Chapter Text
Castiel had planned to spend a quiet weekend at home with his son. Maybe he could catch up on some chores and have a movie marathon with Jack. Castiel had not been allowed to watch TV as a child by his religious tyrannical mother but now he was discovering the wonders of Disney with his eight year old son.
All those plans changed when he picked Jack up from school on Friday afternoon. “Papa… Papa… we have to go to the Winchester Farm!” Jack exclaimed, before the car door had even shut.
“Seatbelt.” Castiel reminded. It pained him to think about how Jack no longer needed a booster seat. His son was growing up so fast and it made him dread the passage of time. “Why do we need to go to a farm?”
“Mrs. Donna said they are opening this weekend. There’s gonna be pumpkins and hayrides. Here see!!!.” Jack yelled as he shoved a bright orange piece of paper into Castiel’s face. He managed to catch the paper before his son manage to give him a paper cut to his face.
“Did Mrs. Donna give you candy?” Castiel asked and Jack continued to fidget wildly in the backseat.
“No!!! Ms. April did!!!” Jack was bouncing around so much the car was shifting.
“Sit down Jack or you’ll be on restriction all weekend.” Castiel threatened.
“Sorry.” Jack said, sitting down in the backseat to pout.
Castiel looked over the bright orange paper that had ghosts and pumpkins on it. It boasted about hayrides, bonfires, corn mazes, sing a longs, and pumpkin decorating contests. Apparently you could spend the whole day and evening there enjoying autumn activities if the flyer was to be believed.
“Seatbelt.” Castiel reminded the pouting Jack again, before pulling out of the school parking lot. “We can go…” Castiel got out before Jack interrupted him with an extremely loud “YAY!” and giggles.
“I wasn’t finished Jack.” Castiel admonished. “We can go if you do your homework tonight and do all your weekend chores tonight as well. You’ll be exhausted after a full day of this tomorrow and I don’t want to have to fight with you to do it on Sunday. Do we have a deal?” Castiel finished by eyeing his son in the rearview mirror.
“Yes Papa!” Jack said, smiling deliriously.
Jack completed everything Friday night and that is what found them here at Winchester Farm, Castiel holding the pamphlet they were given when he paid their admission fees. It included a map of the three mile corn maze as well as a timetable for all the activities. Jack was standing next to him vibrating with excitement. “I think we should do the pumpkin decorating first.” Castiel said, looking down but not finding Jack. Castiel felt his heart sink into his stomach. “Jack!” he yelled looking around the crowd of people but not seeing his son anywhere. “Jack… Jack Michael Novak!” he called.
A minute or two went by but it felt like hours to Castiel as he frantically called for Jack, when a nice looking man in jeans and a flannel shirt walked up. “What happened?” the man asked.
“My son was right, next to me and then he was just gone.” Castiel explained, as he felt tears threatening to spill.
“Alright. What was he wearing and what does he look like?” the man said calmly.
Castiel unlocked his phone and showed the man his background picture which was of Jack sitting on their porch swing. “This is him. He’s wearing blue jeans and a black t-shirt with a bee on it.” The man’s calm was slowly helping Castiel to calm down as well.
“Hey Sammy, get over her.” The man called to a much taller man. “We have a missing kid. His name is Jack” the man informed Sammy when he came over. Then the man showed Sammy the picture of Jack from Castiel’s phone. “I’m Dean Winchester and this is my brother Sammy. We are the owners.” Dean said, addressing Castiel again.
“It’s Sam.” The tall brother said, before heading off, Castiel presumed to look for Jack.
“He’ll find him.” Dean said leading Castiel off to a bench. “This happens more often than you think.”
Next thing Castiel knew he was sitting on the bench next to Dean who had given him a bottle of water when he said Castiel looked like he was going to faint. “He knows better than to walk off.” Castiel explained.
“Kids get excited and don’t think. Sam was the worst when we were kids. My dad threatened to put him on a leash. I encouraged it because I thought that would be hilarious.” Dean said, cracking a smile.
“Do you have kids?” Castiel asked.
“Yeah a son. Ben is a teenager now. I miss when he was young and into this.” Dean said gesturing around at all the activity. “But he’s still a good kid and stays out of trouble.”
“You and your wife must be proud.” Castiel commented.
“Oh um.. no I’m not married. His mother was a high school girlfriend. We shared custody until Ben was five but then Lisa was killed in a car accident. So I’m a single parent. What about you?”
“Jack was born through a surrogate. I am a single gay man and I couldn’t get any of the agencies to let me adopt a child because of that.” Castiel confessed. He wouldn’t normally spill all that personal information but Dean had confided a lot to him.
“That’s messed up. Was it just because you are gay?”
“It didn’t help but being single was the biggest issue they claimed.” Castiel had been so depressed when he was denied by the seventh agency and had opted for surrogacy. Kelly had been wonderful and he still sent her a photo of Jack at every birthday. Kelly was married now and had a daughter of her own.
“I’m bisexual.” Dean blurted out nervously rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve ran into a lot of assholes over the years because of it. So I know how you feel.”
“Papa!” Castiel heard Jack’s voice over all the commotion.
“Jack!” Castiel yelled as he stood up. He saw Jack being carried on Sam’s shoulders.
“Found him in the corn maze chasing a rabbit. He said he wanted to find the rabbit hole so he could go too Wonderland.” Sam said, chuckling.
“Sounds like someone has been watching too much Disney.” Dean accused, grinning.
“I wanna have a tea party with the Mad Hatter, the Hare and the Mouse!” Jack declared smiling big.
Castiel took a deep breath. “Jack you scared me by running off like that. Something could have happened to you.”
Jack frowned. “I’m sorry Papa. I won’t do it again.”
Sam lowered Jack to the ground so he could run to his father for a hug. “I’m not mad, I am just really worried. Papa loves you and wants to keep you safe.”
“I know. I love you Papa.”
“Love you too Jack.” Castiel finally felt his heart slow down as he held his son.
Sam left them then but Dean did not. He accompanied them all day and Castiel said nothing because he enjoyed Dean’s company so much.
They painted pumpkins together, went on a hayride, and walked the corn maze together. Dean kept teasing Jack about rabbit holes and Castiel couldn’t help but laugh. They had a very unhealthy lunch or corndogs and nachos from a food truck. Castiel made fun of Dean when he got nacho cheese all over his flannel shirt. Dean had retaliated by smacking Castiel’s hand when he went to take a bite of his corndog. Jack and Dean both got a good laugh at Castiel with mustard all over his face.
When they did the pumpkin carving, Castiel was amazed at how skilled Dean was with a knife. When Castiel complimented him, Dean brushed it off by saying. “I grew up on a farm Cas, comes with the territory.” Castiel really liked hearing Dean call him Cas.
They went on another hayride which was also a sing along. This was when Castiel found out Dean had an amazing singing voice. He found himself blushing when he caught Dean starring at him. Castiel finally got the nerve to stare back and he felt heat all over his body.
Dean was so good with Jack and Castiel could already see a little hero worship in Jack’s eyes. Dean was smart, strong and charismatic. Castiel was entranced by the man but he was too afraid to say anything. Why would a ruggedly handsome man like Dean want a nerdy accountant like him?
When it was dark they went to the bonfire where they made s’mores and roasted hotdogs. Castiel was going to have to eat a lot of salads this week to counter all the junk food he had eaten.
Castiel loved watching Dean by the glow of the fire. He was telling Jack a story about the time Sam and his imaginary friend Sully made marshmallow nachos. “Sam had a bellyache for a week.” Dean said, laughing at Jack’s look of disgust.
“That sounds gross.” Jack exclaimed.
“Yeah, Sam was a weird kid. Now he eats mostly rabbit food which I find gross.” Dean said before helping Jack put a marshmallow on a stick to hold over the fire.
“Papa eats a lot of salads.” Jack informed Dean.
“I do because they’re healthy. I want to be around for my grandchildren and great grandchildren.” Castel declared as he handed an unopen Hershey Bar to Dean.
Dean smiled. “Well at least you know how to live a little.” Dean said gesturing at the plate Castiel had a hotdog on. “I’m pretty sure Sam is off somewhere having a kale smoothie or something. So gross.” Dean said sounding offended.
Castiel chuckled, “No I’m not that bad.” Suddenly Castiel felt morose when he realized they would have to leave soon. Castiel felt bereft at the thought of losing Dean’s company. This feeling only got worse as they walked to the parking lot with Dean following.
‘Hey.. umm Cas… would you maybe want to go out with me sometime?” Dean sounded very nervous.
“Yes I would. Yes definitely.” Castiel failed at trying not to sound to eager.
“Awesome.” Dean said with a smile and they exchanged numbers.
Castiel couldn’t wait to spend more time with Dean Winchester.