#sprite!cas

After their initial introduction, the hunters and the sprite fall into somewhat of a pattern, namely that Dean acts like Castiel doesn't exist while Sam goes out of his way to be overly hospitable, probably trying to counter his brother's rude behavior. He keeps apologizing for Dean's attitude, saying there was really no explanation for it, but Cas knows what the explanation is.

Whatever understanding the sprite and the older hunter reached during that first meeting has been ruined by that kiss. Castiel knew that it was a risk, but he hadn't anticipated it turning the hunter so completely against him.

Castiel tries not to let it bother him, instead choosing to focus on building himself a nest. He chooses a hidden spot in the back corner of a bookshelf for his home, borrowing odds and ends from around the bunker, like rags and lengths of rope and buttons. However, once his nest is completed, he has nothing to distract himself with.

Since Dean still flinches and stiffens anytime they're in the same room, Castiel takes to following Sam around the bunker instead. It's obvious that his presence distresses Dean, so Castiel tries to make himself as unnoticeable as possible whenever Dean's around.

But even with trying to avoid the green-eyed man, Castiel can't seem to help but notice him. He senses the tension just below those strong shoulders after a hunt, hears the mutters and thrashing nearly every night, sees the drawn features every morning after. Cas longs to help the hunter, but he barely has the magic to keep himself alive, much less the magic to help a full-sized human. Plus he knows that Dean would probably deny any help he tried to give.

Each and every time he feels the helplessness wash over him, he curses the spell Magnus used to not only sever him from his family, but also trap him in his diminished vessel. If only he were able to take his full-sized shape, he could go find his family and reestablish their connection. Then he could come back and help the brothers, actually thank them for all they've done for him. But as it is, he's trapped in his tiny shape; any kind of journey would probably kill him. So he frets and curses and tries to stay out of Dean's way as much as possible.

And then one day, the perfect distraction presents itself.

He's flitting around outside as Sam works to clear some of the debris that litters the bunker's entrance, fluttering back and forth around the building, no pattern to his flight, when he stops short. He can suddenly feel the pull of fertile earth in his very core. He flies back over the same area to confirm, and is pleased to find that he feels the pull again.

Despite the ground looking just like the rest of the dry, harsh land that surrounds the bunker, Cas can immediately sense that it's different. He gently lands in the unused soil and takes up a handful of the dark earth. He smiles happily at the surge of power he feels run through his fingers.

By the time Sam comes around the side of the building searching for him, Cas has already weeded the patch of earth and started turning the soil. He pauses to grin up at Sam and picks up a small handful of the soil to show it off to the tall hunter.

"Magic." He declares proudly, his tone not unlike an artist's when showing off their masterpiece. Sam bends down to inspect the proffered dirt, his face curious. Sure enough, a small tendril of green's already threading itself through the dirt in Castiel's hand.

"But you're not an earth sprite?" Sam wonders aloud, and Castiel shakes his head.

He thinks for a moment, planning his words carefully. Even with his forethought, his tongue still trips a little bit over the unfamiliar words. "Nature magic for all, earth, water, fire, grace, all fairies."

Sam's face lights with comprehension. "So water fairies can control water, earth control earth..." Castiel nods eagerly.

"Grace all." He explains.

"You can control all of it?" Sam murmurs, and Cas looks a little sad.

"No more. Not without family. But earth always magic." He says with a soft smile. He gently places the earth back down, patting into place before looking back up at Sam. "What want?"

Sam's eyes widen with what he's offering. "You're asking what I want to grow?" Castiel nods. "Why don't we choose something you want?"

Castiel's eyebrows furrows as he shakes his head. "Sam nice to Castiel. Give him home."

Sam snorts. "More like invaded your home." Cas's frown deepens.

"Sam choose." He persists stubbornly. Sam sighs as he thinks for a few seconds.

"How 'bout some vegetables? Like tomatoes and cucumbers and such." Sam suggests. "We can use them for cooking."

Cas grins, pleased with the idea.

------------------------

For the next several weeks, Castiel keeps busy with the garden, going outside to tend to it nearly constantly. Either Dean doesn't notice his prolonged absences or doesn't care enough to mention it.

It takes a while, but under Castiel's watchful eye and with a little extra help, the first batch of vegetables is finally ready to be eaten. He tugs Sam out to the garden, eager to show him his handiwork. Between the two of them, the vegetables are quickly picked.

Sam carries the vegetables back into the bunker while Cas flits behind him, proud of his achievement. These vegetables are the very first things Castiel has grown in years, and he's eager to see how his hunters (yes, despite Dean's avoidance, Castiel still considers them both his hunters) like them.

That night, Sam asks Dean to make his burgers for dinner. Sam sets out Castiel's vegetables on the counter, and Dean cuts them up to use on the burgers and in Sam's salad. Cas flits around nervously, impatient for the boys to try his vegetables. Dean casts him a couple confused glances throughout the prep, but asking him about it would ruin his personal illusion that Cas doesn't exist.

When the boys finally sit down with their food, Cas sits down in the center of the table as he waits for them to assemble their burgers. Dean takes a bite first, and he hums appreciatively around the bite.

"Dude, I'm getting better at this cooking stuff. This tastes way better than before!" Dean exclaims. Cas smiles faintly; so the hunter doesn't want to give him credit, that's fine.

Sam takes a bite of his own burger, and his eyebrows shoot up as he chews.

"Well?" Cas asks timidly.

"Cas, this is super good! Like, the tomato is super juicy." Sam praises, and Cas grins proudly. Dean arches an eyebrow at Sam.

"What are you going on about tomatoes for?" He asks gruffly.

"They're Cas's." Sam says with a triumphant smile.

"What do you mean, they're Ca—the fairy's?" Dean asks, slowly lowering his hands.

"Cas grew them in his garden." Sam explains like he's talking to a kindergartener. Dean's eyebrows furrow as he drops the burger back onto his plate.

"What the fuck?" He cries indignantly. "You trying to poison me or something?"

Cas freezes for a split second. Does Dean actually think he would do anything to hurt him, either of them? How could he, even after everything Cas has done to prove his good intent.

He feels like he's been hit. No, actually he's taken hits before; this is worse. His heart twists in his chest as tears start to gather in his big blue eyes.

Sam immediately holds out a hand toward him. "Cas..."

But the fairy's already gone, rushing away toward his hidden nest.

Sam turns to Dean, his face set in a dark scowl. "What the actual fuck, man?!"

"What?" Dean mutters, his shoulders hunching.

"No! Don't pull that ignorant shit on me. How dare you disrespect him like that? He's been working on that garden for weeks, growing food for us! And you just threw it back in his face." Sam's tone is disgusted, and Dean immediately goes on the defensive.

"He's just a fairy, Sammy!" Dean cries. Sam's glower deepens.

"He still has feelings, Dean! He's lonely and lost and misses his family. I'd think you could relate!" Sam accuses.

Dean's eyes flash. "Well, maybe he should go find them, if he misses them so much."

"You know, ever since we found him, he's been nothing but nice. He just wants to help us, Dean. He's gone out of his way to help you, especially." Sam chides, causing Dean to snort.

"Please, he ignores me." Dean argues.

"Cause that's what you wanted!" Sam yells, his tone colored with disbelief. "He was just trying to give you what you wanted."

"Well, I didn't ask him to." Dean mutters.

"God, are you so emotionally constipated that you can't accept the fact that someone actually wants to do nice shit for you?"

"It's not just that; you know it's not." Dean counters. Sam rolls his eyes.

"So he has a little crush on you. That doesn't mean you have to be hostile toward him." Sam reasons.

"Dude, it's not natural!" Dean cries, frustration obvious in his tone as a heavy blush stains his cheeks. "He's a fairy; I'm a human."

Hidden just out of sight outside the kitchen door, Castiel has heard enough. He flies away from the brother's arguing voices, tears streaming down his face. Unnatural; his feelings are unnatural. Hell, that means he's unnatural. He should have never kissed the green-eyed man; he should have kept it all locked away. Dean's right; he shouldn't even be here anymore. He needs to leave.

As he hurries toward his hidden nest, his mind is already racing ahead, planning. He'll get out of here, stop being a burden on the brothers. Maybe after he's gone, they won't fight anymore. He'll go find his family; they may yet be alive. He's been working with the earth long enough that he has some magic stored up for a decent journey.

He'll have to be careful, of course, keep his magic use to a minimum. But when he finds his family, he can be reconnected with their power, and then it won't matter. He'll be away from his hunters, yes, probably heartbroken and more alone than he is now, but the brothers, or at least one of them, will be happy.

He decides to wait until nightfall, until after the bunker has gone silent and the dark shadows creep across the floorboards. He doesn't want Sam to try to stop him.

---------------

After all has gone silent, Cas peeks his head out to ensure that the coast is clear. All is dark and quiet. He takes a deep breath and crawls out of his nest, taking a moment to pat it fondly. It has been a good home for him while he's been here, and he'll kind of miss it.

He springs from his shelf and heads straight for the door, determination alone driving him forward. He can't stop to think about this, or he won't go through with it.

"Going somewhere?" A deep voice murmurs, causing Castiel to screech to a halt. He glances down and finds Dean sitting there in the darkness of the library. Cas thinks about flying on, but he instinctively knows that Dean stayed up just to wait for him. He slowly glides down to stand on the table in front of Dean as the hunter clicks on one of the table-top lamps.

"How know?" He asks sadly.

"Sam doesn't know where your nest is, but I do. I figured you'd show yourself eventually." Dean explains. "Now, where are you going?"

"Dean..." Cas murmurs. He clears his throat nervously, but Dean says nothing, obviously waiting for an answer. Cas sighs heavily before admitting, "Go find family."

"I don't think so." Dean says it so casually, like he actually has some say in whether Castiel goes or stays. Castiel bristles, but before he can argue, Dean keeps speaking. "You don't have enough juice for the journey."

"How...?" Cas doesn't finish the question. How could he possibly know that?

"Sammy told me about your family, about where you get your magic from. It sounds nice and all, but I don't think you've quite thought this through. What happens when you run out of grace, and you still haven't found them?" Dean questions, and Cas shrugs, but the shrug is a lie. He does know what'll happen. He'll die, alone and powerless.

He doesn't just know this; he expects it. He knows the search for his family is nothing more than a wild goose chase of his own invention, something to distract himself while his grace slowly wanes away. Well, with the journey, it won't be so slow. But in Cas's opinion, that'll be better than another fifty to sixty years sealed away in a jar in the bunker. The first fifty years was torture enough when he didn't have a man with beautiful green eyes haunting his thoughts.

As if he can read the sprite's mind, Dean speaks up. "See, I think you do know." Dean murmurs calmly. "And it's stupid. Take it from the king of self-inflicted torture; it won't be worth it."

Cas smiles sadly. "I know."

"Then why? Why leave home?" Dean wonders. Cas looks around the dark bunker. Home...

He looks back up into Dean's green, green eyes. "Not Castiel's home." He knows it's a lie, but Dean doesn't. At least he thinks so until Dean speaks.

"Bullshit. You've been living here for longer than Sam and I have been alive." Dean counters. Cas has no rebuttal, so he just stiffens his shoulders further and drops his head to stare down at the table beneath his small shuffling feet. Dean sighs. "I'm sorry about dinner. That was cruel of me."

Cas's head shoots back up. Dean never apologizes...never. It's one of the things Sam mutters angrily about the most.

"I haven't really given you a fair chance, have I?" Dean observes, and Cas shakes his head.

"My fault." Cas offers. "No kiss Dean."

Dean can't tell if the sprite is acknowledging that he shouldn't have or if he's promising that he never will again. He tries to ignore the pang that runs through him at either prospect. He smiles reassuringly.

"Look, let's just...start over, I guess." Dean suggests, his tone hopeful. Cas thinks for a moment before nodding. It'll be good to part on good terms with the older Winchester.

He smiles when Dean holds out his hand like a handshake. There's no way Cas can shake hands like he's seen humans do, but he still places his tiny hand in the hunter's larger one. Dean grasps his hand in between two of his fingers to shake gently.

Castiel moves to pull back, but Dean maintains his grip.

"Don't leave, Cas." He pleads quietly. "I'll behave, I promise. I'll even help you find your family, okay? If you really want to find them."

Cas contemplates his offer for several moments before finally nodding. Dean releases the breath he was holding with a small smile.

"We'll start searching tomorrow." Dean promises, and Cas smiles gratefully. Dean holds out his palm and Cas clambers into it. Dean stands and carries him back over to his bookshelf, and Cas allows him to, even though they both know Cas can fly back on his own. Dean places him down gently. "I'll see you at breakfast?"

——————–

“Dean, look what I found.” Sam calls as he walks into the kitchen. Dean turns from where he’s scrubbing out under the sink and immediately falls backward with a shout of surprise, scrambling to put space between him and his brother, or rather, the mason jar that his brother is holding.

“Dude, what the hell?!” Dean cries indignantly, his eyes locked onto the ball of shining light inside the jar.

“What? I found it in one of the storage lockers downstairs.” Sam explains, confused by Dean’s overreaction.

“Well, put it back! You know how I feel about those things!” Dean yells, shoving an angry finger toward the ball of light.

“About what things?” Sam asks, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

“Fairies!” Dean cries impatiently. “Fucking fairies, man! Especially after Indiana.”

Sam has to think for a moment before he remembers what Dean means. Ohhh, right…the fairies that captured Dean in Elwood, Indiana, back when Sam was still soulless. Sam rolls his eyes.

“Dean, you’re overreacting.”

“I’m overreacting?! Me? Sammy, you don’t know what those evil sons of bitches did to me. You weren’t there!” Dean yells, his tone accusing. Sam’s sigh is long suffering.

“Yeah, I remember. I wasn’t there because…”

“Because while I was getting abducted by fairies, you were getting it on with that weird hippie alien chick.” Dean gripes, still eyeing the glass jar warily. “Man, I couldn’t crap right for a week.” He mumbles.

Sam smirks. “Look, it’s fine, okay. This is a grace sprite, completely different from what we faced in Elwood.” He points at the jar. “I mean, look at how cute it is!”

Dean refuses to acknowledge how cute it is, instead choosing to glare at Sam. His brother simply shrugs and starts to unscrew the lid, but Dean suddenly jumps up and tries to grab the jar from him.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Dean asks, eyes wide with disbelief. Sam yanks it out of reach.

“I’m letting it out. Who knows how long it’s been trapped in there?” Sam reasons, but Dean shakes his head emphatically.

“No! There’s no telling what it’ll do to us.”

Sam throws him a bitchface. “Dean, we can’t just keep it trapped in there. That’s cruel! Who knows what the confinement’s done to its system?”

“Look, if it’s made it this long, I think it’s doing just fine.” Dean argues. “I’m not gonna have some fairy on the loose in my house! Not while I’m nesting.”

“Nesting?” Sam asks with an arched eyebrow, his tone skeptical.

“What? It’s a thing.” Dean defends, his face twisting into a scowl.

Sam opens his mouth to respond, but before he can say anything, a tiny giggle filters through the air. Both boys freeze for a split second, their eyes widening at the sound. What the fuck?

Almost in tandem, they start to look around, searching for the source of the laugh, when Dean suddenly stops short.

“Sam.” He whispers, his tone frightened. Sam looks back at him, only to see him pointing at something behind Sam. Sam begins to turn around, but Dean shakes his head. “The jar!” He whispers theatrically.

Sam slowly brings the jar up between them so they can both peer inside at the floating orb of light. Another giggle sounds, and Sam realizes that Dean’s right; the laughter is coming from the jar.

Dean finally has no choice but to look at the thing, and he’s a little shocked. It’s definitely not what he expected. The fairies in Indiana had looked weird and gross and evil; this one looks…different.

The first thing he notices are the eyes, big and blue and bright, brighter than any star and brimming with good humor. Dean’s immediately captivated, and he can’t help the small smile that starts to creep across his face. The fairy smiles back at him, its pouty pink lips turning up slightly at the corners as if it’s sharing a private joke with Dean.

He doesn’t even realize that he’s inching closer to the jar until the little guy sneezes, startling Dean into jerking back. The sprite reaches a small hand up to itch at its upturned nose, scrunching up its delicate features as it does so. Once it drops its hand, it offers Dean an apologetic smile.

Dean can’t seem to tear his gaze away. A flush creeps up along its pale chest as it stares right back, studying him just as closely as he’s studying it. Fuck, it’s kind of adorable. Its smile widens, and Dean decides that it’s actually very adorable.

Castiel stares at the big man with the bright green eyes, his mouth quirking into a small smile as another giggle escapes. Castiel likes him and his funny expressions and his brilliantly green eyes. They remind Castiel of the summers he used to spend with his brothers and sisters under a bright green canopy of leaves. He can tell that the man’s nice, despite his initial dislike of Castiel.

The fairy giggles again at the reasoning behind the dislike. Like he could actually do anything to either of these men. Granted, if he were with his brothers and sisters in the woods, still linked to their magic and the power of the earth, there’s probably a lot he could do. But given that he’s cut off from them, there’s really nothing he can do.

Castiel waves at the green-eyed man, trying to show his friendly intent. The man actually brings a hand up to wave back, his expression dumbfounded.

"I think he likes you.” The one holding Cas’s jar—Sam, Castiel reminds himself—says. There’s a teasing note in Sam’s voice that immediately puts the green-eyed man on edge, and Cas can’t help the tiny frown that rises to his lips. Nothing should ever upset someone like the green-eyed man.

He turns around to glare at the other man with the long hair, arms crossed across his chest in disapproval, which for some reason only causes Sam to smile even wider.

“Yeah, Dean. You’ll be fine.” Sam says, swiftly unscrewing the cap from the jar.

“No!” Dean cries in protest, but it’s too late. The tiny sprite bursts from the jar, delighted laughter bubbling up from deep inside of him as he soars up toward the ceiling and zooms happily around the kitchen.

Sam smiles as he watches the sprite, pleased with his decision when he sees the pure joy in the creature’s movements. Meanwhile, Dean ducks and tries to shield his face every time the fairy gets within five feet of him, but the sprite doesn’t even seem to notice.

Castiel races around the room, his wings fluttering with the freedom of flight. Exhilaration rises up within him with every flap of his wings, and he can’t seem to stop the laughter that erupts from him in short spurts.

Yes, he missed his brothers and sisters and his connection with the earth and his home. But this, the freedom of being able to fly, was what he missed more than anything else.

After several minutes, Cas returns to the brothers. It would be rude not to thank them.

The sprite perches on Sam’s shoulder first, reaching up to pat him on the cheek with his small, soft hand.

“Sam.” He declares in a tiny voice, his smile wide and grateful. Sam’s shocked for a moment but then smiles in response as he nods his head in acknowledgement.

Cas flits over to Dean next, ignoring the man’s flinch as he draws nearer. But instead of landing on his shoulder like he did with Sam, Cas hovers right in front of his face, his expression indecisive for a moment. He offers a shy smile before he grabs Dean by the nose and presses a quick kiss to the tip.

“Dean.” He says, a small blush rising up on his pale cheeks. However, the small blush is nothing compared to the red streak that blazes along Dean’s cheekbones as he chokes on nothing.

Cas offers one more shy wave before he’s racing away to explore the rest of the bunker.

Sam grins smugly. “See, I told you he likes you.”