Work Text:
It was lunchtime.
Years ago, this would have meant stopping at a convenience store or fast-food place to get something easy to eat in the car. Things were very different now. These days, lunchtime in the Winchester household mostly meant trying to get a six-year-old, a three-year-old, and a toddler to stay at the table; getting them to eat their lunch was a different matter. At least today it was only Castiel and Emma in the house. Nathaniel was at school, and Dean had gone to the playground with Sam, Gabriel, and Ava (Emma had declined to go with them, preferring to spend the afternoon with her dad). And without her cousins to distract her, Emma was good as gold. She sat at the table, kicking her little legs and munching on a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich while Cas tinkered around the kitchen. He didn't even notice when she was finished, not until he turned around and saw a clean plate and an empty chair. He retrieved the plate. As he was putting it in the sink he heard her footsteps creep up behind him, and he turned around to see his daughter dressed in a Batman cape and mask and a pink tulle skirt. "I'm Batman!" she declared. Like father, like daughter.
"Yes, I can see that. I was not aware that Batman wore tutus." Cas bit back a laugh.
"Imma princess Batman." the little girl said, as though it should have been obvious.
"Ah. Of course." Cas turned his attention back to the sink. Moments later, a tiny finger poked at his leg. "Yes, Emma?"
"Wanna play dress-up?"
Dress-up. Oh no. As much as Cas enjoyed spending time with his daughter, that was the one thing he tried very hard to avoid. "Ah...maybe later, Emma. I need to-"
"No, daddy! Now!"
Cas looked down at her. The girl had her father's green eyes, all right- and just like her father, she knew how to use them. Cas was powerless. He sighed and turned off the water. "Alright," he said, "but only for a little while." or at least that's what he meant to say, but he only got half of it out before he was seized by the hand and led away down the hall.
-
"Okay, everybody out."
Dean, Gabe, and Nathaniel clambered out of the Impala; Sam followed, a little slower, with a sleeping Ava in his arms. They walked to the house in a straggling line with Nate leading the way. The little boy waited eagerly by the door while his uncle unlocked it, but when he started to charge inside Dean snagged him by the collar. "Hold up, kiddo. Your cousin's probably napping." Dean warned, and went in first. Sam came next and made a beeline for the bedroom to put Ava down. Dean called in a stage-whisper for his boyfriend, but the house was quiet. "Cas? Emma...?" still nothing. He looked in the kitchen and the backyard and glanced down the basement stairs. They weren't there, either. Then he heard Gabriel snicker.
"Oh my god."
Castiel was coming down the stairs, as embarrassed as one man can be. He looked...well, he looked like he'd spent the afternoon with a preschooler. There were stickers on his face and bracelets on each wrist. A green feather boa hung around his neck, and a blanket had been draped around his narrow waist to make a skirt. Gabriel shook with suppressed laughter. Nathaniel wasn't nearly so restrained; he stood behind his father and laughed like a little hyena. To his six-year-old mind, this was comedy gold.
"Wow, look at you." Dean whistled appreciatively. "Do I wanna know what happened?"
Cas gingerly peeled a sticker off his cheek and rubbed at the red mark it left behind. "Your daughter 'happened'." he grumbled, but only half-heartedly. "She insisted on playing dress-up."
"Hey, she's your daughter too." Dean helped him remove another sticker. Behind him, Gabe gently shushed Nathaniel and the pair wandered away. "Where is the little mastermind?"
"Napping. I was- ouch." another sticker was pulled off, and he winced "-I was instructed to tell you that she is Princess Batman today."
"Princess Batman...?"
Cas shrugged. He started to unwrap his blanket-skirt, but Dean stopped him. "At least let me take a picture." he sighed, grudgingly nodded, and Dean hurried away to get his phone. Cas groaned inwardly. He loved Dean and Emma, he really did. But next time, it would be Dean's turn to play dress-up.
~** ☆☆☆ **~