Fic: Cosmic Love (SPN, PG)
Title: Cosmic Love
Word Count: 1,038
Rating: PG
Fandom: Supernatural
Summary: Sometimes, a child needs to know he is loved.
Note: Written for a comment fic over on comment_fic, for the prompt "Supernatural, Castiel, Castiel meets God." Set at an undefined period of time post-Season Eight/Series end.
When God finally returns to Heaven with just about as much fanfare as when He had left, Castiel is understandably angry. God doesn't provide any reasons for His absence, but merely shows His power by resurrecting Raphael and Gabriel to act as His mouthpieces in Heaven and on Earth, respectively. Castiel's happy to see his brothers again, make no mistake about that, but he's still rather pissed that God hasn't even bothered to explain why He had just up and left the Host to their own devices.
Castiel has just finished visiting with the Winchesters when Gabriel finds him and tells him that the Father wants to speak with him personally. It's a great honor, especially considering that, up until now, only the four Archangels have spoken to Him face-to-face. Gabriel claps Castiel on the back with a grin when he relays this message, and then, in a rare moment of solemnity for the former Trickster, promises to watch over Castiel's charges while he's off in Heaven. Castiel has a feeling Dean is going to be complaining to him about the situation, but there's not much the angel can do about it.
God meets Castiel in the Garden, a high honor indeed. It's a lush paradise, and Castiel knows that this verdant haven is an almost exact replica of what the Garden looked like when Adam and Eve were its caretakers. The small ice cream shop that looks to be straight out of the Fifties sitting in the center of the Garden, though, is new. God is waiting for Castiel there, and He is enjoying a three-scoop banana split with both blueberry and chocolate sauces on top, and no less than four maraschino cherries perched delicately on the ice cream scoops. It looks like something Gabriel would enjoy, and the thought makes Castiel smile a little.
Much to Castiel's surprise, the Creator of All Things has taken the form of the Prophet Chuck. It's strange, to be sure, but then again, His ways have never always made sense even to the angels. Castiel takes a seat across from his Father, wondering just what is going to happen now. God gives Castiel a warm smile, one that makes the corners of His eyes crinkle deeply.
“Hello, Castiel,” He says, setting His spoon down in His bowl. “It's been a while since we last met. How have you been?”
Castiel frowns a little at these words; since the Lord is all-knowing, shouldn't He already know how Castiel is? God smiles a little and then gives a small shrug at Castiel's continued silence.
“I'm sure you're wondering why I've come back after all these years,” He says, idly playing with His spoon.
“Yes,” Castiel replies, unable to hold himself back. As if a pressure valve has released itself somewhere deep within him, words begin to tumble out of him, filling the silence of the empty ice cream parlor. “Why did You leave? Everything went wrong once the Host realized You had left. Couldn't You see how much we needed You after seeing Lucifer Fall? So many of us have died in the battles against the legions of Hell, and all in Your Name. Did You not love us any more?”
Castiel's panting slightly by the time he's finished speaking, and he's well aware that, with his last words, his voice has taken on a slight whining pitch more commonly associated with young children under the age of ten. The Father is watching him with an inscrutable look on His face, waiting calmly for Castiel to finish his rant. Once the words stop spilling from Castiel's mouth God speaks, His voice calm and level.
“I never left you, Castiel,” He begins, and Castiel can't help but shiver a little at the fact that a Being as powerful as his Father knows his name. “I just stepped back. After Lucifer, I realized that Heaven needed to learn the lessons that humanity had already taken to heart, even if it didn't seem apparent at the time.”
“And what were those lessons?”
God smiles wryly, a corner of His mouth quirking up momentarily. “All that I asked of humanity: to love and care for one another as they would themselves and to love Me. Also, to think for themselves. Lucifer loved Me but that love was obsessive and blinded him. It pained Me greatly to have Michael cast him down, more than you can imagine, I suspect. Your brothers and sisters swore to love Me and watch over humanity, but they neglected the latter part of My Words. Some of them-- Gabriel, Anael, and a few others --saw what I had intended and lived and loved like humans, even with all their foibles. They thought for themselves, and in doing so, began to pave the way for the rest of the Host to do the same. You helped to lead the way as well, helping the Winchesters defy their supposed destinies and stop the Apocalypse.”
“I only did what I thought was right,” Castiel says, feeling horribly confused by now.
“Exactly,” God says, pointing His chocolaty spoon at Castiel in emphasis. “That's free will for you. You took your destiny into your own hands. That's an admirable trait, especially for someone used to following orders all their existence. It's one of the reasons why I've kept an especially close eye on you, Castiel.” He pauses and then sighs. “And for the record? I've never stopped loving you. I regret having to pull back from the events that happened after Lucifer's Fall, but it was necessary, unfortunately. I don't plan on leaving again any time soon, though.”
“Good,” Castiel tells Him, and then winces at the gruff tone in his voice. “Sorry.”
God shakes His head with a happy laugh. “Don't worry about it,” He says. “I've heard-- and deserved --worse.” He grins at Castiel and then gestures at the banana split, which has not melted at all during the conversation. “So, up for some ice cream with your old man?”
Castiel blinks in surprise and then nods, a truly happy smile forming on his face when a spoon appears on the table in front of him.
“Sure, why not?”
Word Count: 1,038
Rating: PG
Fandom: Supernatural
Summary: Sometimes, a child needs to know he is loved.
Note: Written for a comment fic over on comment_fic, for the prompt "Supernatural, Castiel, Castiel meets God." Set at an undefined period of time post-Season Eight/Series end.
When God finally returns to Heaven with just about as much fanfare as when He had left, Castiel is understandably angry. God doesn't provide any reasons for His absence, but merely shows His power by resurrecting Raphael and Gabriel to act as His mouthpieces in Heaven and on Earth, respectively. Castiel's happy to see his brothers again, make no mistake about that, but he's still rather pissed that God hasn't even bothered to explain why He had just up and left the Host to their own devices.
Castiel has just finished visiting with the Winchesters when Gabriel finds him and tells him that the Father wants to speak with him personally. It's a great honor, especially considering that, up until now, only the four Archangels have spoken to Him face-to-face. Gabriel claps Castiel on the back with a grin when he relays this message, and then, in a rare moment of solemnity for the former Trickster, promises to watch over Castiel's charges while he's off in Heaven. Castiel has a feeling Dean is going to be complaining to him about the situation, but there's not much the angel can do about it.
God meets Castiel in the Garden, a high honor indeed. It's a lush paradise, and Castiel knows that this verdant haven is an almost exact replica of what the Garden looked like when Adam and Eve were its caretakers. The small ice cream shop that looks to be straight out of the Fifties sitting in the center of the Garden, though, is new. God is waiting for Castiel there, and He is enjoying a three-scoop banana split with both blueberry and chocolate sauces on top, and no less than four maraschino cherries perched delicately on the ice cream scoops. It looks like something Gabriel would enjoy, and the thought makes Castiel smile a little.
Much to Castiel's surprise, the Creator of All Things has taken the form of the Prophet Chuck. It's strange, to be sure, but then again, His ways have never always made sense even to the angels. Castiel takes a seat across from his Father, wondering just what is going to happen now. God gives Castiel a warm smile, one that makes the corners of His eyes crinkle deeply.
“Hello, Castiel,” He says, setting His spoon down in His bowl. “It's been a while since we last met. How have you been?”
Castiel frowns a little at these words; since the Lord is all-knowing, shouldn't He already know how Castiel is? God smiles a little and then gives a small shrug at Castiel's continued silence.
“I'm sure you're wondering why I've come back after all these years,” He says, idly playing with His spoon.
“Yes,” Castiel replies, unable to hold himself back. As if a pressure valve has released itself somewhere deep within him, words begin to tumble out of him, filling the silence of the empty ice cream parlor. “Why did You leave? Everything went wrong once the Host realized You had left. Couldn't You see how much we needed You after seeing Lucifer Fall? So many of us have died in the battles against the legions of Hell, and all in Your Name. Did You not love us any more?”
Castiel's panting slightly by the time he's finished speaking, and he's well aware that, with his last words, his voice has taken on a slight whining pitch more commonly associated with young children under the age of ten. The Father is watching him with an inscrutable look on His face, waiting calmly for Castiel to finish his rant. Once the words stop spilling from Castiel's mouth God speaks, His voice calm and level.
“I never left you, Castiel,” He begins, and Castiel can't help but shiver a little at the fact that a Being as powerful as his Father knows his name. “I just stepped back. After Lucifer, I realized that Heaven needed to learn the lessons that humanity had already taken to heart, even if it didn't seem apparent at the time.”
“And what were those lessons?”
God smiles wryly, a corner of His mouth quirking up momentarily. “All that I asked of humanity: to love and care for one another as they would themselves and to love Me. Also, to think for themselves. Lucifer loved Me but that love was obsessive and blinded him. It pained Me greatly to have Michael cast him down, more than you can imagine, I suspect. Your brothers and sisters swore to love Me and watch over humanity, but they neglected the latter part of My Words. Some of them-- Gabriel, Anael, and a few others --saw what I had intended and lived and loved like humans, even with all their foibles. They thought for themselves, and in doing so, began to pave the way for the rest of the Host to do the same. You helped to lead the way as well, helping the Winchesters defy their supposed destinies and stop the Apocalypse.”
“I only did what I thought was right,” Castiel says, feeling horribly confused by now.
“Exactly,” God says, pointing His chocolaty spoon at Castiel in emphasis. “That's free will for you. You took your destiny into your own hands. That's an admirable trait, especially for someone used to following orders all their existence. It's one of the reasons why I've kept an especially close eye on you, Castiel.” He pauses and then sighs. “And for the record? I've never stopped loving you. I regret having to pull back from the events that happened after Lucifer's Fall, but it was necessary, unfortunately. I don't plan on leaving again any time soon, though.”
“Good,” Castiel tells Him, and then winces at the gruff tone in his voice. “Sorry.”
God shakes His head with a happy laugh. “Don't worry about it,” He says. “I've heard-- and deserved --worse.” He grins at Castiel and then gestures at the banana split, which has not melted at all during the conversation. “So, up for some ice cream with your old man?”
Castiel blinks in surprise and then nods, a truly happy smile forming on his face when a spoon appears on the table in front of him.
“Sure, why not?”