Day at the Farm

Vali had started school a while ago and while working through his classes and making new friends, he had also joined a handful of clubs. One of these had been FFA. He wasn't necessarily interested in farming but (like his uncles and father) he had a love for animals. Animals tended to swarm him just as much as they would any other angel. There were times back when he was homeless that he was grateful for such a thing. The animals made him feel loved and helped him feel not so lonely.

The club itself wasn't like some of the other ones Vali had thought about joining. The history club just went on trips to various museums and historical areas, the science club hung out in the school's laboratory making chemical reactions and other weird things, and the members of that weird rubix cube club that started up last semester just fiddled with cubes all day looking mentally exhausted and angry. FFA, on the other hand, held fun events throughout the year.

"Vali! Vali!"

The teen in question turned, his eyes falling on a wide smile and big blue eyes. "Uncle Cas?" he asked. "What's—"

Castiel held up the little piglet he had somehow swaddled into his jacket. "Look!" he cried.

A laugh bubbled past Vali's lips. "Your jacket suits him," he said. "Very cute."

"Do you think Dean—"

"Dean would turn him into bacon," Vali answered, not needing to hear the rest of the sentence. He had been around his uncles enough to catch onto their plans. "And Sam would probably have a fit."

Cas pouted, suddenly looking his age (or the age of his body at least).

The FFA event he was helping at currently was one called Day at the Farm. Vali and the rest of his club members were to introduce students and children to farm life and educate them on the different animals and tools found at a farm. Vali had, of course, invited his father and uncles along, knowing that they'd enjoy being around animals all day. He should have expected though that they might become a little too attached to their new fluffy friends.

Vali plopped down on the grass beside Cas. He patted the piglet in his uncle's arms, earning a soft snort from the little animal. "I can't believe we're not being swarmed by animals today," he said. "Usually I'm covered with animals in places like this."

Cas hummed and squeezed his piglet tight. "Gabriel, Balthy, and I asked the animals not to crowd us or you too much today," he said. "We thought it would be too hard for you to do club duties if they did."

Vali smiled and pulled his uncle from the grass and into his lap. He hugged Cas tight, thankful to him, his father, and Balthazar.

OINK!

"Oops!"

Vali released Cas and the little piglet who had been squished between them during their embrace. He gave the little creature an apologetic pat on the head, though the piglet didn't seem to mind.

"Vali!"

The teenager in question looked up, finding a group of his fellow club members waving at him from a few feet away.

"Can you check on the rabbit pens?" one of the teenagers asked. "We're going to get some lunch."

Vali waved at them, "Sure!" he answered.

Picking himself off the grass, Vali gave his uncle a quick wave and rushed across the farm to where the rabbit pens were set up. A group of kids was seated around the pens, two of them being Gabriel and Balthazar. They were all holding rabbits that one of Vali's fellow club members was handing out.

"Hey, Simon!"

The club member- Simon- smiled when Vali hurried over to him and the group of kids.

"The others are getting lunch, I'll watch the rabbits if you want to go get something."

Simon signed at Vali. "Thank you. Want me to get you anything?"

Vali shook his head. "Nah, I'm good. Thanks though," he signed back.

Vali plopped down into the grass once Simon ran off to get some food and smiled at his father, uncle, and the other kids. They smiled back briefly, too occupied by their fluffy new friends.

"Da...er...Gabriel?"

The angel in question looked up at Vali.

"Thanks for...umm...talking to the animals for me," Vali said. "Uncle Cas told me. This day's a lot easier without every lamb and chicken bouncing all over me."

"What's family for?" Balthazar said and he slapped Vali on the back with a surprising amount of strength. "Always happy to help you out, kiddo."

"Balthy's right, Vali," Gabriel agreed. "You don't have to thank us. We're family."

Vali swallowed hard. He could feel what felt like tears building in the corners of his eyes but he forced them back. His father and uncles were always looking out for him, something the Vali of the past would never have expected. He never thought he'd feel so happy but here he was, fighting back tears because of a simple gesture of kindness.

"Oh, Val." Gabriel handed Balthazar his rabbit and crawled into Vali's lap. "It's okay." He hugged Vali. "It's okay."

Vali sniffled and dropped his head against Gabriel's shoulder as he pulled his father closer. A few tears broke free and spilled onto Gabriel's shirt but the angel didn't seem to care. He just patted Vali's back and whispered to him in hushed gentle words that slowed his son's tears and filled him with the warmth and belongingness he deserved.

Rubix cube clubs are a real thing btw. My old high school had one and honestly it was one of the weirdest and best clubs I've ever seen.

Thank you, Monica (guest), for the request.