A/N: Balthazar has a mysterious suitor. Dean and Jess want to know who.

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction using characters from the Supernatural universe. I do not claim any ownership. This work is solely for entertainment purposes and is not considered film or tv canon (not by a long shot).

Dean leans back and lets the summer sun warm his face before sitting back up to watch John methodically scooping and dumping sand in front of him.

"Whatcha buildin', little man?" Dean asks, looking down at his son.

John regards him with a cerulean stare worthy of his father, Castiel. "Makin' hole, daddy," John explains as if he cannot believe his father doesn't understand this basic concept.

Balthazar chuckles. "Ask a stupid question …"

"Shut up," Dean grouses. "Hey, where's Jess?"

Balthazar shields his eyes and peers out toward the beach then points. "It would appear that she and Mary are collecting shells."

Dean tracks Balthazar's hand and nods. "Sammy'll be thrilled – more sand in his boxers."

They both laugh – the last beach trip, Mary had decided to hide her shells in Sam's underwear drawer. Sand, as it always does, got everywhere and Sam squirmed uncomfortably for a day before having all of his boxers laundered.

"So when do we get to meet that alpha of yours?" Dean asks casually, watching his son play.

Balthazar hums quietly. "And what makes you think I might have an alpha in my life, Dean?"

Dean looks over at the Novak with a smirk. "Um, because I have a nose?"

Balthazar smiles. "You both picked up on it, didn't you?"

Dean nods. "Jess caught it first – not long after John started walking."

"Yes …" Balthazar's voice fades and a faint smile crosses his lips.

"Oh now you have to spill," Dean teases. "You've had that look on your face for days."

Mary runs up with a handful of shells that she promptly dumps in the hole John has dug. Apparently, that was the entire purpose of his efforts. Jess stares at the pups with unabashed amusement and no little consternation.

"What look are we talking about?" Jess asks. "The one where he looks like he's been getting it but good?"

Balthazar sputters. "I beg your pardon, there are pups present!"

Dean laughs with Jess. "Oh come off it, Balthy … who is he?"

"I refuse to divulge."

Jess grins. "You know … we can enlist the help of the rest of the Novak army if you don't give."

Balthazar pulls his sunglasses down and stares at Jess. She smiles sweetly and Dean mirrors the look. "Yeah … I can just imagine what Gabriel would do if we told him what we know."

Balthazar swallows hard. "You wouldn't …"

"Try us," Jess says and even Dean gives her a quick glance. Jess is scary sometimes.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Balthazar groans. "Fine … fine! If he joins us for lunch will that suffice?"

Dean chuckles. "Sure, if you think he can stomach tuna sandwiches."

Balthazar rolls his eyes. "He'll be fine, Dean." He pins them both with a glare. "Just remember … no one finds out about this until we decide to tell them."

Dean and Jess promise. Balthazar growls and makes a phone call.

"Hello … I'd be better if I didn't have two of the nosiest Omegas in the world with me today …" Balthazar glares again. "No … they want to meet you. I know … but they won't let it go and threatened to tell Gabe. Meet us for lunch? Thank you … hmm?" Balthazar actually blushes but mutters. "God yes!"

Dean and Jess collapse in laughter so Balthazar stalks off to finish his conversation in private. Afterward he announces he's going for a swim. Jess frowns as he walks toward the waves.

"I thought he hated salt water."

"Probably hates that raging boner more," Dean snorts.

"Dean Winchester, you're awful," Jess says, rolling her eyes.

"What? Don't tell me you didn't see it?"

"Of course I saw it … you'd have to be a state over to miss that thing."

Dean dissolves into laughter again and Jess joins him after a minute. Neither Mary nor John understand and they decide that grownups are too strange sometimes.

Lunch is never just a casual affair with the Novaks. Dean's idea of lunch at the beach is a bag of chips and beer in the cooler. For Balthazar and his brothers, an outdoor lunch is reason to pack a basket roughly the size of a Mini-Cooper. Helping Balthazar set up the table and lay out all the containers is the work of about twenty minutes. The pups have their own smaller plates which Jess loads up with tuna fish sandwich – already artfully cut by Balthazar that morning into pieces small enough for little hands and fingers to manage. Dean adds a grape or two and baby carrots even smaller than the ones he normally snacks on. Larger sandwiches appear for the adults along with cold soda and chips. Real cloth napkins and actual silverware reside in the basket. Dean is on his second sandwich when he looks up to see Benny trudging over to them.

"Hey, brother – what are you doin' out here?" Dean asks with a grin. The pups immediately abandon lunch to latch onto the tall man's legs.

"Hey little'uns … lemmee sit down first," Benny chuckles.

Without preamble, Benny leans over and kisses Balthazar and then takes the empty seat next to him. Jess tips Dean's mouth shut.

"Fuck me," Dean says in disbelief.

"Pups present," Balthazar chides. "Besides, you tried that once, I believe."

Jessica shakes her head. "Wait, wait … I know your scent … that isn't the one on Balthazar."

Balthazar smirks. "You will recall that our very own delightful Charlie has an incredible talent for scent masking … and a rather obsessive love of larping. It's fortunate that we happen to have our own tailor … he makes the best suits and apparently has always wanted to design costumes. Highly intricate, spare no details costumes – the sort that could make one the talk of a larping event."

"I happen to have a talent for metal-workin' as you know," Benny adds. "Makin' a sword or dagger or two wasn't no big thing … "

Dean rolls his eyes while he gives John more grapes. "Great … nerds everywhere unite." He looks over at Benny, suddenly serious. "You know I will find you and kill you if you hurt him, right?"

"Just don't send Jess," Benny replies with a grin and a blown kiss to Jessica.

"Sitting right here, dears," Balthazar murmurs.

Benny leans over and kisses him rather soundly. "Like I could forget, dahlin'."

Dean groans. Balthazar snorts. "Oh please … I'll remind you that you went into heat not once but twice in my presence, Winchester!"

"Hey! The first one was the imperative … the second one … that wasn't even you, it was Gabriel!" Dean protests.

"Do you think that lessens the trauma of hearing the two of you going at it?"

Dean gapes at him and looks to Jess who shrugs. "You guys are kinda loud sometimes … "

"Oh like you and Sam aren't?" Dean snipes. "Gotta admit I knew Sammy had some lungs on him, but man … he sounds like a –"

"I think asthmatic wildebeest is the term you're looking for," Balthazar says dryly.

Jess is mid-swallow and soda sprays from her in a classic spit-take. Silence reigns for a second before dissipating into tear-producing laughter.

Mary wipes John's face and her own of the soda and they both go back to eating. Grownups are too strange sometimes.

A/N: This is a kinder, gentler part of the series - no deaths, maiming or bodily violations. The pups were sort of innocent witnesses. Also, I've taken liberties with child development ... just assume that all children produced by this clan will be prodigies who do everything ahead of the curve. I gifted this to Annie_Is_A_Contranym over on AO3.