Comforting Angels
Castiel flew up in his bed, shivering even though sweat was pouring down his brow. His breathing was off and his wings were trembling. Gabe and Balthazar seemed undisturbed by their brother's fright, but the little angel wished that they had been. The nightmare had petrified him. All he wanted to do was crawl up into someone's arms, but he couldn't. He was all by himself. Tears gleamed in Castiel's eyes and he started to cry silently. A whine howled from behind the door where Custos was sitting now, scratching at the door in attempt to reach his distressed master. Castiel continued to cry to himself until he saw a light turn on in the hallway. Footsteps came nearer and Custos gave a relieved yap. The angel watched as the door opened and Dean walked in. The hunter walked over to the baby angel and held out his hands. Castiel let out a soft sob and jumped into Dean's arms, burying his face into Dean's chest. Dean held him close, rocking the angel and cooing softly as he escorted Cas out of the bedroom and down to the living room. Once there, Dean sat down on the couch and snuggled with the angel, waiting for Cas to calm down enough. It didn't look like that was going to happen fast. Castiel was crying harder and harder. Whatever had scared him in his dreams was still scaring him now. Luckily for the Winchester this had not been the first time Castiel's night terrors went on a rampage through the angel's mind.
"Hey, Cas, want to go for a drive?" Dean asked, deciding that getting Castiel's mind of the frightening dream was his best chance. It had worked last time after all. Cas looked up from Dean's shirt, nodding and Dean carried him over to the door. Cas pulled his blue coat over his wings and Dean helped tie his shoes. Then Dean handed the angel his trench coat and the two were off.
The drive was long, but not at all quiet. Instead of discussing the nightmare that had scared him so much Cas sang every song that came on the radio with Dean. It almost worked. The angel was smiling and laughing, but there was still fear in his eyes and Cas' wings were shivering from underneath his coat. Dean's eyes scanned the road in search of a fairly good diner. Pie always made him feel better when he was little. Hopefully Cas would be the same. Imagine Dragons' Radioactive came on next and Dean joined in with his little angel as he sang. Dean tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat, eyes falling on Julie's Diner just a few feet ahead. Perfect. He pulled into a parking space and turned off the car, directing his attention to Castiel. The little angel stared at the diner, looking slightly hesitate. Small tears started to trail their way down Cas' face again, only to be whipped away by Dean's gentle fingers.
"Come on, Cas. Chocolate milkshakes and pie are the best medicine for bad dreams," Dean whispered to him. Cas' deep blue eyes swiped over the diner briefly before he finally lifted his arms for Dean to lift him up. Dean held him close as they made their way inside, trying to make it feel like Cas was safe. A waitress with long golden hair smiled at them and strolled over with a happy smirk on her face.
"Hello, Boys! I'm Andrea. May I take your orders?" she questioned after leading them to a booth towards the back. Dean's eyes swept over the specials list briefly before making up his mind.
"I'll have a triple bacon cheeseburger with extra pickles, a coffee, and your number," he flirted, winking at her casually. Andrea simply rolled her eyes playfully at him and turned her gaze to the tiny angel now sitting in Dean's lap.
"What would you like, Sweetie?" Cas clutched onto Dean tighter and the hunter faked a laugh.
"Oh, don't mind him. He's a little shy of strangers," Dean told her. "He'll take a kids burger with a chocolate shake." The waitress nodded, taking a step away from their table and heading towards the kitchen. When she was out of earshot Dean lowered his head so he could make eye contact with the angel curled up against his chest. "All right, Cas, what's eating at you?" Dean asked. Cas buried his face into Dean's shirt even more, clearly not up for talking about the dream he was so frightened of. Dean let out a long moan, wrapping his arms around Cas' frail body and pulling the angel away so he could look into those blue eyes. They were already brimming with tears.
"I don'ts wants to talks about its," Cas muttered, glumly. Dean plopped the angel back onto his lap and began to gently twirl Cas' hair around his finger. He remembered the first time Castiel had his nightmares. Everyone wanted to ask the angel what had frightened him, but Dean made sure they didn't ask because he has been there before, but these dreams are getting way out of hand. Castiel clearly can't just push them away anymore.
"I get it. I've been there before, man, and Sammy always drove me up the wall trying to get me to cry my heart out like some chick," Dean explained. "But, he is right. Sometimes you just need to get things off your chest." Cas looked down at his hands, shivering slightly.
"The three of yous, Balthy, and Gabby got hurts and I was losts and scared. There was just darkness everywhere. I c…couldn't f…finds you and then a demon..." Cas' voice was starting to shake now and Dean's fingers gently started to rub circles into Cas' back. Guilt present in his eyes for making the angel re-live the horrible night terror and for not asking the angel the first time the dream had hurt him. "I was alone! I…I…" sobs broke out from the angel and several heads turned towards their booth. Cas shrunk away from their glares and wrapped his arms protectively around himself as he cried harder. Dean scooped the angel up and held him close, sending a hateful glare to all the rude strangers around them.
"He's fucking three! Stop staring at him like he's a roach ya Bastards!" Dean shouted out. The majority of the onlookers turned their gazes back to their food and the pretty waitress from before scooted over to them.
"Sorry about that, Sir," she apologized, handing a Kleenex to him from out of her pocket. Dean gave her a grateful smile as he took the Kleenex.
"Not your fault. It's not like you have any control on what ass-hats come in," Dean sighed, eyes skimming down to the angel still crying in his arms. Andrea gave the angel a sad look before hesitantly reaching over and ruffling the kid's hair.
"Hey, Buddy, don't cry. Tell you what? If you calm down a little I'll put extra chocolate sauce and cherries on your shake," she bribed. Cas looked up from Dean's chest and the hunter felt his heart clench. Cas' eyes were raw from the salty tears and the tears ran long tracks down his pink cheeks. Sniffles escaped his lips, but he rubbed a tiny fist over his watering eyes.
"Dweal," Cas agreed. Andrea smiled at him, ruffling his hair again before turning away back to the kitchen. Dean's eyes followed her briefly before going back to the angel shivering in his arms. Dean rubbed a hand across the angel's cheeks to clear the heavenly face of anymore salty tears. "Sorry," Cas sniffled as Dean pressed the Kleenex to the angel's nose.
"For what?" Dean questioned before instructing the angel to blow into the Kleenex. "For being upset over a dream? Cas, we all get them and they can be pretty fucking freaky, but they are not real." Cas still didn't seem convinced. Dean held the angel closer to him, staring deeply into those blue baby eyes. "I will never leave you. We have a…profound bond, remember?" Cas' lips perked up into a smile at the use of the last two words and nodded.
"Promise?" the angel asked suddenly, lips slightly falling as he waited for Dean's answer. As much as he hated promises this was one he was willing to never break. Dean's eyes glimmered with a grin and he pressed a kiss to the angel's cheek, tasting the salty tears that had streamed down them previously.
"I promise." Castiel's smile returned to his glowing face, but whether that was because he was feeling better or because Andrea had brought over their food he is unsure.
"Now, aren't you two just the adorable little pair. I'm glad you're feeling better now, Sweetie," Andrea stated, while pushing Cas' plate onto the table and then presenting a delicious looking shake. The angel's eyes widened in awe of the chocolate desert and Dean sat the angel on the table so the little guy could reach his food without struggle. Andrea then handed Dean his own food and leaned over to his ear. "On the house," she whispered. Dean almost dropped his fork, head snapping up to stare at her with wide eyes.
"What? Really? What for?" Andrea giggled lightly before pointing a finger in Castiel's direction.
"For being such a good daddy to him," she stated simply. If Dean had food in his mouth he would have choked. He lifted his hands, shaking his head.
"Oh, no. I'm not his dad. I'm-"
"Well, whatever the case, the world needs more guys like you to watch over sweet little angels like this little fella here," the waitress stated, not waiting for Dean to explain himself. Dean's hands fell back down into his lap and he watched Castiel dip one of his mini french-fries into the chocolate ice-cream. There was so much innocence and in those gorgeous blue eyes that seemed to radiate off the angel like heat from a sun that Dean felt compelled to hold the angel close and watch over him. The more he stared at the angel the stronger the will to keep his promise became.
Cas had a wittle nightmare again and of course Dean is there to comfort him and finally asks about the dream. Foreshadowing for the big chapter that could pop up sometime in the future. Again, I can't say when. It could appear next or maybe after the hundredth chapter. You'll have to wait and see. The nightmare chapters are sadly over for Castiel now.