It was a cold, winter afternoon. The snow had piled up to a couple of inches, so the Winchesters decided to have a small get-together with their neighbors, the Novaks. They had invited them over to their backyard to play in the freshly fallen snow. Sam, Gabriel and Balthazar ran around, ducking behind bushes and outside furniture while flinging snowballs at one another. Michael, Lucifer and John sat on the patio, talking quietly about their day, and how business is running. Anna, Uriel, and Raphael hid behind a fairly large, snow covered bush, and secretly made snowballs while planning an attack on Sam, Gabriel and Balthazar. No one was really paying attention to the two towards the edge of the backyard, who were hidden behind a large oak tree.
"Dean, teach me how to make a snow angel!" Castiel whispered excitedly to his friend, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Dean smiled, spreading open his arms, and without hesitation, he fell straight back into the soft snow. He grinned.
"See, Cas, you gotta do this," he instructed, moving his arms and legs up and down, over and over. Castiel watched Dean, his pool blue eyes wide.
"Ohh! Gabriel told me you had to lay on your tummy," he said, and then frowned. "But when I did, he pushed my face in the ground and snow got up my nose."
Dean giggled, jumping up and shaking some snow off of him. "No, silly! Don't believe everything Gabriel tells you," Dean warned, pouting. "He tried to tell me that if I ate an acorn, I could become a squirrel." It was Castiel's turn to giggle.
"But squirrels are cute!" he exclaimed, and then paused. He raised his eyebrows. "Did it work?" Dean laughed, swatting playfully at his best friend.
"No- I didn't even eat it! Daddy caught me before I put it in my mouth and-" He suddenly stopped, mouth parting slightly. Cas frowned, staring at his friend in curiosity.
"Dean?" he asked tentatively. The young Winchester squinted, and took in a deep breath, mouth growing wider as he turned swiftly to the side, and let out a loud sneeze. Castiel's eyes widened in surprise, and Dean stood there for a moment, looking dizzy. Cas took a step forward, looking worried. "Bless you, Dean. Are you okay?" His best friend stood there for several more moments, blinking. He sniffled, and his nose suddenly got a light reddish tint to its usual pink. Dean nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I'm alright," he assured carefully, but he didn't sound alright. He sounded stuffed in the nose, and slightly strange to Castiel's keen ears.
"Want me to get your daddy? I could get Michael- He's good with booboos."
Dean pouted. "But I don' got a booboo," he argued, but allowed Cas to take his hand, and lead him around the tree.
"Michael!" Cas called, his voice pleading and worried. "Dean has a booboo!"
"No I don't!" Dean protested in irritation. John stood from the patio stairs, crouching down in front of his son. He reached out, gently pressing a palm onto Dean's forearm.
"What's wrong, son?" he asked softly, a hint of worry in his smooth voice. Cas pressed his shoulder into Dean's, still clinging onto his hand.
"Dean has a booboo," he repeated. Dean grew frustrated.
"I do not!" he shouted, but suddenly cut off, swerving his head to the side and letting out a harsh sneeze. He tried to inhale a clean breath, but his nose wouldn't allow that. He let out a couple coughs, panting heavily through his mouth. Michael stood from his spot beside Lucifer, kneeling down next to John to face Dean.
"Sounds like he's got a cold," he murmured, lifting a hand and pressing it to the child's forehead. He quirked an eyebrow, and gave John a look of surprise. "Scratch that- A fever." John frowned, but before he could say anything, Castiel gave Dean an anxious tug of the hand.
"Dean, you need to go inside! It's too cold out here. I'll make you soup, and I'll tuck you in bed," he said quickly, not wanting his best friend to get any more sick. Dean let out a whine.
"But I don' wanna go inside! I wanna play in the snow with Sammy and the others."
Cas turned, giving Dean a stern look. "No. Michael's a doctor, and he says you got a fever. He's told me what to do for fevers, which is bed rest and soup." He pulled harder on Dean's hand, managing to get him up the patio stairs. "So you're coming with me to your room so I can take care of you!" Lucifer smiled, watching the scene play out before him.
"Need any help, Cas? Me and Mike can help you?" he offered. Cas stopped at the screen door, glaring at his older brothers.
"No. I wanna take care of Dean myself," he said in a firm voice. A smile spread across John's lips, and he nodded to the young boy.
"Well, I'm glad that my son's in capable hands," he praised, sounding pleased and proud. Cas frowned, still clutching Dean's hand as he lightly tipped his head to the side, his brows furrowed in confusion.
"What's cape-uh-ball mean?" he squeaked, puzzled. John chuckled and waved his hand dismissively to the two.
"Nothing, just go fix up my son, Doctor Castiel."
Cas stood there, his amazingly blue eyes wide. A big grin graced his lips, and he turned to Dean, pulling the reluctant boy inside, and sliding the door shut.
"I'm Doctor Cas, and you're my patient, Dean!" John heard the young boy squealing as they ran up the stairs, and to Dean's bedroom. He chuckled, sitting back on the stairs beside the two eldest Novaks. Michael gave John a sideways grin.
"Those two are going to grow up fine young men, huh?"
John smiled. "Yeah," he murmured, watching Sam climb onto Gabriel's back and fling snowballs at Anna. "Yeah, they probably will."