Chapter Text
31st October, 1985
Dean pulled on his mother's hand, all but dragging her down the street and towards the next house which was covered in Halloween decorations. He absolutely adored trick or treating, and actually the entire day. Halloween was probably his favourite holiday, and every single person they passed could see it just from the excitement in his face and the way he was walking as quickly as his little legs would take him.
"Come on Mom," he giggled, jumping up and down and making the metal pieces on his cowboy costume rattle, "I want to get all the candy possible!"
Mary laughed, having to quick walk to keep up with her eldest son, while holding little Sammy who was dressed up as a pumpkin, but had gotten tired of walking about fifteen minutes before. She was surprised he'd lasted so long, he was only small, and Dean was definitely not being considerate for anyone who wasn't as excited as he was.
"We're going to have to head soon, Dean," she warned, readjusting Sam in her arms, glancing at her watch and seeing how close to Dean's bedtime it was getting.
"I know, but can we go to just a few more houses! Please." Mary couldn't say no to his puppy eyes, especially not on Halloween.
"Alright then. Just to the end of this row. Then we're going home."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," he gasped, already rushing down the driveway of the next house.
A sudden gust of wind blew down the street, making all the parents standing around with small children shiver, and knocking Dean's cowboy hat off his head. It flew through the air for a little bit, before dropping it just along from them. Dean threw himself after it, but before he could grab it, someone else did.
"My hat!" he cried out, in that way only little kids can, assuming that this was it, his hat was being stolen and he would never see it again.
"Here you go." A slightly older boy stood in front of Dean, probably only a year older, but it was a bit too dark to see properly, wearing fluffy white angel wings and a shy smile. "I take it this is yours?" He held out the cowboy hat.
"Yes it is!" Dean cheered, his smile only growing when the other boy dropped the hat back onto his head. "I'm Dean, what's your name?"
"I'm Castiel," the other boy replied, looking slightly confused over why Dean was still talking to him.
"Castee- Catst- can I call you Cas?"
"That- that works," Castiel replied, his eyes wide. As though never been given a nice nickname before. "My brothers call me Cassie," he told Dean, "but I think that's mainly because they knew I hate it.
"Cas it is then," Dean decided, smiling happily at his new friend. "Do you live around here Cas?"
"Yes actually, just a few minutes that way," he pointed along the street, in the general direction of Dean's house.
"Me too!" Dean gasped like it was the most exciting thing that had happened all week, "Maybe we live near each other!"
"Maybe," Cas agreed, shuffling his feet awkwardly and reaching back to fiddle with his costume wings.
"Come on Dean," Mary called kindly, a half asleep Sam still cradled in her arms, "time to carry on. Is your new friend coming with us?"
"Can you? Can you? Can you?" Dean asked, back to bouncing in place fast enough that his hat kept on bouncing on his head and nearly falling off.
"I'll have to ask my brothers," Cas said slowly, looking behind him at a small group of other boys, who Dean would guess were between ten and sixteen.
"I hope they let you," Dean said, sounding as hopeful as he felt. He didn't know Cas well, but he could tell that he was nice, and he definitely wanted to get to know him more. He talked weirdly, but there was something endearing about him, and Dean's six year old brain instantly latched on and called him friend.
"I hope so too," Cas replied, his blue eyes wide and full of truth. He walked away then, going to talk to his brothers. Dean saw him point over at him, and at him Mom, and then they were all coming over, the older two going to talk to Mary, while the younger one - he was still older than Dean mind - came to talk to him.
"Heya there Dean-o," he grinned, apparently even more forward than Dean himself was. "I'm Gabriel, I take it you've decided to adopt my baby bro."
"You're three years older than me Gabe," Cas muttered under his breath, but Dean could hear the fondness in his tone, and he instantly knew he had to be polite to this guy if he wanted Cas to be his friend.
And he really did want Cas to be his friend.
"Yes, I have." Dean said, nodding his head, "Cas is my friend now."
Gabriel turned to Cas, as though he didn't fully believe Dean's story. "It's true," Cas sighed, nearly pulling a feather out of his wings as he rolled his eyes at his brother, "I want to be his friend Gabe, you can stop your overprotective big brother act."
"I just want to keep little Cassie safe and this is the thanks I get!" Gabe replied dramatically, but he did smile at Dean before walking back to stand with his other brothers, so Dean guessed that meant he passed.
"Come on Dean and Castiel," Mary called, "we're going now. We are going to drop Castiel off at home on our way back, okay?"
Dean and Cas shared an excited look, running to catch up with Mary. Although Dean was still excited about the candy, he was almost even more excited about finding out where Cas lived. Dean hoped that Cas would be very close to his house, so they could meet up and play, and be best friends forever.
Castiel was hoping for a similar thing.