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John loved Christmas time, it was another reason to have his kids under one roof. It was always a little chaotic, but John lived for it. This year, the house would be fuller than ever before. It would be him, his wife, and kids, but all three of his sons now had mates of their own. Of course, John opened his arms to his kids’ mates. To him, they were now family, unless they hurt one of his sons, then John would make sure no one would ever find their bodies.
John had already met Cas, he was a sweet alpha and John didn’t have any worries about him. However, he had yet to meet Sam and Adam’s partners. Sam and Adam had a good head on their shoulders, so John was sure their mates were respectable. Dean surprised John, the alpha loved his son, but Dean was that typical knothead. Always chasing after omegas, but when Dean met Cas, John knew there was something between the two. Dean fought it for the longest time, but when his son finally fessed up about his feelings for Cas, John was overjoyed. Cas was a respectable alpha who calmed Dean down, a bit. Dean was a good kid, but Cas bought out the best in him.
Either way, John was sure Sam and Adam’s mates would be just as respectable as Cas and he looked forward to sharing the tradition with them. John had this tradition, he didn’t decorate the tree until all his kids were home. Everyone would bring their own ornaments to put on the tree so it had a touch of everyone. So, there would be three more people this year, but John was sure their tree would look good.
🎄🎄🎄
Dean and Cas were the first to arrive, which wasn’t surprising since they lived in the same town as John. John pulled them both into a crushing hug, just quickly, so the two could put their bags into their room. While they did that, John walked over to the kitchen, making sure the snacks and drinks were out for when his other sons and their mates arrived. Rowena leaned against the counter, with a glass of wine in her hand, and the beta smirked at him.
“I just love how domestic you get when we have company.”
John looked up and grinned at her. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
John abandoned the table, walking up towards his wife. He placed his hands on the counter, blocking Rowena in. “Maybe I should try it in the bedroom. Play the perfect house alpha, huh?”
Rowena giggled, running her fingers through his hair. “I rather like the beast you become though.”
“Ew! Guys! Gross!” Dean gagged. “Don’t scar Cas!”
John quickly straightened up and tried to face Dean and Cas, but the alpha couldn’t look at them. “I um… I got some snacks out if you guys want anything.”
“Lucky for you, it takes a lot for me to lose my appetite!” Dean said, piling his plate with cheese and olives.
“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Winchester. Thank you for having me over.” Cas replied and John leveled his eyes at him.
“I told you, son, call me John.”
“And please, don’t call me Mrs. It makes me feel old.” Rowena added and Cas quickly nodded.
“O-okay.”
John heard knocking on the door and wondered who beat who here. “Help yourself to some food, Cas.”
John hurried to the living room, opening it to find his youngest son, Adam with an alpha next to him. The alpha looked stiff, uncomfortable, and the poor bastard had his dark hair combed back and was wearing clothes that were way too formal for the Winchesters. Good, John thought because even though John tried to treat Adam with the same respect as his alpha sons, he might have a softer spot for his youngest. So, this alpha who was dating his only omega son, he better damn well try his best to impress.
“Hey dad!” Adam said, throwing his arms around John briefly before grabbing the alpha’s hand. “I want you to meet my boyfriend, Michael.”
John kept his best stern alpha dad face on as he stared Michael in the eyes. It was fun watching the younger alpha squirm. “Nice to meet you. Please come in.” John stepped out of the way so the two could enter. “Dean!”
Dean came rushing in, with his plate in his hand, and his cheeks full of food. “Yeah?” Dean asked, not caring about talking with his mouth full.
“Help Adam take his and Michael’s bags to the room.” Dean sat his plate down on the end table and grabbed Michael’s bags. Dean gave Michael a quick wave before retreating up the stairs with Adam.
John turned to Michael, making sure his glare could cut. Michael smelled even more nervous now he was alone with John. John did his best to keep a straight face, but on the inside, the alpha was laughing. “So… How did you and Adam meet?”
“T-the coffee house on campus, s-sir.”
John grunted. “You studying medicine as well?”
Michael shook his head. “N-no sir… Business.”
John crossed his arms and lifted a brow. “And what exactly are your intentions with my son?”
Michael paled and the poor alpha started to shake a bit. “I… I…”
John smiled, deciding to give the poor guy a break. “I’m messing with you.”
“W-what?”
“Come on.” John threw his arm over Michael’s shoulder. “Let’s get you a drink.”
“T-thank you, sir.”
“Don’t call me sir, call me John.”
“Yes S-John!”
John led the shaking alpha to the kitchen and helped him into a seat. Cas gave Michael a concerned look and John couldn’t blame him. John knew Cas’s parents, could only imagine what growing up with them was like. So, John didn’t give Cas the same treatment when Dean told him they were dating. Besides, John didn’t need to, Cas was a sweet kid.
“I’m Rowena, John’s wife, and Dean, Sam, and Adam’s mother. Well, stepmother!” Rowena offered her hand and Michael took it while John grabbed a beer from the fridge.
“They see you as their mother.” John told her as he set a beer in front of Michael and the young alpha quickly took a sip.
“What did you do to that poor boy?” Rowena asked but John only smiled at her.
“Hey, I’m Cas!” Cas said as he waved at Michael. “I’m Dean’s boyfriend.”
Michael frowned. “Oh, Dean smelled like an alpha.”
Now Cas was frowning. “He is.”
“Do you got a problem with that?” John asked.
“N-no sir! I mean John!” Michael blurted before taking a longer pull out of his beer.
Dean came bouncing into the kitchen with his plate back in his hand and Adam right behind him. “So you’re the alpha dating my baby bro, huh? I’m Dean!”
Dean offered his hand and Michael took it. “I’m Michael, it’s nice to meet you and I think it’s cool that you’re dating an alpha.”
Dean looked at Michael like the alpha had four heads. Adam patted Michael on the shoulder before taking a seat next to him. “Please forgive him. He’s really nervous.”
“Looks like it! Poor guy is shaking like a leaf.” Dean grinned at Adam. “What did you tell him about us?”
“I didn’t have to tell much, any story I told of you would scare most alphas away.” Adam teased.
“You’re welcome.” Dean winked. “You know this food is for us, right? Cas, Adam, Mikey, help yourselves.” Dean said as he piled more food onto his plate.
Cas only started to pick up some finger foods when Rowena started to make a plate for herself. Adam, though, placed his hand on his stomach. “Sorry dad, if I had known you were gonna make us food, I would have eaten lighter on the way up here.”
“No problem. They’ll be plenty for when you do—” John was cut off by the knocking on the door.
He walked into the living room, excited to see his middle child and who his mate was. John wondered if it was that Jess woman Sam had the biggest crush on during his freshman year of college. John opened the door and while he had never seen Jess, he knew two things about the omega from what Sam had told him. She was tall and she was a she. The omega next to Sam was not Jess, couldn’t be. The omega next to his son was short, very short, and a man. Not that John ever cared what first gender or second gender his sons preferred, it just wasn’t who he was expecting.
“Hey dad!” Sam said as he and John hugged. John stepped aside so Sam and his boyfriend could come in. “I want you to meet Gabe! My boyfriend!”
“Howdy Mr. W!” Gabe said as he stuck out his hand.
John grabbed it and gave it a firm shake. “It’s very nice to meet you, Gabe. Has my son been treatin’ you right?”
“Of course, Mr. W!” Gabe stuck his hands in his pockets. “And if he wasn’t, I’d make him regret it.”
John threw his head back and laughed. “I like you.” John threw his arm around Gabe and smiled at Sam. “I like this one, keep him.”
“Plan on it.” Sam smiled back before taking his and Gabe’s bags up the stairs.”
“So Gabe? Would you like something to eat? Something to drink?” John asked.
“Sure, Mr. W!”
“Oh, you can just call me John.” The alpha told him as he led Gabe towards the kitchen.
“Aww, but I really like Mr. W!”
“Then Mr. W it is.”
“Holy shit! What’s wrong with that guy?” Gabe asked, looking at Michael.
“Aww, John just had to tease him a bit.” Rowena walked over to Gabe and offered her hand, the young omega took it and shook it. “I’m Rowena, John’s wife.”
“Holy cow! You had three kids?! It doesn’t look like it!” Gabe blurted and that made Rowena beam.
“Aww aren’t you just sweet? But no, I didn’t. Dean, Sam, and Adam are my children by marriage. Now I do have a son, but he loathes me. Luckily, I have three sons who just adore me.” Rowena explained and Michael’s brows furrowed.
“Who is their real mother? If you don’t mind me asking?”
“To me, Rowena is my real mom.” Adam told him. “My egg donor didn’t want me, she dumped me off with dad when I was born. Told him he could keep me or put me up for adoption but either way, I was his problem.”
“Aww, love, I'm so sorry.” Michael said, taking Adam’s hand into his, but Adam just shrugged.
“I’m happy, I love my mom. My real one.” Adam smiled at Rowena, but Michael frowned again.
“Wait… Then who is Dean and Sam’s mom.”
“Our mom passed away when we were real young.” Dean answered.
Michael looked like he wanted to say something, but ended up keeping his mouth shut. Once Sam joined them, John was ready to let go of past pain and begin their fun week. “Okay, everyone grab food and drinks if you want it, then meet me in the living room.”
John didn’t have to wait long, almost everybody’s plates were light, except for Dean and Gabe’s who had their plates piled. John stood by the Christmas tree, which was right now plain with nothing on it. “So, I have this tradition, I don’t decorate the tree until all my sons are here. Then we decorate it together, every person bringing their own ornaments so the tree has a little something from everybody. Cas, Michael, Gabe, I would be honored if you guys added your ornaments to the tree this year.”
“Oh, I thought that Michael could just use some of my ornaments.” Adam said and John frowned.
“No, it’s gotta be his own.” John replied and Adam turned a little pale.
“Oh crap! We gotta go to the store! Be right back, guys!” Adam said as he grabbed Michael’s hand and rushed out the door.
Cas slowly raised his hand and John felt even more pity for the poor guy. What kind of parents not only made their children raise their hands before they could speak, but made them afraid to do so? “Yes, Cas?”
“My parents thought that Christmas trees and decorating them was a pagan act. So I don’t have any ornaments.”
“Dean, buy this kid any ornaments he wants.” John said and Dean thumbs upped him.
“On it!” Dean sat his plate down and grabbed Cas’s hand before heading out the door.
“Don’t worry, Mr. W! SammiMcFlammy told me all about this tradition. I brought some ornaments!” Gabe told him with a grin.
“Awesome, we’ll just wait for the others to come back and we’ll get to decorating.” John said.
🎄🎄🎄
When Dean, Cas, Adam, and Michael returned, John gathered everyone into the living room to start decorating the tree. John and Rowena went first, with the alpha putting some ornaments that had belonged to his late wife. They had bought these ornaments together to celebrate their first Christmas as a mated couple. It was simple colorful ball ornaments but they had somehow survived the fire and John had kept good care of them over the years. Rowena wasn’t a Christian, John wasn’t much of one either, but his wife was a witch. So, for Rowena, she would hang up ornaments in the shape of a moon, a sun, an acorn, and a holly leaf.
“Okay, so everyone who is new to this, we go by the oldest to youngest. So Dean, Cas, it’s your turn.” John said and Dean and Cas stood up.
When Dean was younger, John took him to the Christmas Store, which was exactly what it sounded like. A store that sold nothing but Christmas stuff all year round and when John took Dean there, Dean saw all the Star Wars ornaments and just had to have them. John couldn’t afford them all at once, they were pricey! So, John made it a tradition to buy one for Dean every year and now, his son had a bit of a collection. As Dean hung up his Star Wars ornaments, Cas opened up his dollar store bag and placed a… Bee on the tree… Then the next one was a bee and then the next one was as well.
Dean looked over at John and grinned. “Cas really loves bees.”
“They’re my favorite.” Cas told John.
The alpha smiled at him, this was part of the tradition, so he was happy Cas got what he wanted. The poor boy deserved it, but John was expecting Cas to get different kinds, not the same one over and over again. However, seeing the smile on Cas’s face, John felt joy that he invited his sons’ mates to join in. Dean and Cas high-fived each other before taking their seats again.
“Okay, Sam, Gabe.” John motioned for them.
Sam held his box in his hand and Gabe held a brown paper bag. Sam, unlike Dean, liked simple ornaments. Sam liked clear snowflakes of different shapes and John couldn’t wait to see what Gabe’s ornaments would be like. Then the omega pulled out a hot pink fuzzy dice and John’s mouth dropped. The next one was a car freshener in the shape of a Santa’s head, and finally, Gabe placed a paperclip with googly eyes on the tree.
When he was done, Gabe stood back with his hands on his hips, looking proud. “Ah, man, just like home.”
Not what John was expecting at all, but he did want everyone to add their personal touches to the tree so… “Adam, Michael, get up here.”
Adam loved traditional Christmas ornaments, so his son had them in the shape of Santa, snowmen, candy canes, and reindeer. Michael pulled out a baby Jesus ornament and showed it to everyone. “I was so lucky! My mom always hung up baby Jesus, but I was afraid I wouldn’t find one here.”
Sam, out of all of them, was the most religious, so he didn’t blink an eye. Adam must not have had an issue with how religious his boyfriend was because it didn’t phase the omega either. Rowena smirked at him and John could hear just what she was thinking. Poor Christian boy is going to be out of place with this family. John had to disagree, deep down, the alpha thought Michael would fit in with them, in his own way. Michael hung up crosses and angels.
When they were done, John looked over the tree and it was a disaster. There were traditional ornaments, like his and Mary’s colorful ornaments, Sam’s snowflakes, and Adam’s Christmas-themed ornaments. Then there was Han Solo surrounded by a swarm of bees. Pagan themes clashed with baby Jesus and crosses. Then there was a fuzzy dice, car air freshener, and a paperclip on the tree. It was a mess and it was exactly who they all were, and it left John with a huge smile on his face.
“So, what ya think, dad?” Dean asked.
“It’s perfect.” John replied and the alpha knew this tradition would never end, no matter how large their family grew.