Penance { for Lizardwhisperer

[Nene]

Cas shrieked with baby giggles when Dean scooped him up and tossed him up above his head and he looked to his colorful hands. He had marker everywhere - on his hands, on his face, even in his nose as he'd sniffed the marker, curious as to what it smelled like.

In the bathroom, Cas lathered the soap on his little hands and he looked to the mirror, and he smeared the soap on the mirror. He sniffled and sneezed when Dean tried to twist the washcloth into his little nose. Cas cried out at the smack to his bottom and began to cry. He didn't want his butt to be sore again but he was in such a foul mood that he couldn't help but to cry and be angry. "m'sorryyyy..." he wept and tried to rub the soap off the mirror.

[Lizardwhisperer]

"Ok, ok, you're alright." Dean dried off the sniffling boy, then lifted him to his chest, where he laid his head on Dean's shoulder. The hunter patted the seat of Cas' little sweats, as he carried him out to the Impala, where Sam was already waiting.

As he belted Cas into the back seat, Dean answered his brother's knowing look, "A little soap mishap, a little whack, it's over, now."
Dean watched the little angel's face turn to surprise, as he noticed his now way oversized trench coat on the seat beside him. The hunter helped tuck the tan material around Cas' little frame.
Dean took the sippy cup of juice from his brother and passed it to Cas, with a rub on his shaggy head. "Our Sammy thinks of everything, huh? Take a snooze, cranky. When you wake up, we'll be there."

[Nene]

Cas curled his arms around Dean, lying his head on his shoulder, and calmed down as Dean carried him out to the Impala. Cas' sour look turned to one of surprise when he found his trench coat on the seat, and curled up in it, as it was comfortable and familiar in this now bigger world.

Sam nodded and smiled, "yeah... thought he'd like it. Still have to find a spell to make it smaller, if that's what you still want, Cas." Cas nodded, as that was what he wanted - he wanted to wear his usual clothes. It was punishment enough that he had to be so small and without his grace. Cas took his sippy cup and smiled softly as it was filled with sweet apple juice, and that made him very happy.

Cas finished his juice and curled up on the seat, wrapped up in his coat, and he took his much needed nap. He was already very worn out from stomping and crying all morning long. His empty sippy cup fell from his little hand as he drifted off. Cas woke when the Impala came to a stop, and he sat up sleepily, rubbing his eyes, "are we there...?" he asked softly.

[Lizardwhisperer]

"That depends. Is that Cranky Cas back there or did you find your happy halo?"
Both brothers laughed, as Cas took Dean literally.

As they got out, Dean winked at his brother, "Passed the sign for this place at least a half dozen times, but never dreamed it would be just we'd need, some day."

Dean carried Cas, leaving his drooled-on trench on the seat. As they entered the large building, a young man in a colorful vest said, "Welcome to the Happy Hop House! Will that be three full Bounce and Bounds oooorrr just an extended Loopy Leap for the little guy?"

Dean turned on one ankle, back toward the door, but his brother stopped him, paying for one "Long Loopy Leap."

They entered an area of soft mats, ringed with long benches and wall of rainbow-painted cubicles. Slipping Cas' little shoes off, Dean took his hand to lead him toward a shiny archway, where loud music played.
"Nu-uh-uh," the kid in the technicolor vest pointed at Dean's feet.
"Aw. come on, I'm not even bouncing."
"Excuse me, bounce or no bounce--no cloddhoppers allowed in the Rebound Room!"
Dean sneered at the overly-enthusiastic guy and begrudgingly parked his boots in the cubicle, next to Cas'. Dean looked at his brother, "remind me to tip that kid with a cursed coin."

Dean helped Cas step his stocking feet carefully onto the surface of one of the smaller trampolines and held his hands, while the boy tested the unstable surface.
It didn't take long at all until Cas was not only on his own, but springing from trampoline to trampoline, his little arms waving around.

Dean leaned against the doorway and smiled, "Fly, angel, fly."

[Nene]

Sam laughed incredulously at the colors and the young man's way with words but Dean didn't appear to be as enthused and attempted to walk back out. "Dean, wait, this is good, I think Cas'll like it," he looked at the costs for the games and he handed over some cash from his pockets, paying for an extended "Loopy Leap" for Cas.

Cas looked around, head tilted to the side, perplexed. He didn't understand why they were in this place, and he whined softly when Dean took off his shoes. He didn't know if he wanted to stay, but he went with Dean anyway. Sam slipped off his own shoes and sighed at Dean, "come on, the kid's only doing his job. He probably only gets like eight bucks an hour to deal with grumpy people that need a bounce."

Cas looked down at the trampoline, and almost fell down when he tried to move on the trampoline, and he held onto Dean tight, whining loudly, "De, this is..." he began to claim it was unpleasant but then he bounced and excitement bubbled up in him, and soon enough, he let go of Dean, "I can bounce all by myself now, Dean." he said, and bounced from one trampoline to another once he built up the courage. He flapped his arms and shrieked with laughter, loving every moment of this bouncy place. He wondered if there were any bouncy places at the bunker, so he could continue bouncing even when they were done bouncing.

When it came time for Cas' Loopy Leap to come to an end, Cas didn't want to stop, and he bounced away from anyone that tried to stop him.

[Lizardwhisperer]

A whistle blew and the colorful kid announced, Aaaaaand that’s times-up!”

The other children made their way off the trampolines, with the assistance of workers, but Not Cas. Dean laughed, as their little man gleefully bounced away from the help, announcing that angels can fly and the lowly humans could not. The hunter wound up collapsed against his brother, in absolute hysterics, when their kid dove between the legs of one of the brute force, who now seemed much more annoyed, as it turned out the place was closing and began happily bouncing again. Finally, at Sam’s suggestion that they might get banned from Cas’ new favorite place, Dean called out to Cas, “Ok, buddy, time to go.”
But Cas just smiled and waved. Dean looked at Sam. “I really hate to do this. Kid really feels like he can fly again. Get ready for the water-works.” Dean climbed into the sea of trampolines and clumsily made his way over to Cas, diving a bit to catch him mid-bounce. “Gotcha!” As predicted, Cas’ mad giggle at Dean looking silly, turned quickly to fussy tears, as the boy realized the jig was well and truly up.
But Dean was prepared and began hopping, holding Cas up high, “Fly, Cas!” He ignored three now thoroughly exhausted and vexed workers who were threatening to call the cops and bounced super-high, from surface to surface, posing mid-air, like a ballerina to elicit more Cas giggles.

Finally, Sam took off his massive shoes and climbed on, too.

[Nene]

Cas ignored the whistle and kept bouncing, and he dove between the legs of an absolute wall of a man. Sam laughed at Cas' antics and caught his brother, but the laughter and amusement died when he realized the staff of this bouncy house was about to ban them if they weren't out in a timely manner. He patted Dean's back, "hey, we might actually get banned..." he told his brother.

Cas waved at Dean, not taking it seriously that he had to stop bouncing and he smiled sweetly. Sam nodded to Dean, "and he was having so much fun..." he sighed sadly and went to one of the members of the staff, "we'll be out soon, this is his first time and he's had a hard week. I'm sure you can understand-ah, Dean," he sighed as Dean went in after Cas, only to bounce around with him.

Cas shrieked with giggles as Dean looked so silly on the trampolines but that laughter immediately ceased when Dean caught him mid-bounce, "n-nooooooOOOOOOO!" he cried loudly, tears pricking the corners of his precious blues. He knew the jig was up now that Dean had him and that they had to leave, and he began to cry, but the tears stopped when Dean bounced and held him up high. He flapped his arms, pretending to fly, and his irritable cries turned to giggles once more.

"Dean, Cas, come on, they're gonna call the cops," Sam urged his brother and baby angel to step out of the bouncy room, and he sighed, opting to kick off his shoes and climb onto the trampolines. "Sorry. I'll get them." he told the staff, hoping they wouldn't call the cops. He wanted to be serious about this so they wouldn't get banned or anything bad like that but he couldn't help but bounce and enjoy himself a bit as he made his way over to them. "guys, come on!" he laughed, a bit breathless, and finally he got Cas and Dean out of the bouncy place.

Cas peered over Dean's shoulder as he was carried out of the bouncy place, and he reached toward it, "n-noooo... noooo, Dean, I don't want to stop... I don't WANNA STOP!!" he couldn't stop his childish desire to throw a tantrum from taking over and he tried to push Dean away, again crying irritably.

"Cas," Sam rubbed Cas' back, "we'll come back some other time... perhaps tomorrow if you're a good boy," he said softly. He nodded to Dean, "we should take him to that diner... You know the one, with those amazing fries and ... your favorite heart attack on a bun." he of course wanted to feed Cas nutritious foods so he wouldn't get sick. He was human now, after all, and he had to worry about catching colds and having tummy aches. The promise of coming back, and having dinner appealed to Cas, and he slowly calmed down, wiping his tears from his cheeks and uttering a meek apology for his behavior.

[Lizardwhisperer]

Dean shot a Boooo! at his brother, as Cas cried for more fun. He snickered a bit, at Sam’s glare, knowing full well he wasn’t helping the situation. Secretly, the hunter wished he could spend the whole night bouncing with his little friend—his joy was infectious.

Both Dean and Cas brightened at the suggestion of the diner. “You’re not human unless you’ve had heart-attack-on-a-bun, Cas.”

The ups and down of their day were starting to wear a bit on the hunter, but as he saw Cas’ blues light back up, at the mention of French fries, he thought maybe this is just what it’s like having a kid.

[Nene]

Sam hated to cut the fun short but he really didn't want anything bad to happen. He led the way out of the bouncy house, taking a moment to thank and apologize to the frustrated, tired bouncy house associates for their trouble, hoping they weren't still going to call the cops. That'd be their luck.

"what is a heart attack on a bun?" Cas asked Dean, those blues widening at the thought of a serious medical condition affecting his tiny vessel or Dean's body from a meal at the diner. He really took that seriously and he didn't understand that they only meant a greasy hamburger.

[Lizardwhisperer]

“It’s ok, Little buddy—it’s like a hunk of juicy, delicious heaven, on a plate. You already love it, believe me.”
The diner wasn’t far off—thankfully, as the Winchester’s had a little tantrum bomb to handle.
Inside, Dean saw Cas mesmerized by the pings and bells and bright lights, of a row of pinball machines, in the laundry mat across the parking lot. “After you’ve eaten, Cas—pinball will be your dessert. Now, be a good boy and finish your meal.”
Dean’s phone rang and the hunter took the call, playing FBI Director for a fellow hunter’s cover. Sam had asked Cas if he needed the bathroom, when they arrived, and received another “not now” Before sliding out of the booth for the men’s room.
Dean finished the call, turning back to—an empty booth.