The Red Balloon (Destiel AU)

A Happy Shade Of Blue

Me and my little brother, Sam, were at the state fair. Our father wasn't with us. He was still... grieving. After what happened to our mom. She recently died and dad couldn't wrap his head around that. We tried to get him to join us, but he was too sad.

I was almost eight at the time and Sammy was three. Just a week until my birthday, and I could shrug off the age of seven, and transition into eight-year-oldness.

We were having a great time at the fair. There were so many prizes to be won, so many rides to be rode, and so many snacks to be eaten. We ate so much cotton candy that day, we were about to burst.

We were walking aimlessly through the fair, with cones of cotton candy in our hands, and I had a red balloon. I kept looking around, when I saw a boy around my age walking blithely through the fair nearby. I noticed his eyes more than anything. They were so blue.

He was holding a balloon of his own, which was red like mine. In his other hand, he held a chocolate ice cream cone. He was bursting with joy until he tripped and let go of his balloon, the helium carrying it away. His ice cream was all over the ground, melting in the hot California sun.

I wasn't sure what to do. I felt bad for the poor kid. He sat up and watched his balloon float away. He started crying, and I knew I had to do something.

I looked down at Sam. "Stay here, okay Sammy?"

He nodded slowly, eating some of his cotton candy. I went over to the blue eyed boy, who was still on the ground crying.

I knelt beside him. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked softly.

He looked up at me with teary blue orbs. "I-I'm fine. I'm okay. But... Balloonie's gone."

"Balloonie?"

He nodded and pointed up at the sky, where his balloon was now nothing more than a red dot. "My b-balloon. I-I named him... B-Balloonie. And he's g-gone," He sniffed, another tear falling down his chipmunk cheek. "A-and I... I d-dropped my-my ice cream." He stammered.

"Here, want some of my cotton candy?" I offered, holding out the cone for him.

He gingerly took a small piece of cotton candy as I glanced over my shoulder at Sammy, who was being distracted by a butterfly. Cute little rascal.

"Th-thank you. N-no one's ever b-been so nice to m-me before. Th... thank you." He mumbled. I really liked this kid. He was cute.

"It's nothing. My name is Dean. What about you?"

"C-Castiel. M-my na-name is C-Castiel. Really, thank yo-you."

"Really, it's nothing. I'm here to help. C'mon, let me help you up."

I held out my hand, which he took in his own. I helped him stand, brushing the dirt off his clothes. I then wiped the dirt and tears from his cute little chubby cheeks. He looked so sad, but his eyes were such a happy shade of blue.

He sniffed. "Balloonie's still g-gone. I-I-I want my B-Balloonie back."

"Here," I handed him my balloon. "Have mine. I don't really want it anyway."

"N-no. I-I can't take y-yours. Really, I-I'm fine."

"I insist. I'll be fine without it. It's okay."

He reluctantly took the balloon, our fingers brushing as he grasped the string. I suddenly blushed for some reason. I could see him blush too.

"Th-thank you, Dean. I-I've never m-met someone as sweet as-as you."

I scoffed. "I'm not sweet. I'm just nice."

He suddenly flashed me a bright little smile. "Nope. Sweet."