For Dean and Yukio

[godless_son]

Castiel has two weeks off of work. He understands it is time meant for families to prepare for the upcoming holiday, to reflect incorrectly on the birth of Son of God and to indulge in disgusting displays of consumerism. He finds himself, however, simply grateful for the timing that has allowed him to decorate their house to a degree that even he finds borderline excessive and now to keep Dean within his line of sight.

Robin and Ishiah were no more ready to leave Darrow than they are and while Castiel knows that he would find a way to follow Dean wherever he goes, he very much wants this life. It is quiet today in the house, his usual rotating mix of Christmas songs turned down low as he stares absently out the window at the patches of snow still decorating the ground from the last storm. All of Ishiah's birds have gone for the winter and he presses a hand to his chest, feeling precisely where his grace senses the absence of his brethren. Robin's apartment had been the most disturbing, quiet and still for the first time without him. They hadn't stayed long and frankly have no desire to go back and had retreated back to their house with heavy hearts and one more animal.

He suspects Dean is unhappy about the new cat, the third cat. He leans down to pat Cambriel on the head, avoiding Ernest's wounded glare and frowns as he spots a small figure making its way down the road towards their homes. He looks closer, more intently at the soul as it seems like..

"Dean," he calls urgently, making his way towards the front door. "Look outside."

Comments

[always_enduphere]

Just the set of Castiel's shoulders has Dean on alert, and at this missive, he grabs his gun and pulls back the curtains, looking carefully before he sees a boy nearing their drive. As he watches, the boy turns down it, and Dean slips his gun into his waistband with a frown. "Why the hell would a kid come here?" he wonders aloud, going to the door to pull it open.

[contrition]

He's lost.

Every single day, after Yukio is done with class, he heads on straight home per Father Fujimoto's request. He doesn't stray. Doesn't go exploring, doesn't do anything out of the ordinary. He commits his lessons to heart, slips his books into his backpack, and heads on home to study — because he knows that this is what he's good at. Following instructions. Not getting into trouble, unless trouble comes finding him.

He's not sure where he went wrong today, if he was spending too long daydreaming or distracted, but none of the roads look familiar and Yukio doesn't even have his schoolbag on him. On the verge of tears, he stumbles down the road, covering his head with both hands and avoiding everyone's gaze.

[godless_son]

"You don't need the gun," Castiel murmurs, throwing out a hand as he pushes the door open, ignoring the blast of cold that sends Annie slinking away. "I believe that is Yukio."

He steps outside, still in a t-shirt and sweats and stares at the boy, frowning as he tries to discern what has happened.

[always_enduphere]

It's not the easiest idea to absorb, but Dean takes it in stride, moving past Castiel to take the porch steps two at a time. Yukio or not, the kid's been in the cold for a while to have made it all the way out here, and Dean bends, lifting him right into his arms and tucking small frozen fingers beneath his collar.

"All right," he murmurs, "It's all right now," carrying him towards the porch, sharing a quick glance with Cas as Dean sets the boy on his feet in the warmth of the living room.

"You know me, kid?"

[contrition]

"A-ahh!" Yukio yelps when he sees a couple of men coming straight at him. They don't look like the usual men that one encounters in Tokyo, either — clearly foreign, and he's pretty sure that the words they're speaking are English. Most of it is incomprehensible to Yukio, but he thinks that he remembers a few words here and there from school.

He tries to swallow down his tears, but he can't stop shaking in this strange man's hold. At least the man doesn't seem threatening.

"...lost," stammers Yukio with a sniffle. "I am lost."

[godless_son]

Castiel frowns and goes down to one knee, ducking down to meet Yukio's eyes. "I am Castiel. I am an angel and a friend," he says in perfect Japanese. "That is Dean. Do you know us?"

[always_enduphere]

Dean can't help a roll of his eyes, annoyed at Castiel's perfect Japanese for all that it will be extremely useful. "We're friends of Father Fujimoto," he outright lies, because he can see already that Yukio doesn't know them, "He had to go out of town, but he wants you to stay with us." He keeps a hand on Yukio's back, willing Castiel to go along with this with a hard stare. "Right?"

[contrition]

Yukio's jaw clenches as he tries to ward off his tears. His brother already makes fun of him for being a crybaby, and he's uncomfortable with the idea of showing his vulnerability in front of two adult strangers. He rubs at one eye under the guise of trying to keep warm, knocking his glasses slightly askew in the process.

"Wh-where did Father go? And where's my brother?" he asks, glancing from one man to the other and biting down on his lower lip. "Are you both in the Order?"

[godless_son]

Castiel stares over at Dean, shooting him a flat look as Castiel is clearly not yet well versed at lying and wished they had some kind of a signal or something to tell Castiel when not to tell the truth. "Dean is to be trusted, he will explain," he says in Japanese, switching to English with a wave of his hand. "Dean, please explain who we are to Yukio. Aside from being an Angel of the Lord, which I wouldn't have said if I'd known better," he mutters.

[always_enduphere]

"Yeah," says Dean shortly, "Getting there, just translate, okay?" Turning back to Yukio, Dean nods. "We're in another Order, but we've got the same goals as yours and Father Fujimoto's. We're not priests, we're hunters. Or I am, and Cas is my partner."

He sighs, squeezing Yukio's shoulder. "You just gotta trust me that Rin's okay for now."

[contrition]

The change between the two languages happens with enough frequency and speed that Yukio ends up feeling dizzy for it, glancing from one man to the other and taking a few measured breaths. He scrubs at his eye with the back of his hand.

He doesn't know much about the Order that Father Fujimoto is a part of. All that he's been taught are a few key phrases, things that Yukio's supposed to ask anyone suspicious — the inner workings of said order are still a complete mystery to him. It's completely possible that there's another one. Yukio's cheeks flush with the frustration of not knowing.

"I'm not supposed to be far from nii-san," explains Yukio, though he finally lets both hands drop by his sides, opting to trust the two men for now. They seem... nice. Maybe a little intense, but nice. "And I don't... know that much about Father's work, either. What do you hunt? Why are hunters and priests working together — is something wrong?"

[godless_son]

"Nothing is wrong," Castiel murmurs softly in English, settling down to sit cross legged in front of the boy. "Dean is a hunter and I am an angel and we know of Father Fujimoto," he says in Japanese, slower and more clearly than before. "We know you and your brother and we are your friends. I know you are confused by this place, but trust we will care for you until your world returns to normal."

He looks over at Dean and at Annie who is slinking her way towards the boy, followed by Kara intent on getting in on the attention. "I told him he can stay here, that we would care for him. Maybe food, now?"

[always_enduphere]

Dean nods, finally straightening to let let Annie in where she clearly wants to be, rubbing her nose against the Yukio's flushed throat and cheek. "Why don't you get to know Annie here, and I'll go make us some grilled cheeses and soup, huh? Cas?"

Dean moves his head towards the kitchen. "Can I talk to you?"

[contrition]

There's one sentence that keeps on confusing Yukio. I am an angel. Even though religion has always been a strong presence in Yukio's life thanks to Father Fujimoto, he's always seen the texts as being more conceptual. Not at all tangible. The man standing in front of Yukio looks normal, like an everyday person — how it is that someone like him can be an angel?

He doesn't understand, but he nods anyway, and smiles faintly when the dog makes her enthusiasm known.

"Thank you," he says quietly, rubbing at his eyes one more time before setting his shoulders squarely, and rubbing his mittened hands behind Annie's ears.

[godless_son]

Castiel straightens up, mouth set in a hard line as he follows Dean.

"It took his memories," he murmurs, gripping the edge of the counter. "I do not think it always does that. This place is getting more and more cruel. What do we do for him? As a child?"

[always_enduphere]

"Keep him safe," says Dean. "And comfortable. As happy as we can manage, under the circumstances. Annie ought to help." He looks back through the open door, a faint smile on his lips despite the situation for the way Yukio's already got Annie's tail wagging furiously.

"Pretty sure this happened to me," he says. "On the island, I was little and I didn't remember. It might actually be a kindness, this time." Dean fixes Cas with a look. "Can you imagine teenage Yukio letting us give him juiceboxes?"

[contrition]

Father Fujimoto has a cat that he often takes care of. A cat that's... a little different from all other cats that Yukio's seen, though he doesn't mention as much. It's like everything else he's seen over the years, things he's pointed at that Rin hasn't had the slightest inkling of. That cat has a bigger story behind it that Yukio isn't big enough to know, and all cats have made him a bit nervous as a result, unsure when they might act out or hurt him.

The dog, however, makes her affection known. As he continues to pet her, she leans forward, a warm tongue lapping against his cheek. Yukio laughs, slightly ticklish.

"Iiko," he says quietly. "You're a good girl, aren't you?"

[godless_son]

"It is not the most dignified drink," Castiel agrees, calming a little at Dean's small smile. He grabs at Dean's hand, leaning forward to press a kiss to his forehead.

"I am glad you're here. I'm afraid none of this comes as naturally to me as I would like. Do you think he would want to watch one of our Disney films?"