Hello everyone,

I am having a bit of a shitty time right now, so this seemed like the right thing to write.

Anyway, hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for the reviews on the first part.

The way I describe the angels is just my imagination how their daily form in heaven would look like, without a vessel.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.


When Gabriel awakes in the morning it takes him a moment to notice that something is different. He has never been one for waking up fast, rather prefers to keep laying there a bit longer, cuddled in his nest. So this day as well, his golden eyes drift open slowly, enjoying the sun shining on his face. Until he feels something tugging on one of his feathers. Surprised he tries to lift the affected wing, tilting his head at finding all six of his wings spread out far in a way he would usually never do.

But when the golden feathers lift a bit, he discovers the reason for the tugging and everything that happened the last day comes back to him. It's the little dark-winged fledgling that is laying under his wings, guarded fiercely by the golden feathered limbs. Castiel has one hand in the wing covering him, small fingers tucked securely around one of Gabriel's huge flight feathers. There is no chance the little angel is letting go easily. His other fist is next to his mouth, lips mouthing one of the fingers. The nearly black wings flutter in his sleep, ruffled just like his hair.

Gabriel smiles softly. Right, his little curious fledgling. He took him back here yesterday, away from his flock and that terrible caregiver Zachariah. He still thinks it was the best decision. Castiel looks so peaceful in his sleep. So cute, just like the baby angel he is supposed to be. Carefully putting the wing mostly back over his charge, using it like a blanket, the other five laying further down. He runs his fingers through the mussed up black curls.

Just in that moment the small being twitches and a yawn widens his mouth. One chubby fist comes up to rub at his eyes while the other is still closely curled in the golden feathers above him. Slowly and accompanied by another big yawn blue eyes slide open. For a moment he seems confused by his surroundings as well, but then his gaze wanders over the bright wings to Gabriel's face.

"Gabiel!" he screeches happily.

Before the older angel can react to anything he has launched himself towards his big brother, pulling painfully at the feather he was holding because he doesn't release it fast enough. The archangel grimaces but ignores it in favour of catching the younger before he hits him directly in the face. He manages to catch the other but it still earns him a face full of ebony feathers. Nonetheless it's hard to be mad at the little angel when he is giggling so happily and hugging Gabriel like there is no tomorrow.

So the archangel laughs and hugs the fledgling back, "Good morning, little one. Slept well?"

It earns him a very enthusiastic nod, "Yes. Much comfy. Others always kicking and shoving. Can't sleep there."

"Well, then I'm glad that you could at least sleep here," the archangel smiles, while lifting his charge into the air.

Castiel giggles, dark wings fluttering in excitement, "Yes," blue eyes glint at him, "Gabiel?"

"What is it, little one?"

"Can I… Can I stay with Gabiel?" the small angel questions shyly.

It causes the older to freeze. Pleading blue eyes are fixed on him. He doesn't want to say no, but it's nothing he can decide on his own. So he only sits there, seeing the fledgling start to sadden. Luckily before the small raven can actually tear up, the sound of ruffling feathers heralds the arrival of another angel at Gabriel's door. Instinctively the archangel pulls Castiel to his chest, trying to hide him in his wings. It's not exactly normal for a single grown angel to suddenly house a fledgling as young as Castiel.

"Gabriel? Are you still sleeping?" a familiar voice sounds through the rooms.

And the golden angel breathes a sigh of relief when he recognizes that it is only Lucifer. The other archangel isn't one to be taking the rules all that serious. But just in the moment he wants to answer the door simply bangs open. Yeah, and Lucifer also isn't exactly known for his patience.

"Gabriel! Are you – " he spots his brother sitting in his nest, golden eyes locking with reddish ones, "Oh, you are awake. I thought I had to drag you out of bed again."

"That was only once," the younger huffs, "You don't have to mention that again every time."

"Or twice. Or four times. Or twenty…" the new arrival muses.

Gabriel only glares at his older brother who gives his usual arrogant smirk back. Reddish eyes from a sharp cut but beautiful face stare at him from above. The six stark white, nearly luminescent, wings are folded behind his back. Shoulder length white hair falls in soft, straight locks to his back. With his arms crossed in front of his chest, he grins at his younger brother.

"What do you want?" Gabriel growls.

"Michael wants a meeting. Don't ask me why," Lucifer explains, "And you are the only one who's still missing, so – " he breaks off and tilts his head to the side, strangely coloured eyes narrowing, "What's that, Gabriel?"

"What's what?" golden eyes glare back, the little fledgling who he nearly forgot about still pressed against his chest.

"That," the older archangel points straight at the small being, "Since when do you have black feathers?"

"I don't."

"Then what –" the white head starts, but is broken off when Castiel makes an indignant sound as Gabriel presses his face too hard into his tunic.

He wriggles, black wings beating uselessly in the air. Lucifer's confused smirk turns into a frown, when a head of black hair comes up over golden feathers. The small angel takes a deep breath and then suddenly squeaks when he sees Lucifer standing at the entrance. Blue eyes go wide and the dark wings wrap themselves around the small body.

"Gabriel?!" the white head's voice is cold, causing Castiel to cover back further into his older brother, "Since when do you have a fledgling? I didn't know you had a mate."

"And I don't," the other archangel flushes. Then he lifts Castiel up, showing the little angel to his older brother, "This is Castiel. He found me yesterday in one of my favourite hiding spots. On accident. I still don't know how he wandered that far into the gardens. I brought him back in the evening but as it turns out, he's being bullied in his flock and his caretaker is a right ass, so I took him home with me. Just for the one night for now."

"Gabriel, language," Lucifer chides, his look now softer as he looks at the slightly quivering fledgling. Lucifer too has heard enough derisive comments because of his unusual hair and eye colour, so he carefully stretches out his hands towards the small angel, "Come here, little one."

Castiel is still slightly scared when Gabriel hands him over carefully to his older brother. Wide blue eyes stare at the tall angel warily. But when Lucifer settles the small being against his shoulder, the younger's attention is fast diverted by the other's shining wings. Small hands stretch out and Lucifer calmly moves his feathers into the fledgling's reach. Castiel pats and tugs with fascination.

"So shiny," he grins up at Lucifer, "Pretty wings."

"Just like yours, little one," the archangel smiles, ruffling the chaotic dark feathers.

Gabriel winces at that, knowing how sensitive the fledgling is about his wing colour. Lucifer also realises fast that he might have said the wrong thing when Castiel's lower lip starts to poke out and tears come to his big eyes. The small dark wings are pulled close to his back too.

"You really think so?" he says wobbly.

"Of course," the white head smiles as good as he can, "Look, when the light hits them, they shine in so many colours," he carefully manages to unclench one of the small wings and folds it out, "Mine on the other hand, all they are is white and nothing else. Pretty boring compared to yours if you ask me," he strokes the dark feathers to encourage the small being.

Gabriel grins from where he is standing just outside his nest, "See, I told you so, little Cassie. Your wings are just as beautiful as everyone else's, even more so. Don't listen to those idiots if they say any different."

Lucifer only sighs and is about to scold Gabriel again when Castiel throws himself at his neck with something between a cheer and a sob. The dark head buries itself into the cook of the archangel's neck, body shaking slightly. Lucifer stares at his younger brother over the dark feathers with a clearly helpless expression. The blond though only bites on his fist to keep from laughing aloud. The big, badass archangel Lucifer has found a being he can't defeat. A crying fledgling.

It doesn't take long for Castiel to calm back down and soon his fingers are buried back in the archangel's feathers. After a slightly too strong tug, Lucifer grimaces and carefully pries the fledgling away from his wings.

"That's enough, little one. Gabriel," he calls out and holds the raven in his direction. The blond approaches with a grin on his face and takes the small angel back into his arms, "Take him. We still have to go to the meeting though."

Bouncing Castiel softly, the younger archangel frowns, "What does Michael want this time?"

"How would I know?" Lucifer huffs, "Are you coming now?"

"He's your mate after all," Gabriel grins, adjusting the fledgling so he is safe even when he takes flight.

"He's not!" the white head growls back, glaring, "Are you taking Castiel with you?"

"I don't want to take him back to his flock," the blond shrugs, "It should be fine," he grins again, preparing himself for a fast start, "And you and Mickey are totally pining after each other."

"We are not!" the older yells but Gabriel has already taken flight, shooting out of his window.

He leaves Lucifer's yelling behind, but he can hear the other's strong wingbeats behind him. Castiel squeals with joy in his arms at the fast tempo he's flying. The golden angel laughs with him. This fledgling is really not like any of the others. He can't help but look forward to watching Castiel grow up and to see what the little curious fledgling will become when he's older. Doing a looping in mid-air earns him a new squeal of joy and he can even hear Lucifer chuckle from behind him.

Eventually they land in the pavilion where the four archangels always meet. Michael and Raphael are already there. The oldest archangel is looking at the table, bright golden curls tumbling around his face, stern blue eyes are fixed on one of the documents laying there. Silvery white wings are held in an easy stance behind his back. Raphael is leaning against one of the pillars, nose buried in a book. His androgynous features are focused on his reading material and he doesn't even look up when the two land. The dark eyes fitting his darker skin barely flit upwards when Gabriel's feet touch the ground. His own beige wings are folded out halfway to catch some of the sunlight shining into the pavilion. Michael looks up at the two's arrival.

"There you finally are. What took you so long?" he frowns.

"Gabriel's guest distracted us," Lucifer grins at his brother, simpering over to the older angel.

"Guest?" the firstborn raises an eyebrow and even Raphael throws a smirk at the youngest archangel, "I thought you weren't looking for someone?"

"I am not," Gabriel huffs, forcing a flush from his cheeks, "I wasn't – "

But once again it's Castiel himself who interrupts their talk as he pushes from Gabriel's chest. Focused on his older brothers, the golden angel's grip slips and the fledgling escapes him and jumps forward, using Gabriel's chest to get leverage. Unfortunately his wings aren't yet strong enough to hold him in the air and he falls. Michael moves just in time and catches the small angel. Shining blue eyes turn to the oldest and he smiles his bright smile.

"Mickey," he squeals, causing Gabriel to giggle and Lucifer to smirk at the use of his nickname.

"And who might you be?" the blonde smiles indulgently, his own blue eyes shooting arrows at the two laughing archangels over the small being, "Aren't you a bit young to be out on your own?"

"I Castiel," the little angel proclaims proudly, "My flock bad," he continues, "Gabiel saved me."

"Did you steal him from his flock?" Michael raises another eyebrow at the other blond.

"No, I already explained it to Lucifer. He found me in the garden. I tried to bring him back but his caretaker didn't care about him and he's being bullied in his flock, so I took him for the night," Gabriel crosses his arms, repeating his story with a huff.

"And he's here now why?"

"Like I said, I don't want to return him to his flock, because he's being bullied," impatient but protective arms reach out for the fledgling and Gabriel pulls him back into the protection of his golden wings, "And Lucifer dragged me here before I could do anything more than get up."

"So what do you plan to do with him now?"

"For now, he's gonna stay here," Gabriel grins, "Look, even Raphael likes him," he points at the dark skinned angel who is shooting curious looks at the fledgling over the top of his book, "I wanted to visit Father later today to see if I can take care of him or at least have someone else assigned to him."

"Don't want else," Castiel pouts, grabbing the golden feathers tightly, "Want Gabiel."

"I want that too, little Cassie," the golden angels strokes dark feathers, "But I'm not sure I am going to be allowed to."

"Want Gabiel, want Lucy, want Mickey," the small angel continues, "and Raph," he adds unsure, "Not else, want you."

His voice is so earnest and determined that it actually startles a laugh out of all the archangels. Castiel pouts and buries his face in the youngest's neck.

"Fine, for now he can stay," Michael chuckles, before turning back to the documents, "Now Lucifer, look at this here? What do you think about the sightings we got from the scouts?"

Gabriel laughs and cuddles the fledgling, "You really know how to get everyone wrapped around your little finger do you, little Cassie?"

It earns him a bright smile and with a headshake he tries to put most of his focus back into the conversation between Michael and Lucifer. Raphael has stepped up to the table too by now.

And if none of the archangels is solely focused on their meeting this time, no one but them will know. So they spend more time entertaining the little fledgling and get next to nothing done in comparison to normal. The end of the day finds all four of them happily playing with the fledgling who managed to win all their hearts within half a day. Gabriel watches the small angel with fascination as Michael throws him a bit in the air to animate him to fly. Lucifer is laughing over the noises of glee Castiel is making and Raphael's book lays discarded on the grass as his wings beat air under the dark ones. The youngest archangel smiles, remembering that the last day all four of them were so happy is long gone. One of them has always problems. But now all of them are smiling. Castiel is their little wonder. Their little curious fledgling.


That's it. Thanks for reading.

Some short sweet fluff.

Please review and see you at some other story.