Dean Winchester first met Castiel Novak when he was four years old and Castiel was six.

The Novak's were the newcomers in the neighborhood and Dean's mother, Mary, a nice woman with long blonde hair and big green eyes, had asked him bring them a tray of cookies - she would have, of course, but she was eight months pregnant and had been ordered to bedrest. So Dean had been more than happy to skip across the street and knock on the door; after all, he loved meeting new people. But, being the hyperactive ball of energy that he was at four years, he didnt even make it to the new neighbors' front door before he tripped on his untied shoelace and fell knee-and-palm-first onto the concrete of their driveway.

He was stunned into a short silence as he looked down at his bleeding knee. After a few silent moments, he just pulled himself up and sat in their driveway with his hand slapped over his knee, screaming at the top of his lungs. Thats what he usually did to get his mothers attention - scream as loud as he could.

Eventually, an older woman came outside, a little boy resting on her hip, his face pressed into her shoulder and a cell phone pressed to her ear. Upon seeing Dean, she mumbled a quick reply, put down the boy, who just looked curiously over at Dean, and rushed over to him. She crouched beside him and asked what happened. He didnt answer, too busy screaming until he couldnt breathe, inhaling shakily, and screaming again. She gave up in favour of running inside to grab Band-Aids and peroxide.

The boy who she had been carrying had stepped forward, looking Dean over with wide blue eyes that were partially hidden by dark brown hair. "Hi," he said in a sweet voice. He was wearing a blue shirt that matched his eyes and tan khaki shorts.

Dean stopped crying long enough to look up at him, sniffling and squinting against the sunlight as he said, "Hi."

The boy sat down clumsily a foot away from Dean, sticking his thumb in his mouth and tilting his head to the side. "Are you okay?" he asked around his thumb. Dean just shook his head slowly. "Hmm.." Without warning, the boy just stood up and walked away. Dean stared after him for a moment before pulling his hand away from his knee. It was still bleeding, and his hand was covered in sticky blood. He moaned softly, squeezing his eyes closed as he cupped his hands back over his knee. He was about to start screaming again when he heard the front door slam and the slap of shoes on concrete.

"Hey." Dean looked up at the sound of a voice.

"Hey." The blue eyed boy sat back down beside him, holding out his hand. Dean looked down to see a foil-wrapped Hershey's kiss in his palm. There was a smile on the other boys' face as Dean took it and opened it before popping it in his mouth and smiling. "Thank you. I'm Dean," Dean said as he folded the foil up into a little ball and flicked it down the driveway. He watched it roll down to the road before turning back to his new neighbor.

"Hi, Dean," the other boy said, sitting back down beside Dean, just close enough that his knee touched Dean's unharmed one. He pulled a Band-Aid out of his pocket and opened it, holding it above Dean's knee. He pulled his hand away from the injury before putting the Band-Aid over the worst of the cut. "I'm Castiel."

Dean scrunched up his nose. "Why d'you have pincess Band-Aids?" he asked.

Castiel scrunched his nose at Dean's four-year-old vocabulary. "I like princesses," he said, slightly defensive.

Dean just nodded and ran his hand under his nose. "D'you have more choc... chocate?" He struggled with the word.

"I'm only aloud to have it if I need it," Castiel said.

Dean squinted over at Castiel, tilting his head to the side, confused. "But you di'n need it juss now."

"No but you did."

Dean looked up and smiled wide, showing his perfectly straight, white teeth. He was missing two teeth, one on the top and one on the bottom, but Castiel didn't say anything about it like some of the kids at daycare did. It made him like Castiel even more. "Wa' come hang out wiff me?" He stood up clumsily, pulling in a sharp breath through his teeth when he pressed his palm down to push up. Castiel stood up beside him, taking a lollipop from his pocket and carefully unwrapping it.

"I have to ask my mom," he said, sticking the sucker in his mouth.

Not ten seconds later, she came running out of the house with a bag of ice and a first-aid kit. She came to an abrupt stop, turning to look down at Dean's knee when she saw them standing. "Oh. Thank you, Castiel. I was taking an important call. I'm sorry about the cookies. Did your mother make them?" Castiel's mother said, bending down and placing her items in the grass, before picking up the broken plate and cookies.

"Yeah. She tol' me to bring 'em over, so I did." He grinned proudly. "Why does Cas... Cassie... Why does Cas have pincess Band-Aids?" he asked, picking up the First Aid box to look inside. The rest of the Band-Aids weren't princesses.

"I... Castiel, I thought I told you to get rid of those. You're a big kid now. I got you Transformers Band-Aids," his mother said with a disgruntled look on her face. "Im sorry, hun, he just went through a ph-"

"Can Cas play?" Dean asked, and Castiel nearly gasped. No one had ever interrupted his mother before. He had only done it once before and gotten a slap on the mouth in return. He had been Dean's age.

"I... Castiel?"

"Can I? Ma'am?" he added as an afterthought, nervously chewing on the stick where it poked through the top of his half-gone Dum-Dum. He wanted to go play with Dean. He hadn't made fun of his princess Band-Aids like his brothers did, or like the other kids he tried to play with did.

"You can play for a couple of hours, then I expect him home. We have to go get Luc from practice. You understand me, Castiel?" She stood up and brushed off her pants, carefully holding broken plate bits and cookies in one hand and the ice pack and First Aid box in the other.

Castiel smiled, taking the lollipop out and walking over to hug around his mother's knees. "Thank you, mama!" He grabbed Dean's wrist and pulled him behind him into their house dragging him trippingly up the stairs and into his bedroom. He smiled and let go of Dean's wrist, running and jumping onto his bed. Dean just raised his eyebrows and looked around.

"Is this your sisser's room?" he asked, looking around him. The walls were a light pink and the bed covers and canopy and stuffed animals and rugs and everything else besides the clothes and a few stray toys, were all some variation of pink and purple.

Castiel scrunched up his nose and hopped off his bed. "It was my sisters and until we can go get different stuff for me, its mine," he said proudly, and Dean smiled back at him.

"You like this stuff," he observed, walking over to pick up a plastic crown. He looked it over for a few seconds before putting it on then jumping up on Castiel's bed. "I am the Pr... Py...Pince!" he shouted, and Castiel giggled. "This is my kingdom and I need a pincess!"

Castiel's eyes lit up and he jumped up on the bed beside Dean, looking down at him. "I can be the princess!" he said happily, walking over and grabbing a more bedazzled plastic crown from his bedside table. Dean smiled and nodded at him.

"You're my pincess now, 'kay, Cas?" He grabbed his new friend's hand in his own sweaty, sticky hand and squeezed. Castiel looked down at their hands for a moment, a look of disgust flitting across his eyes at the stickiness, but he nodded and smiled nonetheless.

"I am the princess!" Castiel said, raising their raised hands as high as he could until Dean was on his tiptoes. Castiel giggled and hopped down onto the bed on his butt. Dean followed shortly after, a small huff of breath leaving his chest as he bounced.

Dean hopped off the bed and walked over toward the window, looking out before walking back to the bed. "Why doesn' your mama like you havin' pincess Band-Aids?" he asked.

Castiel blushed and looked down, taking off his crown and holding it in his hands. He shrugged. "She said princesses are for girls, and that I should like boy stuff."

"Are you a girl?" Dean asked.

Castiel's brow furrowed as he looked over at Dean. "I'm a boy," he said with conviction, and Dean shrugged.

"My mama said she had a friend who was born a boy but was actually a girl, so he did girl stuff and becomed a girl."

Castiel rolled his eyes. "You cant become a girl, silly."

Dean shook his head excitedly, his hair flopping over his ears. "Uh-huh! You can get a sur... surgery to become a girl if you need to. Mama says you needa' be comforble in your body. She wouldn' care if you have pincess Band-Aids."

Castiel's eyes lit up at this and he hopped off of his bed, running over to Dean and grabbing his hand. "Can I meet her?" he asked, and Dean smiled and nodded, turning on his heel and dragging Castiel behind him.

"Yepp!" he said as they ran across the empty road and into the Winchester's open doorway. Castiel had paused, and Dean had pulled him tentatively behind him. "She's real pretty. Her name is Mary, but you can just call her mama. Mom!" Dean shouted as they got to the top of the stairs.

"In the nursery, Sweetie!" a voice called back and Dean let go of Castiel's hand, running ahead to an open door and pausing, waving back at Castiel so he knew where to go, before running inside.

"Mama! I bought a f'iend over. His name is Cas and he's a pincess," Castiel heard as he pushed the door father open to walk in. He shyly walked up to Dean and Mary and smiled up at her.

"A princess?" she said excitedly. "We have a princess living next door, huh? Well, Princess Cas, its a pleasure to meet you!" Mary reached out to shake Castiel's hand delicately. "Is it just you and your mama across the street?"

"No, ma'am," he answered with a smile. "Its me, mama, Gabriel, Balthazar, Luke, and Samandriel. Those are my brothers. My sister Anna is older. She moved out."

Mary nodded. "Is your daddy not around?"

Castiel's smile dropped and he got quite, looking down at his somewhat-muddy shoes, picking at a loose string on his shirt. "Oh. Ohohoh, honey, come 'ere. Its alright," she held out one arm and pulled Castiel into her side, hugging him tightly. "Its okay, sweetheart." She hugged him tightly and Castiel just grabbed her wrist, holding it as tightly as he could.

"Is Cas okay, mama?" Dean asked after a few minutes, worry evident in his voice.

Mary nodded, letting Castiel go so he could step back to Dean. "I'm fine," he said with a small smile. He pointed down at Dean's princess Band-Aid. "Dean got hurt."

Mar gasped and reached toward her son. "Oh my god, Dean! Are you okay?! Why didn't you come home right away? What happened?"

Dean grumbled and pushed her away. "'m fine, mom."

"I have him a Band-Aid. He's okay. It had princesses on it," he said proudly, rocking back on his heels. Mary was silent a few more moments, assessing Dean's knee before looking back up and over at Castiel, and smiling.

"I see. Which is your favourite princess?" Mary asked.

Castiel hummed for a moment, tilting his head to the side and looking up. After a minute, he said, "Belle."

"Is that so?" Mary asked with a smile, running her hand through Dean's hair lovingly. He had his eyes closed and a small smile on his face as Mary watched Castiel.

"Yes, ma'am. She likes to read, like me. I have my own library but it only has little books in it." He scrunched up his nose. "Mom wont let me have big books."

Mary frowned. "Is that so?" she asked, and Castiel nodded. "Well, we're just gonna have to fix that now, aren't we?" she asked, nudging Dean aside so she could look in her bedside drawer. Dean grumbled again, but inched over, helping her pull it open. "How about... Well, what do you like to read?"

"Mysteries!"

"How about Sherlock Holmes: The Collective Series? Thats every Sherlock Holmes mystery ever written."

Castiel's smile was absolutely radiant as Mary handed over the thick volume. "Can I keep it?"

Mary looked over at Dean. "Well, its Dean's, so youll have to ask h-"

"You can," Dean said happily, and Castiel dropped the book, throwing himself forward and wrapping his arms around Dean's neck.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he said happily, stepping back to pick up the book. "I have to go but i'll see you tomorrow! Bye, Dean! Bye, Mary!" he shouted as he jogged down the stairs, book clutched tightly to his side.

Mary smiled over at Dean. "He seems lovely."

"He is!" Dean assured her. "I think he's like your f'iend. The one that was a girl but not a girl until she was older."

"Do you, now?"

"Uh-huh." Dean nodded. "He likes pincesses and his room and stuff look like a girl's. And he had girl's underwear in his room." Dean scrunched up his nose and giggled.

"Well dont assume anything unless Cas tells you himself, alright?" She ruffled his hair and he nodded. "Now shoo. I need some alone time." She rubbed her big belly and smiled. "Go get your dad from out back and tell him we should eat soon."

"Kay!" Dean shouted as he ran out of the room, running back to kiss his mom's belly before running back out and downstairs to find his dad.

Mary just smiled and laughed, leaning back and closing her eyes.

"Cas! Cas! Get your ass out here right now!" Dean stood in front of his bedroom with his arms crossed over his chest and his heartbeat racing. He tapped his foot a few times in irritation before banging on the door a few more times. Castiel mumbled something that he couldn't hear, so he just shouted for his friend to come out again.

"I don't want to, Dean!" Castiel finally shouted back.

Dean groaned. "It can't be that bad, Cas! Come on! I bet you look hot!"

Castiel groaned and shouted something that wasn't really words, then went silent. Dean heard a shuffling and the door lock, so he assumed it was safe to enter. He grabbed the door knob and twisted it, pushing the door open with a little more force than necessary. He had to, though; if Cas decided not to let Dean in, the kid had more than enough strength to push it closed and lock it before Dean could enter. Dean hated to admit it, but he was not the strong one in their friendship.

Cas was sat in the middle of Dean's bed, arms crossed, lips down-turned, and legs crossed delicately. "I'm not going back," was all Dean could get out of his friend.

Dean was at a loss for words. He couldn't stop staring, and as much as he knew Cas hated the staring, he couldn't help it. His friend did look hot. And, of course, Dean had always thought Cas was hot. Ever since he hit puberty, when he was maybe eleven or twelve, he had thought Cas was more awesome than the other kids. He used different words to describe his friend now, but it was still the same principle; he was in love with Cas.

"Dean. Stop staring." Cas blushed and turned facing away from Dean, arms still stubbornly crossed.

"I- Um. Sorry. It's just... Wow. Wow. You look amazing."

Cas look up, brushing a piece of hair behind one ear and smiling slightly, barely a twitch of the lip. "Really?" Skepticism was evident in the older kid's voice. Dean just nodded and walked over to sit beside Castiel.

"Of course. You always look amazing, Castiel." Cas blushed again, smiling and laughing. There were a few moments of warm silence before Castiel reached forward and kissed Dean, their lips just barely brushing, before pulling back and slapping a hand over pink lips.

"I- I didn't..." The words were spoken behind a hand clasped over a mouth, and Dean just stared some more.

Castiel was sitting so close, Dean could see every freckle and blemish that covered his friend's face. If he wanted, Dean could lean forward and kiss Cas again, but he didn't; he just gave the brunet and once-over with his eyes. Cas wasn't wearing shoes - like always - and wore a light pink-almost-white shirt with a black knee-high skirt. It looked good. Cas looked good. The kid could rock anything, Dean was sure of it. "It's okay, Cas, calm down," he finally managed, reaching forward to grab Cas' freshly manicured hand in his own, lacing their fingers together and rubbing Castiel's knuckles lightly with his thumb. "Now spill."

Castiel had run across the street to the Winchester's after a particularly bad fight with the parents, telling Dean there was something that had to be said to him, right now, or it would never be said, then went up into Dean's room and locked the door. Dean had been trying to get in for almost half an hour before Cas finally opened it.

"I..." Cas looked down at their fingers interlaced, sitting on Dean's knee. "I'vebeeninlovewithyousinceIwassix."

Dean blinked. "What?"

Castiel took a deep breath and repeated what had already been said, slower this time. "I said, I've been in love with you. Since I was six..."

Dean just stared at his friend for a moment before smiling. "Love you, too, Cas. And you can stay here as long as you want. I know your mom is still uncomfortable with the whole change." He motioned toward Cas' attire and smiled.

Ever since Dean told Cas that he was okay with it if Cas was really a girl, Castiel had been more comfortable around Dean. And when they was ten, and Cas tried on one of his sister's old dresses - which had been embarrassing for Dean, because Cas changed in front of him, and he was wearing girl's underwear, which were a little too small, and Dean had never seen someone else's private bits before then - Dean has just smiled and told him he looked pretty. Castiel's responding smile had been the best thing Dean had ever seen and so he made it a thing to compliment Castiel's femininity. It wasn't until Cas was fourteen and Dean was twelve, that Cas finally asked Dean and the rest of the Winchesters, to use feminine pronouns when addressing him. It took the lot of them no time at all to adjust to it, because they had all been kind of waiting for him to ask, and four days later when Christmas came, they had already all gotten Cas skirts and pink things. Cas loved pink things.

"I love you, too, Cas. Ever since we were kids." He leaned forward and licked the tip of his friend's nose. Cas - or, to the siblings that accepted her, Cassie - brought her sleeve up and wiped her nose, giggling. Really, there wasn't much different about Cas besides the way she dressed and liked to be addressed. She only wore makeup sometimes, and even then, not much. She didn't want to get a sex change, and sometimes she just lounged around in one of her old t-shirts and boxers. Dean really did love Cas.

"Really?"

"Really." Dean punctuated the word with a quick kiss.

"Really really?"

Dean just laughed and tackled Cas, wrapping his arms around her and tangling their legs together on the bed. "Yes, really really. I've always loved you, Cas. Always."

"Always?"

Dean just rolled his eyes, but nodded nonetheless.

"Always always."