pit in 7 days

-I love you my Carcrashovercastyoungbloods

-Emily aka Foblvr