Summary: Gabriel finds Castiel in the Garden. Brotherly bonding ensues.
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Gabriel determinedly ransacks Heaven on his search for his younger brother, who had once again wandered away. Though he had looks almost everywhere, he can not find feather or hair of little Castiel and his nerves are fried. The Archangel almost cries with joy when he finds Balthazar; he is probably the only angel who always knows Castiel's exact location (besides Lucifer, anyway, but it doesn't matter because Lucifer's gone and that's not something he wants to revisit).
"Hey, 'Zar! You know where Cas is?" Gabriel asks in a rush. Balthazar shrugs.
"Last I saw him, he was with Joshua. Said he was going to show him the Garden." Balthazar raises an unimpressed eyebrow. "Didn't you know?"
Gabriel bristles. "Uh, no. Cas went off on his own again while I was running errands. I guess that's the last time I let Anael look after him." The last part is murmured more to himself than to Balthazar, who simply simply smirks. Gabriel ignores him and rushes off, finding his charge is usually his top priority.
A near-warp flight later, Gabriel finds himself in one of the older parts of Paradise, more specifically, the Garden of Eden. It is enormous, takeing up several acres of Heaven and full of flora long lost to Earth. In the very heart of all the greenery is the Tree of Knowledge, the sacred tree the first humans had take fruit from, an action that to their banishment.
Not even are the Archangels allowed to even touch it and it worries Gabriel that Castiel's curiosity will get the better of him. Even an angel with a future as important as his will have to be punished for wandering too close to the sacred tree.
Gabriel hands in a crouch near the extravagant tree, whipping his head back and forth as soon as he hits the ground in the hope of glimpsing his blue-eyed brother. It is a futile attempt as the residue of Castiel's Grace barely manages to filter into Gabriel's senses. The Archangel frowns in disappointment at not finding his charge when the residue of another Grace reaches him. A very familiar grace.
Joshua. It is unmistakable. The groundskeeper of Eden had been with his brother at some point. Gabriel isn't sure whether that is good or bad.
He follows the path of residual Grace, surprised to grow farther from the Tree. On the one field trip to the Garden that he had agreed to chaperone, Gabriel found that the fledglings rather enjoy being near the Tree. It seems that by being close to the Tree, they assume they are closer to their Father.
The sound of familiar voices grounds him (and his thoughts) to a halt. He peeks around the foliage to find himself staring at two pairs of wings, both obscuring his vision of their owners. Gabriel easily recognizes the black and blue-Enochian-marked wings as Castiel's and the silver and white-Enochian-marked ones as Joshua's.
With difficulty, Gabriel swallows back the prickly envy that rises in his throat at the sight of them. He had always promised that he would be the first to show Castiel around the Garden.
As if sensing his presence (and he probably did), Joshua shifts one of his wings and faces him, a knowing smile gracing his face. He disappears for a second beneath his enormous wings, presumably to speak briefly with his brother, before he stands. The groundskeeper takes a few steps forward until he is within reach.
"Hello, Gabriel." Said Archangel can see Castiel's wings twitch at the sound of his older brother's name; the youngest of the angels has amazing hearing and Joshua isn't exactly whispering. He switches his attention to Joshua and returns his smile.
WIth a glimpse from one bother to another, Joshua sighs and says, "I believe it's time for me to go."
Castiel rapidly twists around, a look of sadness and confusion covering his young face. Gabriel chokes back a laugh when he seems how dirty his little brother's face (and robe) have gotten while playing the Garden with Joshua. Somehow, the older angel has managed to remain clean.
"Why do you have to leave, Joshua?" Castiel slowly stands, wiping his tiny hands on his robe and only managing to soil both of them further.
Joshua gives the tiny fledgling a warm smile and leans down to eye-level when he comes to stand closer. "I have many more seeds to plant. I'm afraid that if I allow you to help, you will be too tired to spend time with your guardian. You don't want Gabriel to become lonely, do you?" The groundskeeper shoots a significant look at the Archangel who is stand, oddly quiet, behind him.
Castiel shakes his head vigorously and runs up to give his other brother a tight hug. Gabriel smiles and wraps his arms around his younger brother, giving Joshua a grateful look. The groundskeeper merely nods in return, taking off and leaving his two brothers alone.
"Did you have fun without me?" Gabriel teases, ruffling Castiel's hair. the tiny angel breaks away and beams up at him, pride sparkling in his breathtaking blue eyes.
I helped Joshua plants seeds of life!" Gabriel's smile turns proud at the sight of the newly planted flowers, still in their youngest stages. He picks up his baby brother and swings him onto his shoulders, reveling in the happy squeals that erupt from the fledgling.
For every life their Father creates, a new seed is planted in the Garden. His brother had somehow found the patience to help Joshua in that process.
After a second, Gabriel remembers how dirty his brother is and finds that his own golden robe is now caked with soil. After a quick flick of his fingers, all the dirt disappears and he and his brother are once again clean.
"Do you want to look at the flows with me, Gabe?" Gabriel twists his neck around to meet his brother's eyes, mildly surprised by the request, but nods.
The Archangel makes his way towards the surrounding flowers, keeping Castiel on his shoulders.
"They're all so pretty", the younger angel comments, his voice brimming with awe. Gabriel nods in agreement, gently running his fingers against the soft petals of a scarlet rose.
"Have you seen the Tree?" Gabriel asks, already knowing the answer.
"Yes, it's huge and beautiful, but not very interesting." Gabriel signals for the fledgling to elaborate; he can't remember an angel who had ever felt that way about the Tree of Knowledge.
"All these flowers have so many stories to tell. It seems the Tree only exists to... temp." Castiel flounders at the last word, probably thinking he has said something wrong. Gabriel gives him a reassuring smile. His view of the world is so very different and Gabriel loves him for it.
The small, exhausted yawn and the feeling of a head using his own as a cushion tells Gabriel it is time to return to the nest.
Later, while Castiel is fast asleep, Gabriel returns to the Garden. Hidden beneath the shade of the Tree is a small patch of flowers, all of them colored bright and celestial. There is one in particular that catches Gabriel's attention; a tiny, unbelievably blue bud that seems to almost shimmer. He knows exactly when that little flower had been planted. He had been the one to do so.
It is his job to protect the life it represents. And honestly, it is more of a pleasure than a job.