Chapter Text
Sam was a middle school student, and his father worked odd jobs for a city development complex. Dean felt bored. Nothing in the stuffy motel kept his interest. No matter how hard he pounded the television, no picture came on. It fizzled and buzzed like an overworked bee.
His dad had not forbidden him from going outside, so he grabbed his keys and put on his tired sneakers. There was an enormous park across the way, so he wandered over and explored.
The weather was pleasant for a winter's day. A few brief periods of egg-yolk sunshine were interspersed among the thick clouds. Dean didn't need his coat and was only wearing his hoodie. He slunk to the park entrance with his hands in his pants pockets.
It was a weekday, so there weren't many people around. Dean trudged slowly through the crooked trails littered with stones and tree roots. On a section of brown grass, he noticed a crowd of people. Tables covered in projects that caught his interest, blankets down.
Dean fretted his lip as he stood on the edge of the grass. With the awkwardness of a teenager, he shrugged and walked without being stopped. Children were also there, and the group gave off a friendly vibe. Dean could not sense any weird vibrations.
A young girl with braided long brown hair, around his brother's age (eleven or twelve), approached him and beamed. "Hey, my name is Ava. Would you like to come paint with me?"
Dean was taken aback by the brash compassion shown to him. "Um, I guess so. Is it okay with your parents?" he asked.
As she extended her hand, Ava giggled, and her brown eyes danced with delight. "Uncle Gabe, is it okay if my new friend joins us?"
A man with whisky-coloured eyes and short blond hair turned and smiled. "Sure, pumpkin. What's the name of your friend?"
Dean stuttered because he was flabbergasted; few people tolerated him, yet they accepted him here. "Dean. I'm Dean Winchester, sir,"
The man acknowledged him. "Nice to meet you, Dean. My name’s Gabriel,"
Ava led him to the laden table with his hand. It was the first human contact he'd had in a long time besides his father's wrath, and he fought back the tears that threatened to form in the corner of his eyes. At the tiny wooden craft table, Dean knelt. Bright paints, pastels, paper, and paintbrushes were available. Dean assisted Ava in painting the trees, adding a dog and a bench, while Ava added flowers and a rainbow.
A shadow fell across them, prompting Ava to look up. "Hey, Uncle Castiel! Dean and I have painted pictures of the park."
Dean observed the man's thick black hair and piercing blue eyes, which seemed to pin him to the ground. He was approximately six feet tall and stocky. His angular face was stern, and his forehead displayed lines of disquiet, but his chapped lips displayed a faint smile.
"I can see. Why don't you hang it up to dry, sweetheart?" Ava nodded.
The man turned to Dean then and observed the newcomer. "So, child, why aren't you at school?" Castiel's voice was dark chocolate with a hint of ivy honey.
Dean recognized immediately that this individual was Alpha and supervised the entire group. He could not be trifled with. Dean did not wish to deceive him, but he was unprepared to divulge his secrets.
Castiel sighed with resignation as Dean bowed his head in sorrow. "Your name is Dean, right?"
"Y-yes, sir," Dean replied timidly.
Castiel eased the boy into his presence, not wanting to scare him. "Such nice manners, Dean. Would you like to stay for lunch with us?"
Dean fidgeted with the edges of his hoodie as butterflies filled his stomach. "I can? I suppose I'd like that. No one will return until later."
Castiel could sense that no one often showed kindness to the child but that he might scatter like a wildebeest with a lion at its tail if he pushed too hard. "Dean, could you help Ava pin the paintings on the boards to dry? We need to wipe the tables for lunch."
Dean nodded his head. “I... I can do that, Alpha,”
Castiel saw how positively Dean responded to praise and guessed he would want to be helpful. "I know you can, Dean. Please call me Castiel."
Dean got on with his task and had the other children laughing. Gabriel came over to help Hannah, Ezra, and Grace wipe the tables down.
"That child's lost brother," Grace said to Castiel.
"Something's not right, that's for sure," Ezra stated.
"He's good with the nestlings, though. Ava's taken a shine to him," said Hannah.
"Do you want me to snoop, brother?" Gabriel turned to Castiel.
"If Dean comes back, then yes. We will invite him to our next outing. Do we all agree?" Castiel glanced around his family.
There were nods and yeses, and they unpacked the food. Dean approached the tables with eight nestlings trailing behind him like a gaggle of little ducklings.
"Dean, my name is Hannah. I'm the mom of Ava and Samson. Could you please hand out wipes before we eat?"
"Yes! Hannah, nice to meet you."
"Likewise, Dean."
"Hi, Dean, my name's Ezra. I'm mated to Hannah. This is the bag with the wash supplies." Ezra passed the blue bag of supplies to the youngster.
"Nice to meet you, sir," Dean grinned at the Alpha.
Castiel watched as Dean explained to the younger nestlings that they needed to be clean and that eating with dirty hands could make their tummies ache.
"Dean, this is Grace; she's Gabriel's mate. They have two children here, Rose and Tyler," Castiel told him, trying to introduce everyone.
Dean stopped and frowned. "Are you like a Doctor Who fan?"
Grace laughed. "Yes, their names go over most people's heads."
"That's kinda awesome," Dean said in awe.
Castiel shook his head and rolled his eyes. "The other children's parents are working today. We have Michael, Ambriel, Marie and Levi."
Dean muddled through those names in his head. They rang a distant bell but pushed it to the back of his mind for now.
"There you go, mucky pups. Everything is set up; let's get lunch." Levi, the baby of the group, held on to Dean's hand, sucking two fingers with the other.
Dean stood near the table, watching the group. The Omegas were kneeling on pillows, and the Alphas stood. Castiel stood at the head of the table. The children stood, and they all held hands.
Castiel glanced at Dean and smiled, trying to offer reassurance. "Our ways may seem strange to you. We will never push you to join us; our lifestyle is traditional. You, I guess, were not brought up in such ways. You're welcome to stay and learn. If you wish to join in, you may."
"Do I have to kneel?" Dean asked, his curiosity piqued by the lifestyle these people led.
Hannah shook her head. "No honey, you're a child. How old are you, Dean?"
"Oh, I'm fifteen, sixteen in January," Dean told them.
Castiel turned to the table. "Let's join hands. Let's bless Mother Omega for the food she provides and Father Alpha for his support and strength."
"Amen," they all chorused.
Castiel noted that Dean joined in, and his chest felt warm. He knew little about the boy, though, apart from the fact that Dean was good with children. The older man only hoped and prayed to the heavens that someone cared for the nestling.
The Alphas plated up the food for the children first. "We feed our children first, Dean," Gabriel told Dean, including the boy. "They're the most important people in the nest. Then our Omegas are life and need to be cherished. Then we get to be fed." The young boy who was hanging off his every word.
"Have you ever heard of a traditional angel pack, Dean?" Grace wanted to know the extent of Dean's knowledge.
Dean had terrible table manners. He spoke with his mouth full. Castiel raised his eyebrow but remained quiet on the subject.
"Not much," Dean said, munching on a ham sandwich, crumbs spilling from his mouth. "That you live on compounds, and you're all pretty strict."
"I full," declared little Levi, who was sitting next to Dean.
Castiel narrowed his eyes and cleared his throat. "Levi honey, you need to finish your plate or no dessert. You know the rules."
"I want no more," Levi said again, pushing his plate aside.
"That's okay, Levi, but you don't get any food until supper time," Castiel explained softly.
"No 'nack?" The little nestling squeaked, putting his bottom lip out.
"No baby, no snack," Castiel told the boy gently.
Dean felt sorry for the little guy but said nothing; it was not his place.
Ezra caught Dean's regard. "Even at an early age, we teach that there is a consequence to an action, whether that action is good or bad."
"Everything we put on Levi's plate, we know he likes. The portion is not large. We assume that he's not hungry. If the food is not finished, then you can't have dessert. He can't have a snack because that would be a treat and a sign of good behaviour. If he were sick, we would know and treat him accordingly." Gabriel added.
“I get that.” Dean turned to the little boy. “You can’t live off snacks, little buddy. You need to eat your food to grow big and strong.”
“No,” the little boy grumped. Dean thought he was adorable but watched to see how the adults handled the situation. He knew his dad would have thrown him across his knee for that behaviour.
Grace turned to Castiel. “May I deal with this Folctoga?”
“You may, Grace,” Castiel nodded and waved his hand.
Grace stood, and Gabriel steadied her. She went around the table and took Levi by the hand.
“Can I ask a question, please?” Dean asked as the others helped tidy the main meal away.
Castiel nodded, went over, and got to his level. “How come Grace asked you and not her Alpha? What was the name she used?”
Castiel hummed thoughtfully. “I like an inquisitive child. Yes, Gabriel is her Alpha, and if their nestlings needed reprimanding, she would have asked Gabriel. But I’m in charge of the Goddréam, our garrison and the nestlings while their parents work. The name she used was Folctoga, which means Commander.”
Dean glanced at Levi, sitting on a red chair with his head hung low. Grace was near him, keeping a watchful eye. “You don’t spank the nestlings?” Dean asked in astonishment.
“Never on a nestling that’s under the age of six. But it would have to be severe for them to get such punishment. We try to talk and see where the behaviour is coming from.”
Dean snorted, eyes wide, not understanding this different way of life. “My dad would have had me over his knee. He does not go in for that girly shit,”
Something flashed over Castiel’s face, but Dean could not interpret the emotion. “If you wish to stay with us, Dean, please refrain from using such language.”
Dean lowered his eyes and whispered. “Sorry, Alpha,”
Castiel ruffled his hair. “I know you are leanbh mo chroí,”
Dean stayed and had dessert. He helped pack away the food, which only the Omegas did. Then he played with the nestlings. Dean noted the time on his watch and turned to Hannah and Grace.
"I have to go, guys. Sammy will be home from school, and I will be in big trouble if I'm not home to greet him."
Grace called for Castiel, who she knew wanted a word with the boy before he went.
"Thank you for a great day. It's better than being on my own."
"Can I walk with you, Dean? Make sure you get home safe?" Castiel asked the young boy, who he had begun to be quite fond of.
"I'm only at the motel across the road from the park," Dean told him.
"Then we won't be long," Dean waved to everyone, knowing the stubborn Alpha would not take no for an answer.
They strolled along the path. Dean kicked stones with his feet, picked up a stick, and threw it at a tree. It crashed through the branches, sending them crashing down like confetti.
“Will you join us again, Dean? We are meeting at the Museum of Art on Friday,”
“What with the little ones?” Dean squinted, not sure how that would work.
Castiel chuckled. “No, child, others more your age.”
Dean hated this gift dangling before him, but it was out of reach. “I... I don’t know this city... I guess I need money?”
Castiel felt for the boy, knowing he desperately wanted to come but would not take charity. “Dean, I invited you, so we will pick you up and pay for your ticket.”
Dean mulled this over, wondering if it was a trap, but Castiel was right. He invited him. “Oh, I’ve never been asked before; not sure how these things work.”
Castiel was pleased but did not show this, not wanting to spook Dean away. “Do you have a phone, Dean?”
"Um, yeah, let me give you my number. I can meet you at the corner of the park. Well, you can give me the info." Dean beamed.
Castiel wished Dean would smile more often. He was beautiful and became more animated when he talked about the subjects he liked. "I put my and the Garrisons' numbers in case you need us. You can call us anytime, and we can try to help you."
The words' we can try' stuck in Dean's mind. Though he guessed if they moved, the Garrison could not stop his dad. Castiel walked Dean to number twenty-five and stopped outside his room.
"You never answered me, Dean. Why are you not at school today?"
Dean let the dark shadows cross his face. "I'm not worth the hassle. Plus, I'm stupid, so what's the point?"
Castiel's blue eyes bored into him, and his blood boiled. Oh, he would love to meet the person who told this sweet nestling this. "I will see you Friday, Dean."
"Yeah, if we're still around." Castiel nodded and left, trying to contain his anger. The world often bashes the traditional lifestyle, yet it would never treat a nestling like Dean's people.
The minibus waited for Castiel at the corner, and the Alpha climbed in. "I gather Dean told you a few things, Cassie?" Gabriel asked, pulling into light traffic.
Castiel groaned and took his ire out on the seat belt. It was a testament to his concern that he did not reprimand his sibling for the nickname. "You could say that, little brother. I hope Dean will come on Friday to tell us more about his home life."
"We can't interfere, though, brother," Gabriel warned.
Castiel growled. "That poor boy has no one."
"We will help if we can. No nestling will be harmed, not on my watch," Gabriel declared, his hands on the steering wheel growing white.