Two Men and Half an Angel

Chapter 3

"Gabey, no." Cas gave his best stern face as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared down his older brother. "Dean will be angry."

"Lighten up, bro. He ain't gonna be mad. Well, he might be mad with me but he'd never yell at you." Gabriel rolled his eyes as he scooted the chair across the kitchen toward the sink. Once the chair was shoved against the sink he crawled up onto it and reached on his tiptoes to open the cupboard. "He loves you too much. Just tell him it was all me."

Castiel shook his head with a sigh and let his hands fall to his sides. He took a seat on the floor and played with the little toy cars Dean had given him a few hours ago. The bright green mustang was his favorite and he always seemed to have it in his clutch. "I'm hungry."

"That's why I'm getting the cookies, dumby." Gabe chewed on his tongue as he scoured the cupboard. He let out a loud squeak of excitement when he found the plastic wrapped tray holding the Oreo's. "Hell yes!"

"Language!" Cas warned angrily before settling back to making little car noises under his breath as the matchbox cars were pushed along the hardwood.

Gabe turned and sat on the counter with the cookies in his hand. His eyes watched the way Castiel seemed to lose himself in the toy cars and go into a make believe world of his own. It struck Gabriel how much whatever had happened to the angels had affected his brother. His own mind was still all there, he was still mostly himself even if he got tired and all he wanted to do was cuddle up to Sam. For some reason he couldn't get away from this need to be taken care of, to know that someone is watching out for him. Gabe shrugs it off as just a child-like symptom before clambering down from the chair and waltzing over to plop down beside his brother.

"Here's some Oreo's." Gabe opened up the plastic and held out the tray. "They're awesome."

Castiel eyed them warily. "I don't want to. Dean'll be mad at me."

"For the love of-" Gabe set the tray down in between them and searched his brother's eyes carefully. Maybe he could never get an answer out of older Cas, but maybe just maybe kid Cas wouldn't lie. "Why are you so worried what he thinks?"

"I don't want him to make me go away. You said-"

"Dean would never." Gabe let out a tired sigh. "The two of you are tethered to each other for some reason that completely escapes me."

Castiel tilted his head. "Huh?"

"He loves you, idiot." Gabriel reached down and tossed a cookie into his mouth.

"I know." Cas ducked his head with a shy smile. "I love Dean, too."

"You don't even-wait." Gabriel squinted his eyes. "Did you two tell each other when you were bigger?"

Cas nodded as he flipped the mustang in his hands. "He told me that he loved me and that he'd never let anything happen to me. That's why I don't wanna make him mad. He blames himself... I don't want him to be mad."

Gabriel deadpanned. "Jesus."

"What does Jesus-"

"Nevermind. Have a cookie. I'll tell Dean that I made you." Gabriel pushed the cookies a little and watched with a brotherly contentment as Cas reached out and plucked one up.

The two sat in comfortable silence. When enough cookies were eaten that both boys had a tummy ache, they sprawled out on the kitchen floor and played cars. Gabe found himself happy for the first time in millennia as he watched his younger brother giggle and squeal with delight. Maybe being turned into kids wasn't the worst thing that could've happened. Let Dean and Sam stay out all day researching, as long as he was safe and sound with his brother Gabriel would be happy.