Chapter 2 – Raised Side by Side

It wasn't long before Gabriel discovered that Balthazar was the best thing that had ever happened to him. The little angel even made him forget to daydream about Earth for a while. He laughed and smiled easily and was completely attached to Gabriel within a day. Gabriel had nothing but love for his baby brother and devoted his every waking hour to him. They even shared a bed, falling asleep every night with Balthazar's tiny hands wrapped around just one of Gabriel's fingers. When Balthazar's wings began to grow in (a process which is basically to angels as teething is to humans), Gabriel gave him back massages and sweets and put up with almost all his whining.

Balthazar was just past the worst of this stage when God approached Gabriel again.
"I have a second charge for you," he said. "I know you already have Balthazar, but your older brothers have their hands full and I think you are ready to take on another responsibility."
This time, Gabriel did not argue. He just took Balthazar's hand and followed his Father. This time it was Raphael who waited for them with the new angel.
"His name is Castiel," said God. "I know you will care for him well."
"Thank you, Father. He'll be safe with me," said Gabriel, taking the baby angel.
Castiel was even smaller than Balthazar had been, and a lot quieter, Gabriel could tell that already. He had extremely dark hair that stood up every which way and eyes bluer than the brightest summer sky. The tiny angel tilted his head and squinted his eyes curiously. Gabriel grinned and crouched down.
"Balthazar, meet your baby brother Castiel," he said.
"Hullo, Ca-Cas-Cast... how do you say his name?" Balthazar said, tripping over the syllables.
"Castiel," said Gabriel. "But why don't you just call him Cas?"
Balthazar nodded.
"Hullo Cas," he tried again, grinning at how much easier this nickname was.
He looked closely at his brother as though inspecting him.
"His eyes are so blue!" he observed. "They're like the bluest blue to ever blue!"
Gabriel laughed and baby Castiel cracked the first hint of a tiny smile.
"I guess that's a pretty accurate description," he said, straightening up and holding out his free hand for Balthazar. "Come on, let's go home."

Gabriel had been right when he guessed that Castiel was much quieter than Balthazar. He seemed a bit shy, despite still being just a baby, and seemed perfectly content just watching his brothers. He hardly ever laughed, but both Gabriel and Balthazar could get him to smile. This was something they were both proud of because no one else seemed to have that ability.

By the time Castiel's wings began to grow in, Balthazar had started learning to fly. Gabriel would often ask one of his older brothers to keep an eye on Castiel while he taught Balthazar. During these flying lessons, he would glance back to check on Castiel so frequently it sometimes looked like he had a tick. But the little blue-eyed angel was always just sitting next to whichever of the archangels had agreed to look after him, watching Gabriel and Balthazar flying.

When it came to be Castiel's turn to learn to fly, he had both of his older brothers there with him. Balthazar wasn't exactly graceful in the air yet, but he was eager to help Gabriel with Castiel's flying lessons. After each session, the three brothers would sit together on the clouds and just watch Earth. Castiel seemed to have inherited Gabriel's fascination with the place, because he would always ask Gabriel about it, and specifically about the humans. Gabriel was sorry he couldn't answer more of his brother's questions. He still had not visited Earth.
"Lucifer doesn't like the humans though," said Castiel one day. "Why not?"
"Because Father wants us to love them like we love him," said Gabriel. "Lucifer thinks loving the humans is a sin."
"Do you?" asked Balthazar.
"No. I think that anything Father makes is worthy of love. Including humans. Maybe especially humans. They're one of Father's favorite creations after all."
"I want to meet a human," said Castiel.
"Maybe one day you will," Gabriel said with a smile.