Friends are Friends

The angels enjoyed going to the park Instead of daycare. The days Sam would make Dean drive them there the hunter would take a left instead of a right down the road and take them to play in the park instead. Like the angels the hunter didn't like daycare too much. Too many sick little kids that were way too loud.

Bees buzzed past Dean as he sat down on a park bench one sunny afternoon. Sam had sent him a text moments ago asking how daycare was going. Dean replied that the angels were having a blast. It technically wasn't a lie. They were having fun. They just weren't having fun at place they were supposed to be. Dean glanced over at the play set surrounded by rubber mulch that the angels were playing on. It was a nice playground with a swing set, slides, monkey bars, and other cool things Dean didn't know the name to. He waved whenever one of the angels would wave at him from the top of the plastic slide or monkey bars. The hunter leaned back, letting the sun warm his skin, not even noticing the gang of kids walking up to Cas.

Cas rushed over to a swing while his brothers swung on the monkey bars. They were trying to see who could hang upside down the longest and Cas decided he'd rather fly than have all the blood rush to his head. The little angel pumped his legs, giggling as he flew back and forth. It wasn't like flying, but it felt nice to feel the wind blowing against his face.

Shadows of several figures cast over Cas suddenly. He stopped swinging and smiled up at them shyly. Did they want to swing too?

"Hello," he whispered. The kids glanced in Dean's direction and then one with a red spider-man coat poked the angel in the chest.

"Is that guy your dad or something?" the kid questioned. Cas frowned, eyes drifting towards Dean. The hunter was looking upwards, letting the sun hit his face. It looked like he was enjoying the park as well. Cas looked back to the boy that had poked him and shook his head.

"He's my friend," Cas answered. The kids frowned at that.

"He's a grownup. You can't be friends with old people," a girl with pigtails spat. Cas frowned, fingers fiddling nervously with the hem of his trench coat. He didn't understand. He was much older than Dean after all. What difference did it make if one of them was older than the other?

"Yes I can –"

"It's not right," the spider-man boy stated. "My Dad says guys that are friends with little kids are pedofiles!"

"That's pedophiles," Balthazar chimed in, jumping up behind Cas and swinging his arms protectively over his brother's shoulders. Gabriel joined him, smiling at Cas reassuringly. Balthazar kept his eyes on the group of kids and pointed his chin in Dean's direction. "Our friend's not like that he –"

"It's not natural!" the little girl shouted. "You're a bunch of weirdoes! Weirdoes! Weirdoes!" The little girl grinned as she chanted. The others noticed the angels flinch and they quickly joined in, throwing in their own chants. Weirdoes! Freaks! They forced the angels into a corner with their words, getting louder and louder with each step. Gabriel pushed his brothers behind him protectively, trying to shield them from the words being shouted at them.

"He's not your friend!" the spider-man boy shouted when the angels bumped into the slide. He grabbed Gabe by the coat caller. He opened his mouth to say something, but a different voice came out.

"Not their friend, huh?" Dean's gruff voice boomed. The kid dropped Gabe and spun around in surprise with the rest of the kids. Dean smirked down at them, hands on his hips. "You alright?" Dean asked the angels. The three nodded and pushed themselves from where the group had them pinned and went to stand next to Dean. Dean waited until the angels were at his side before turning his eyes on the gang of kids again. "Why can't I be their friend?" Dean questioned. The kids pushed spider-man kid forward and the boy stared nervously up at Dean.

"Well, uh…you…you're old!" the kid stated. Dean laughed at that and kneeled down so he was almost eye level with the kid and his followers.

"Let me tell you something," Dean stated, eyes gleaming. There was a smile on his face, but the angels could see the protective fire in his eyes. "Do you have friends kid?" Dean questioned. The kid frowned and thrust a thumb over his shoulder and pointed at the group of kids behind him.

"They are!" the kid shouted. Dean glanced over the kid's shoulder and smirked.

"Let me tell you something about friends, Kid," Dean began, bringing his eyes back to the spidey. "A friend is someone who's always there, who always got your back no matter what. No matter the consequences, no matter who you are, and no matter the age." Dean's eyes flicked over the kids shoulder and he pointed at the kids cowering away from spidey. "Do they look like friends? Or are they just followers?" The boy glanced over his shoulder, eyes widening when he saw the other kids slowly shuffling back and refusing to meet his gaze. Dean stood back up, towering over the kids. "These guys…" Dean stopped and ruffled each angels' hair. "…they're my friends and I will always stand up for them," Dean stated before turning his back and walking away. The kids watched with widened eyes and the angels each smirked at the group before dashing after their hunter.

"Thanks," the angels said one by one as they made their way through the park. Dean smiled down at them.

"Yeah," Dean hummed. "Bet those kids won't be bothering you three for a while." The angels glanced back towards the kids and then smiled up at Dean.

"Not when we've got our best friend standing up for us."

Thank you darkeyesgirl for the request!