Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
A/N: Suddenly I have ideas!
"Where the world ends is where you must begin."
Stephen King, The Gunslinger
Two boys walk side by side through the streets of Paris. Their laughter and cheerful grins betray the mischief hidden in their eyes. They rule their section of the city using tricks and illusions.
This is their world.
Living alone in the big city has taught them to scrounge and struggle for every bit of food and speck of warmth they can find. They have to fight tooth and nail to keep their territory clear of other beggars and thieves or they will die. They learn to avoid 'bad people' if they don't want any broken bones or bruised skin.
They learn to survive.
But it doesn't matter how many cold alleys they sleep in or how often they go without food because they have each other. They're the only family they've ever known and it's enough for them.
Later, much later, they hear voices echo in the streets. There are whispers of tragedies that clench their hearts, and screams of hate and pain but there are also murmurs of love. Eventually their dreams begin to change too.
They dream of a golden city nestled within the branches of a great tree.
They dream of songs and feathers and wind.
They dream of serpents and wolves and ghosts.
They dream of men in suits calling them their gods.
They ignore them and life goes on.
Then he appears.
He's hard faced and almost unreal under the sparkling sun. His anger, his seriousness kills any excuses the boys might use. Everything they've learned tells them they should run but they don't. The youngest knows it would be a mistake to leave.
This man is family.
When Dean turns to walk away the boys can't help but follow.