(no subject)
Title: Father
Author: fleeting_fancy /jabber_moose
Rating: PG
Character(s) and/or Pairing: Gabriel, Castiel
Spoilers: Blanket S5
Warnings: None
Word Count: 456
Summary: comment_fic for owleyes_arisen : Gabriel is the closest thing Castiel has ever had to a real father
Castiel knew, since his creation, who his Father was. Every angel knew. Every soul knew God was their Father, in a sense that transcended family and biology.
A father is half of an equation to life. He raises a child, loves and protects. He teaches about life, praises triumphs and supports and guides through failures
John Winchester was a father through blood and family. He taught his sons how to survive.
Bobby Singer was a father to the Winchester brothers through support, family, loyalty and wisdom.
Castiel's Father gave him life.
Castiel had never experienced having a father as humans did- or so he thought.
~
Long ago in Heaven- or Castiel rationalizes, as Heaven is timeless- he was young. His Father had created him with countless others, though he was still so young in the eyes of the Archangels.
Michael did not rejoice in Castiel's creation as an individual, but as a creation of their Father.
Raphael gave him Grace, but tolerated him.
Lucifer was a distant memory of kindness and sadness.
Gabriel swept him up into a brilliant storm of amusement, light, warmth and protection. He taught Castiel how to fly, lighting Heaven with his laughter when Castiel faltered, but never giving up until Castiel soared.
He had been so proud of Castiel, and everyone knew it. Castiel basked in it.
Gabriel taught Castiel to love, to laugh, and never regret mistakes made, but to learn from them.
He taught Castiel to feel, as much as an angel could.
The Archangel Gabriel remained with Castiel- inexperienced, low ranking Castiel- when the fighting began.
When their Morningstar Fell, Gabriel did not stand beside his more powerful brothers. He shielded Castiel from the aftermath, stoic and heartbroken, but protecting his younger brother.
He never told a soul that while his entire being burned with the desire to leave, he only did when Castiel stood as a soldier, strong, bright, and independent.
When he left, at last, Castiel experienced a new ache deep in his soul.
When Castiel plunged into Hell to drag out the Righteous Man, it wasn't God that a part of him wondered...
Wouldn't he be proud?
I'm going to find God Castiel had told Dean.
His Father, he later referred it to. He was going to find his father.
Not long after, he stood with the Winchesters as an unfamiliar form with a too-familiar soul asked him how the 'search for Daddy' was going.
The words mocked, scalded, and stirred something deep within Castiel, breaking him open with feelings of loss, betrayal, anger, and hope.
It was then that Castiel remembered a time long ago, when he was young.
Support, family, loyalty and wisdom.
Guidance, praise, love, survival.
The characteristics of a father.