First Official Challenge - Entry Two: Life Is A Roller-Coaster
Title: Life is a Roller-Coaster
Author: namichan89
Pairing: Sam/Gabriel
Rating: PG-13
Word count: ~5800
Spoilers: If you know who Gabriel is, then no.
Warnings: None
Feedback: Yes please.
Disclaimer: As usual I don't own anything but the idea for this plot. The rest is Kripke's and the CW's.
Notes: Written for the First Official Challenge on
sabriel_bday. Happy Birthday, Dean Winchester!
Trivia: The kind of rolloer coaster I am referring to in this one is actually the “Top Hill Dragster“ (Cedar Point)/ “Kingda Ka“ (Six Flags Great Adventure) kind of stratocoaster which I would never ever ride in all my life, even though I love roller coasters and am proud to say that I’m not afraid of many of them.
Summary: Wherein Dean plays matchmaker to end the endless pining and unresolved sexual tension between Sam and Gabriel.
Dean surely wasn't one to talk when it came to dealing with emotions.
Sam might actually call him quite dense for that matter.
And Cas could also tell him a thing or two about it. The poor angel had had a lot to endure until Dean had eventually realized what was going on between them. Hell, that something was going on at all between them. Dean quietly thanked god for Castiel's literal angelic patience. And he couldn't help but chuckle lightly when he thought about it now, sitting on a motel bed with Cas at his side and running his hand along the angel's back. His eyes were focused on the TV, where the news were currently on.
Except that Dean didn't really pay any attention to the TV. He was watching Sam, who sat at the small table, hunched over his laptop. For months and months it had been the same now with Sam, but the last week... had topped everything when it came to Sam being a mess.
Seeing him bury his head under tons of research and papers and cases was an obvious sign that something was wrong. Dean knew the signs of the patented Winchester art of suppression when he saw them. Where he admittedly tended to try drowning his problems in alcohol, Sam became a workaholic.
Which might be the healthier choice anyway, but that wasn't the point.
Dean surely wasn't the one to sit down with him and talk about his feelings. Hell, no.
Not when it also was that obvious what the reason for Sam moping all over the fucking place was. Or who, in this case.
“Cas, I could need some angel help on this one,” Sam sighed suddenly, rubbing his eyes while still studying the monitor of his laptop.
Dean just rolled his eyes and groaned. “Get your own angel, would you,” he mumbled, tightening his grip possessively around Castiel's waist and pulling him close.
“No, Dean, it's not really a problem,” the angel answered defensively, his eyes sincere as he looked up at the older Winchester. “Let me just help Sam-” with that, he motioned to stand up from the bed.
Dean just winked at him before shutting him up with a kiss, the arm around Cas' waist locking him securely in place.
Sam moaned frustrated in the background. “Why don't you guys get a room of your own, huh?” he asked annoyed.
Dean simply ignored him and resumed kissing Cas, which still was all new and wonderful and did strange things to his stomach. Right now, it seemed to spin in pleasure and something that actually might be the tell-tale butterflies.
It took merely seconds before Sam sighed again. “Gabriel, if you've got a minute... please stop by,” he prayed silently, but loud enough for Dean and Castiel to hear. Dean grinned into the kiss. Jup, exactly what he was hoping for. Not that he liked the archangel very much, but well, he was doing this for Sam.
“Heya! Dean-o, Cassie, why don't you move the action somewhere else. Seriously. Gross,” a familiar, cheeky voice sounded through the room.
Dean pulled away from the kiss and smiled blissfully at Cas, wrapping his arms around the smaller one's shoulders as the latter snuggled into Dean. With his chin rested on the mop of dark hair on his chest, Dean grinned at Gabriel. “Shut up, you're just jealous.”
Oh, he knew exactly which buttons he was pushing with this. In fact, that sentence made Sam blush - which only proved Dean's theory - but Gabriel didn't even humor him with an answer. Instead, the archangel turned around wordlessly to face Sam, and despite the fact that the older Winchester only saw his back, he heard the happy smile in his voice when Gabriel greeted his younger brother.
“Hi, kiddo,” Gabriel said before he reached out for a chair, sitting down beside the hunter at the small table. Sam genuinely reciprocated the smile, and their eyes rested just a beat too long on each other's. “What's up?” the archangel asked.
“I'm researching about this angelic weapon and I'm kinda stuck, so I thought you might be able to help me out,” Sam said, smiling like Dean hadn't seen him for days. Not since the last time Gabriel had been with them a week ago, at least.
One week ago, where they had told Sam about their relationship. Not that it had been much of a surprise to him or that he hadn't been happy for them, but Dean had noticed very well how his facade had fallen the moment he had thought they didn't see him anymore. Back then, Dean had already guessed that it stroke a nerve within Sam, that he had been brooding about something that resurfaced now. Then Sam had left them to themselves, calling Gabriel for a night out. Strictly speaking to get drunk, as it had turned out later when the archangel had zapped them back to the motel, with Sam hanging around his shoulders drunk off his ass. That had been where Dean, the emotionally dense one, had begun to wonder.
“Let me see,” Gabriel answered now and scooted closer to Sam, who blushed even more and looked back at the screen of his laptop.
Dean didn't listen to them from then on. All of it, everything, was so very obvious, even he couldn't believe how they still managed to not notice or overlook it. Sam's and Gabriel's knees were touching under the table, and neither of them so much as flinched away or did anything to put some space between them. Their fingers touched when Sam turned the laptop around so it was facing the angel, even lingered like this for a bit too long than strictly necessary. The smile that was still plastered on Sam's lips was genuine and happy and the light blush accompanying it was speaking volumes. The glance in his eyes was hopeful and joyful and all but shy. He practically bathed in Gabriel's attention, in the sound of his voice, and Dean was sitting over here, content with Castiel in his arms, but wanted nothing more than to just slam Sam's and Gabriel's heads together and shout: 'Now kiss already!'.
Which, by the look of things, wouldn't get them any further even if he actually did it. Because Sam and Gabriel were apparently as dense as possible when it came to what they felt for each other.
Dean didn't know what was actually up with him, as he usually wasn't the one to think about his own feelings, yet even someone else's. Maybe it was just part of what Cas did to him lately. Dean smiled softly into the angel's hair and caressed his back with one of his hands. He felt Castiel smile against the fabric of his shirt in return.
Maybe he could simply relate to having your perfect match right in front of you and yet not realizing it.
Either way, another look at his brother and the archangel made him roll his eyes once more. Gabriel was actually leaning over the keyboard now, his shoulder and upper arm resting against Sam's, who obviously enjoyed the 'casual' touch.
“Cas,” Dean whispered silently into the angel's ear, “lets get out of here.”
Cas didn't respond. But within the next split second, Dean found himself sitting on an empty, beautiful beach, with Castiel in his arms in the exact same position as before, and a warm breeze blew through his hair. The sun was just setting and dipping everything around them in a warm, red glow.
Dean chuckled. “With 'out of here' I didn't actually mean 'going on a holiday'.”
“Why not?” Cas gave him a lopsided grin when he looked up. “It's beautiful here, isn't it?”
“Yes, it is,” Dean answered quietly, pulling his angel closer to his chest.
“There's something I wanted to talk to you about anyway, Dean,” Castiel began after a few moments of comfortable silence, “It's your birthday in three days. Are you planning on spending it in a special way? I assume you are aware of the limitless possibilities that we have.”
A smirk slowly made its way onto Dean's lips as he pondered, all the while being watched carefully by the angel. “Yeah, I think I've got a plan about that.”
There was only so much as Dean could take. And concerning Sam, it was even less to begin with.
It was Dean's 33rd birthday and none of them would ever forget that particular day anytime soon.
In the morning, Sam actually woke him with some freshly baked peach pie - obviously, as they were currently staying in Georgia - and a cup of hot coffee. Which was, Dean had to admit, a very simple yet sweet birthday gift. They didn't really buy presents for each other any more, that had stopped years ago, after a particularly nasty hunt that unfortunately fell on Sam's birthday. They usually celebrated with a drink or two in the evening and a day off to relax. It was convenient this way, and they wouldn't want it any other way.
When Sam went to the bathroom to shower, Cas zapped into the motel room to present Dean with a present of his own... which was practically climbing into bed with him and kissing the remaining crumbs of the pie off the corners of Dean's mouth. When Castiel's lips trailed further down, over his jaw and neck and chest, Dean knew where this was going, and he was far from complaining.
A blissful moan escaped his lips when Cas had vanished beneath the duvet and began to work his magic. Okay, so this seriously went straight to his list of the best birthday presents he'd ever got.
Gabriel didn't show up until late morning, but that was according to plan. His present was a bottle of... fucking expensive whiskey that Dean hadn't heard of ever before, but one look at Google had told him that he held a true piece of luxury in his hands. He decided to save it for the evening.
“So, what're we gonna do today?” Gabriel asked cheerfully and clapped his hands.
“Well,” Dean spoke deliberately slowly, “usually, we just take the day off and relax, but seeing as all four of us actually have the time today, I'd like to go to an amusement park. Six Flags or something.”
Sam's eyebrows shot up towards his hairline. “Seriously, Dean? Are you okay?”
“Perfectly peachy. Hey, it's my birthday, and when do we actually get to have a little fun if not today?” Dean shrugged with a disarming smile.
“But it's January. None of those parks are open at this time of the year,” Sam objected.
Gabriel shot a disbelieving look at him and waved grinning. “Hellooo, archangel on duty over here!” He all but jumped happily and looked back and forth between Cas and Sam. “I don't know about you guys, but I'm totally in!”
Cas smiled at the older Winchester. “Anything you wish,” he simply said and placed a short kiss onto Dean's cheek. Dean quickly wrapped his arms around the angel's waist and pulled him into a tight hug.
Sam sighed in defeat. “Well, then, let's go,” he murmured.
And Gabriel snapped his fingers.
The amusement park was huge. And this sentence was already kind of an understatement, Sam thought.
Despite the fact that the younger Winchester wasn't the biggest fan of amusement parks in general, it was nice to have a day off, and to be able to spend it with the people he cared about most. His brother and Cas - even though they were disgustingly in love and permanently all over each other, but hey, they were happy, and therefore Sam was happy for them - and Gabriel.
Gabriel, the giant 5-year old who currently bounced joyfully down the path beside him and seemed to have a constant grin glued to his face. Sam smiled fondly down at him, the joy and pleasant anticipation easily swapping over to him, and the archangel returned the heartfelt smile. And as it always was, the smile on Gabriel's lips, meant for no one else but him, made his heart almost skip a beat. And if his hand shortly brushed against Gabriel's right then as they walked, it was totally accidental.
Sam sighed silently to himself. Yes, he knew that he liked Gabriel more than he probably should, but really, how couldn't he adore the pocket-sized archangel with the epic one-liners, bad insults and really witty sense of humor? Maybe he had carried a torch for him for quite a while now. There was just never anything that made him hope he could actually pursue those intentions one day. So there he was, walking beside the short archangel, happy because the other one's hand brushed against his, because he knew that was all he would get.
It was depressing to think about it this way, but Sam was just being realistic.
“So, who's got the balls to ride that roller coaster with me?” the archangel interrupted his train of thought and pointed at the nearest ride. Sam counted two loops and several corkscrews in the track, but he wasn't really afraid of any of those.
“Sure,” Sam said, with Dean and Cas nodding along in approval.
As it turned out, roller coasters were really fun to ride, and not only because of the ride itself, but because of his companion's reactions. Sam grinned when he climbed into the seat, securing the safety bar over his lap and shoulders. He felt anticipated, and maybe his pulse was a bit faster than usual, but he felt okay. Cas was equally calm, but in a brooding and worried way, like he didn't trust in any of the security appliances, and frowned for the whole time. Dean was sweating and nervous. He would probably deny this to the day he died, but Dean just rode with them so he wouldn't get mocked afterwards. Sam knew him too well to not see all the signs that shouted 'Dean Winchester is scared shitless'. His big brother all but clutched Castiel's hand. Still, all of this wasn't that surprising - considered that Dean was afraid of flying as well. He was afraid of everything that didn't move on his own command.
Gabriel, on the other hand, was even more giddy and happy and grinning. He seemed totally in his comfort zone, and Sam didn't dare to name all the feelings that the short angel set off inside his chest. He was even more adorable when cheery like a little child.
During the ride, Gabriel shouted in glee at every drop and turn and vertical loop, while Sam found himself just laughing hysterically. Cas' look was still worried, his lips pressed shut, and his hands grabbed tightly around the safety bar or Dean's hand, when the older Winchester seemed sure that Sam wouldn't see it. Dean would also never admit that either, but he cried like a girl during one particular fast heartline roll. Which made Sam laugh even more.
After they left the train, Sam felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins and even though his heart still raced as well, it jumped when he noticed a completely psyched archangel beside him. “That was awesome!” Gabriel shouted and thrust his fist into the air.
Sam just laughed. He couldn't restrain himself, and honestly, why would he want to. They finally had a day to themselves, a day where they needn't worry about monsters and hunting and the end of the world. The sun was shining bright, they had fun, and most of all, there was a gorgeous trickster-turned-archangel by his side, so what was not to love about all this.
He smiled contented, and Gabriel at his side returned it, which on the other hand set that familiar tingling in Sam's stomach off. That strange buzz of emotions that never failed to make his chest clench. It wasn't easy to tear his eyes away from the angel's with all of this silently going on inside him. Sam had never told anyone about his feelings for Gabriel, not even Dean. He had hoped he could deal with them on his own, but found that intention increasingly difficult to handle. Not when Gabriel was like this.
They choose a few smaller rides after the initial burst that had been that roller coaster, like a wave swinger, which was fun too. And despite it being Dean's birthday and all, Sam only had eyes for Gabriel. He was fascinated by the shining, honey brown orbs of the angel, and by the beautiful smile on his lips. Every so often, their eyes would meet, and Gabriel would reward him with a beaming grin.
“Hey, Sammy, I asked you something. Are you in there?” the archangel asked now, poking his finger onto Sam's chest.
The hunter blinked shortly, realizing he hadn't payed attention. “Sorry, I didn't... I didn't notice. What was it?”
Gabriel shook is head teasingly, but grinned cheekily. “I'm disappointed, Sam-squatch. I just asked if we'd get some candy from the store over there.” He pointed to a little stand a few feet away, where all kinds of candy and sweets were laid out on the counter and hanging from the roof.
“Yeah, of course,” he answered instantly, walking towards the store and only noticing after several steps that he completely forgot about Dean and Cas. So Sam quickly turned around to the couple, raising an eyebrow as he once again caught them in the middle of a make-out session. “Okay, nothing for you then, guys?” he mocked.
Dean broke the kiss just long enough to shout a short “Nope, we're fine!” at Sam. The younger Winchester rolled his eyes at the excessive amount of french kissing in public and turned back to Gabriel, who had been watching him. Dean seemed to get increasingly cool with being gay for Cas, which was kind of a good thing, but-
“Well, aren't they sweet,” Gabriel rolled his eyes, interrupting Sam's thoughts once again. The hunter didn't exactly mind.
“Yeah, don't get me wrong, I'm happy for them... sometimes they just strike a nerve with all this,” Sam sighed, admittedly more than just a little bit frustrated.
Gabriel's lips curled into a soft, understanding smile, and he nudged Sam's side with his elbow before reaching for his hand. Sam was entirely taken by surprise, but he willingly let the angel drag him to the store. The touch felt really good, a bit too intimate maybe, but oh so very good and comforting. Sam even had to suppress a disappointed sigh when they reached the candy shop way too soon and Gabriel let go of his hand.
“Hi there! I'll have those chocolate strawberries and-” Gabriel began before interrupting himself and turning around to Sam, “what's it gonna be for you?”
“Cotton candy,” Sam answered quickly, eyeing the delicious, fluffy pink candy in the machine. If they once had a day off and didn't need to worry about hunting, then he didn't need to worry about his health either.
“And cotton candy,” Gabriel repeated to the guy behind the counter, completing his order.
So they stood in the warm sun, Sam stuffing his mouth with cotton candy and Gabriel licking and biting at the chocolate-covered strawberries, and somehow managing to smear the chocolate all over his cheeks and around his mouth. Sam sighed quietly. There weren't much things he'd rather do now than just to reach out and lick the chocolate from the angel's cheeks. And lips. And then work his tongue between that delicious pair of lips-
And then Sam saw it. One lost piece of chocolate, sticking to Gabriel's cheek. Not just a smear but an actual little piece. “You've got some chocolate there,” he said quietly. Before he realized what he was doing, Sam extended his hand to brush it off onto his index finger. And because he didn't know anything better to do with it, he licked the piece of chocolate from his finger. Gabriel actually gasped for air when he saw this.
So just when Sam returned to the stick covered in cotton candy, there suddenly was Gabriel's hand, also placed onto the fluffy sweet. “Not fair!” the angel complained, “You stole my candy, so I'm getting some of yours.”
Their hands brushed against each other's, and lingered in this position for a few short moments. When Sam's eyes met Gabriel's over the cotton candy, he almost felt the tension humming between them, even more powerful than it had been during the past weeks and months. Maybe it was the touch, or the playful sparkle in Gabriel's eyes, or the fact that they stood so close to each other, but Sam was dumbstruck.
And Gabriel was simply adorable when he pouted like this.
Despite the fact that Gabriel was a freaking archangel of the lord and Sam was just a puny little human, that moment kicked it off. Gabriel standing in front of Sam, with his mouth covered in smears of chocolate, pouting with the hint of a smile tugging at the edges of his lips, looking cheekily up at the taller hunter - this, every single thing about this, was who Gabriel was. Everything Sam loved to pieces about him. The sweets, the playful attitude, the fucking brunette locks of his hair sticking up in weird directions from the last ride they'd been on. All of this was Gabriel, and damn it, but Sam wanted it. Wanted him, wanted Gabriel. Wanted to kiss that pout off his lips, right now.
Realizing that they still fuzzed about the cotton candy, Sam gave him a beaming smile and sighed theatrically. “Well, okay,” and only then, he picked a handful of cotton candy off the stick to hold it towards Gabriel's mouth. The archangel quirked an eyebrow at him in surprise, but got the hint. He didn't break the eye contact when he opened his lips to accept Sam's offer, and the moment his finger's brushed the pair of soft, seductive lips, Sam shivered. Shivered from the pleasure of the touch, of the intimacy of the whole gesture, and of the intense look in Gabriel's eyes. The latter even had the nerve to wrap his lips around Sam's fingers and lick them clean as he withdrew his head.
Sam remembered to breath when Gabriel began to laugh, apparently amused by the expression on the hunter's face.
It was surreal.
Sam was mesmerized throughout the whole rest of eating his cotton candy, mostly because of Gabriel stealing little bits of it after finishing his strawberries - and Sam was sure that the angel touched his hand totally on purpose on more than one occasion.
And then, there was that so-called stratocoaster, a type of roller coaster that practically was just an immensely huge tower where the train got launched atop and vertically dropped back to the ground. One small hill later, the ride was over. But it was the height that was frightening, even to Sam.
Gabriel's eyes shone when they reached the ride. “Oh, I'm so going to ride that one,” he said, shaking his head in awe before turning to Sam, “You with me, Sammy?” the angel asked cheerfully.
Sam admittedly had to swallow first before he answered. “Challenge accepted.”
When he turned around to Dean and Cas, Sam found pure and utter fear written across Dean's face and began to laugh.
“What? Dude, I'm not insane, I'm not gonna ride this piece of crap. No way. You can mock me 'til you die, I don't care,” Dean quickly said, wrapping his arm securely around Castiel's waist. The dark-haired angel smiled gently at him.
“Okay, well. Then it's just you and me, Gabe,” Sam turned to the archangel, and they both went to wait in line.
Despite not being afraid of height in general and loops and all those other inversions in roller coasters, this one was impressive. Sam had to lie if he said he wasn't kind of uncomfortable when he sat down in the car and adjusted the security bars. Gabriel beside him seemed also quieter than usual, and a look in his direction told Sam that he was apparently also nervous.
They didn't speak a word when the train got rolled into place, and Sam focused on the sign explaining that the train sometimes didn't make it to the top and that this was called a rollback and it wasn't unusual or dangerous at all - trying to calm his nerves, but to no avail. Gabriel on the seat beside him gripped the security bar tight, obviously going through the same state of mind. Sam tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it most likely looked like the one he got back from Gabriel, kind of wavering and unsure.
And then there was the sudden acceleration of the launch, and Sam couldn't suppress the totally manly, loud yell that the pressure elicited from his chest. A matching cry came from Gabriel beside him, and within a few seconds, they found themselves on the peak of the hill. Sam made the mistake to look down, and fuck this thing was huge and damn it hadn't looked that tall from down there and now they were going to go all the way back down-
Gabriel's hand was on his, reaching over to grasp his hand tightly, and Sam gladly squeezed back.
Right then, the train rolled over the peak, rushing down, and the air was pressed so rapidly out of Sam's lungs that he wouldn't have been able to shout even if he had tried. The airstream was singing in his ears, almost painful in its intensity. Luckily, it took only seconds to reach the ground again, and after the following hill with an almost relaxing amount of air time the train hit the breaks. Sam fell forwards, panting hard as he leaned against the security bar around his chest and shoulders.
“Oh. My. God.” Sam managed, still gasping for air, but feeling the grin spreading on his lips.
“Yeah, I second that,” Gabriel coughed from beside him. “That was... wow...”
Their hands were still entangled and currently resting on Sam's thigh. When the hunter realized it, he took a careful look at the archangel beside him, but the latter just watched him equally surprised.
Then they both burst into hysterical laughter.
Only when they left the car, Gabriel subsequently let go of Sam's hand, who reluctantly released it. They returned to Dean and Cas, who sat on a nearby bench and talked, and both of them still grinned widely.
And maybe not entirely because of the ride. Sam felt like walking on cloud nine right now, and he just hoped deeply that the signs he was reading in Gabriel's behavior wasn't wishful thinking. Which didn't mean that Sam had any kind of plan on how to confess to Gabriel, but he quickly pushed that thought to the back of his mind.
“So, how was it?” Dean asked as soon as they were within earshot.
“Let me just think of an adjective between 'amazing' and 'mind-blowing',” Sam answered while brushing his hair back behind his ears.
“Don't forget to add 'fucking scary' to the list,” Gabriel grinned teasingly and nudged his elbow into Sam's side.
“Hey! I was not scared!” Sam objected, poking the angel back with a matching grin on his lips.
“Oh c'mon! You cried like a woman!”
“And you like a little girl!”
Gabriel pouted and it made Sam almost give in. Almost.
“Touché, Winchester,” the angel stated instead, and Sam threw his head back and laughed loudly.
Dean had watched their bickering with an amused smile on his face, and interrupted them at this point. “Now, c'mon you two, we'll settle this the manly way. We still got to ride the Ferris wheel.” With that, he stood up from the bench, Cas' hand in his, and sauntered slowly towards said Ferris wheel, one of the few rides they hadn't already been on that day.
Gabriel winked at Sam, and the younger Winchester wondered for a moment what he meant. He should find out soon, but for now, Sam shook his head and followed his brother and Castiel, and Gabriel was back at his side, walking so close that his shoulder bumped against Sam's upper arm every few steps. The light touch was still frustrating, but there was a new kind of tension between them, stirring up so many feelings inside Sam that it literally took his breath away. He was still frustrated, but in a kind-of happy way. He felt anticipated, Sam realized.
When they reached the Ferris wheel, it was Cas who turned around and said quietly, “I'd like to take a car with Dean alone, if you don't mind.”
“No, no, of course not,” Sam said quickly.
That way, Sam and Gabriel ended up in one car, and silently sat down as it made its way to the top. After almost reaching the peak, it came to an abrupt halt, and Sam already knew from the archangel's smirk A) who was responsible for that and B) that this would take a while.
Sam found himself once again mesmerized by Gabriel's warm eyes, which currently looked up at him cheekily and fondly.
“It has been a wonderful day, hasn't it?” the archangel asked, his voice soft and his eyes glued to Sam's.
The hunter watched him carefully, taking every detail of the view in that he could get. The setting sun dipping Gabriel in dim, red-orange light, underlining his distinct features and letting his lips look even more kissable than they already did. Sam's breath hitched for a moment when Gabriel stood up to lean against the middle post of the car.
“Yes, it has,” Sam answered deliberately slowly while standing up as well and stepping beside the archangel. Gabriel was still eyeing him. “Thanks, Gabe,” Sam added quietly and smiled.
“Thanks for what?” the shorter one asked back innocently, “This was Dean's birthday present, so-”
Gabriel's eyes shot open in surprise when he felt Sam's hand in his, and Sam laughed affectionately at the expression on the angel's face. After the initial shock, though, Gabriel returned the smile.
Then Gabriel entangled their fingers, lacing them together, and squeezing Sam's hand. All of this was accompanied by a happy smile on the archangel's lips, and Sam's heart now apparently had decided that twice as fast than usual was the pace to go. Gabriel was close, so very close, and all Sam needed to do was lean slightly down and capture the other one's lips with his. Yet, the question still stood between them, if there was more there, if Sam was allowed to do this. If he wasn't just imagining all of it.
The angel's smile became a bit wider, a bit more gentle and loving, and Sam took it as permission to bend down and closed his eyes slowly. And within the next second, Gabriel was there, meeting Sam half-way, pressing their lips together in a first, tender encounter. Gabriel's lips were as soft as he imagined them to be and he tasted faintly like candy and chocolate. It didn't take long for Sam to run his tongue along the angel's bottom lip, begging for entrance, begging for tasting more of him. The first strokes of their tongues against each other's were languid and slow, circling and rubbing against the other's, exploring as much as they were able to and enjoying every split second of it. Gabriel practically melted in Sam's arms, pressing even closer, fisting his hands into the fabric of Sam's shirt.
When they broke apart after several minutes, all Sam could do was laugh merrily. “God, how could I possibly have been so blind?”
Gabriel shrugged. “Think positive, Sammy. We've got a lot of leeway to make up.”
One car down the wheel, Dean and Cas were watching Gabriel standing up, Sam following, and them holding hands and kissing for the first time.
“Ha!” Dean cheered. “Yes! I knew it would work!”
“Of course. Didn't I tell you so?” Castiel replied smiling.
“Yes, you did. That thing with the bit of chocolate worked out perfectly,” the hunter grinned and bent down to kiss his angel. “Thanks, Cas. That was the best birthday present ever.”
Author: namichan89
Pairing: Sam/Gabriel
Rating: PG-13
Word count: ~5800
Spoilers: If you know who Gabriel is, then no.
Warnings: None
Feedback: Yes please.
Disclaimer: As usual I don't own anything but the idea for this plot. The rest is Kripke's and the CW's.
Notes: Written for the First Official Challenge on
sabriel_bday. Happy Birthday, Dean Winchester!
Trivia: The kind of rolloer coaster I am referring to in this one is actually the “Top Hill Dragster“ (Cedar Point)/ “Kingda Ka“ (Six Flags Great Adventure) kind of stratocoaster which I would never ever ride in all my life, even though I love roller coasters and am proud to say that I’m not afraid of many of them.
Summary: Wherein Dean plays matchmaker to end the endless pining and unresolved sexual tension between Sam and Gabriel.
Dean surely wasn't one to talk when it came to dealing with emotions.
Sam might actually call him quite dense for that matter.
And Cas could also tell him a thing or two about it. The poor angel had had a lot to endure until Dean had eventually realized what was going on between them. Hell, that something was going on at all between them. Dean quietly thanked god for Castiel's literal angelic patience. And he couldn't help but chuckle lightly when he thought about it now, sitting on a motel bed with Cas at his side and running his hand along the angel's back. His eyes were focused on the TV, where the news were currently on.
Except that Dean didn't really pay any attention to the TV. He was watching Sam, who sat at the small table, hunched over his laptop. For months and months it had been the same now with Sam, but the last week... had topped everything when it came to Sam being a mess.
Seeing him bury his head under tons of research and papers and cases was an obvious sign that something was wrong. Dean knew the signs of the patented Winchester art of suppression when he saw them. Where he admittedly tended to try drowning his problems in alcohol, Sam became a workaholic.
Which might be the healthier choice anyway, but that wasn't the point.
Dean surely wasn't the one to sit down with him and talk about his feelings. Hell, no.
Not when it also was that obvious what the reason for Sam moping all over the fucking place was. Or who, in this case.
“Cas, I could need some angel help on this one,” Sam sighed suddenly, rubbing his eyes while still studying the monitor of his laptop.
Dean just rolled his eyes and groaned. “Get your own angel, would you,” he mumbled, tightening his grip possessively around Castiel's waist and pulling him close.
“No, Dean, it's not really a problem,” the angel answered defensively, his eyes sincere as he looked up at the older Winchester. “Let me just help Sam-” with that, he motioned to stand up from the bed.
Dean just winked at him before shutting him up with a kiss, the arm around Cas' waist locking him securely in place.
Sam moaned frustrated in the background. “Why don't you guys get a room of your own, huh?” he asked annoyed.
Dean simply ignored him and resumed kissing Cas, which still was all new and wonderful and did strange things to his stomach. Right now, it seemed to spin in pleasure and something that actually might be the tell-tale butterflies.
It took merely seconds before Sam sighed again. “Gabriel, if you've got a minute... please stop by,” he prayed silently, but loud enough for Dean and Castiel to hear. Dean grinned into the kiss. Jup, exactly what he was hoping for. Not that he liked the archangel very much, but well, he was doing this for Sam.
“Heya! Dean-o, Cassie, why don't you move the action somewhere else. Seriously. Gross,” a familiar, cheeky voice sounded through the room.
Dean pulled away from the kiss and smiled blissfully at Cas, wrapping his arms around the smaller one's shoulders as the latter snuggled into Dean. With his chin rested on the mop of dark hair on his chest, Dean grinned at Gabriel. “Shut up, you're just jealous.”
Oh, he knew exactly which buttons he was pushing with this. In fact, that sentence made Sam blush - which only proved Dean's theory - but Gabriel didn't even humor him with an answer. Instead, the archangel turned around wordlessly to face Sam, and despite the fact that the older Winchester only saw his back, he heard the happy smile in his voice when Gabriel greeted his younger brother.
“Hi, kiddo,” Gabriel said before he reached out for a chair, sitting down beside the hunter at the small table. Sam genuinely reciprocated the smile, and their eyes rested just a beat too long on each other's. “What's up?” the archangel asked.
“I'm researching about this angelic weapon and I'm kinda stuck, so I thought you might be able to help me out,” Sam said, smiling like Dean hadn't seen him for days. Not since the last time Gabriel had been with them a week ago, at least.
One week ago, where they had told Sam about their relationship. Not that it had been much of a surprise to him or that he hadn't been happy for them, but Dean had noticed very well how his facade had fallen the moment he had thought they didn't see him anymore. Back then, Dean had already guessed that it stroke a nerve within Sam, that he had been brooding about something that resurfaced now. Then Sam had left them to themselves, calling Gabriel for a night out. Strictly speaking to get drunk, as it had turned out later when the archangel had zapped them back to the motel, with Sam hanging around his shoulders drunk off his ass. That had been where Dean, the emotionally dense one, had begun to wonder.
“Let me see,” Gabriel answered now and scooted closer to Sam, who blushed even more and looked back at the screen of his laptop.
Dean didn't listen to them from then on. All of it, everything, was so very obvious, even he couldn't believe how they still managed to not notice or overlook it. Sam's and Gabriel's knees were touching under the table, and neither of them so much as flinched away or did anything to put some space between them. Their fingers touched when Sam turned the laptop around so it was facing the angel, even lingered like this for a bit too long than strictly necessary. The smile that was still plastered on Sam's lips was genuine and happy and the light blush accompanying it was speaking volumes. The glance in his eyes was hopeful and joyful and all but shy. He practically bathed in Gabriel's attention, in the sound of his voice, and Dean was sitting over here, content with Castiel in his arms, but wanted nothing more than to just slam Sam's and Gabriel's heads together and shout: 'Now kiss already!'.
Which, by the look of things, wouldn't get them any further even if he actually did it. Because Sam and Gabriel were apparently as dense as possible when it came to what they felt for each other.
Dean didn't know what was actually up with him, as he usually wasn't the one to think about his own feelings, yet even someone else's. Maybe it was just part of what Cas did to him lately. Dean smiled softly into the angel's hair and caressed his back with one of his hands. He felt Castiel smile against the fabric of his shirt in return.
Maybe he could simply relate to having your perfect match right in front of you and yet not realizing it.
Either way, another look at his brother and the archangel made him roll his eyes once more. Gabriel was actually leaning over the keyboard now, his shoulder and upper arm resting against Sam's, who obviously enjoyed the 'casual' touch.
“Cas,” Dean whispered silently into the angel's ear, “lets get out of here.”
Cas didn't respond. But within the next split second, Dean found himself sitting on an empty, beautiful beach, with Castiel in his arms in the exact same position as before, and a warm breeze blew through his hair. The sun was just setting and dipping everything around them in a warm, red glow.
Dean chuckled. “With 'out of here' I didn't actually mean 'going on a holiday'.”
“Why not?” Cas gave him a lopsided grin when he looked up. “It's beautiful here, isn't it?”
“Yes, it is,” Dean answered quietly, pulling his angel closer to his chest.
“There's something I wanted to talk to you about anyway, Dean,” Castiel began after a few moments of comfortable silence, “It's your birthday in three days. Are you planning on spending it in a special way? I assume you are aware of the limitless possibilities that we have.”
A smirk slowly made its way onto Dean's lips as he pondered, all the while being watched carefully by the angel. “Yeah, I think I've got a plan about that.”
There was only so much as Dean could take. And concerning Sam, it was even less to begin with.
It was Dean's 33rd birthday and none of them would ever forget that particular day anytime soon.
In the morning, Sam actually woke him with some freshly baked peach pie - obviously, as they were currently staying in Georgia - and a cup of hot coffee. Which was, Dean had to admit, a very simple yet sweet birthday gift. They didn't really buy presents for each other any more, that had stopped years ago, after a particularly nasty hunt that unfortunately fell on Sam's birthday. They usually celebrated with a drink or two in the evening and a day off to relax. It was convenient this way, and they wouldn't want it any other way.
When Sam went to the bathroom to shower, Cas zapped into the motel room to present Dean with a present of his own... which was practically climbing into bed with him and kissing the remaining crumbs of the pie off the corners of Dean's mouth. When Castiel's lips trailed further down, over his jaw and neck and chest, Dean knew where this was going, and he was far from complaining.
A blissful moan escaped his lips when Cas had vanished beneath the duvet and began to work his magic. Okay, so this seriously went straight to his list of the best birthday presents he'd ever got.
Gabriel didn't show up until late morning, but that was according to plan. His present was a bottle of... fucking expensive whiskey that Dean hadn't heard of ever before, but one look at Google had told him that he held a true piece of luxury in his hands. He decided to save it for the evening.
“So, what're we gonna do today?” Gabriel asked cheerfully and clapped his hands.
“Well,” Dean spoke deliberately slowly, “usually, we just take the day off and relax, but seeing as all four of us actually have the time today, I'd like to go to an amusement park. Six Flags or something.”
Sam's eyebrows shot up towards his hairline. “Seriously, Dean? Are you okay?”
“Perfectly peachy. Hey, it's my birthday, and when do we actually get to have a little fun if not today?” Dean shrugged with a disarming smile.
“But it's January. None of those parks are open at this time of the year,” Sam objected.
Gabriel shot a disbelieving look at him and waved grinning. “Hellooo, archangel on duty over here!” He all but jumped happily and looked back and forth between Cas and Sam. “I don't know about you guys, but I'm totally in!”
Cas smiled at the older Winchester. “Anything you wish,” he simply said and placed a short kiss onto Dean's cheek. Dean quickly wrapped his arms around the angel's waist and pulled him into a tight hug.
Sam sighed in defeat. “Well, then, let's go,” he murmured.
And Gabriel snapped his fingers.
The amusement park was huge. And this sentence was already kind of an understatement, Sam thought.
Despite the fact that the younger Winchester wasn't the biggest fan of amusement parks in general, it was nice to have a day off, and to be able to spend it with the people he cared about most. His brother and Cas - even though they were disgustingly in love and permanently all over each other, but hey, they were happy, and therefore Sam was happy for them - and Gabriel.
Gabriel, the giant 5-year old who currently bounced joyfully down the path beside him and seemed to have a constant grin glued to his face. Sam smiled fondly down at him, the joy and pleasant anticipation easily swapping over to him, and the archangel returned the heartfelt smile. And as it always was, the smile on Gabriel's lips, meant for no one else but him, made his heart almost skip a beat. And if his hand shortly brushed against Gabriel's right then as they walked, it was totally accidental.
Sam sighed silently to himself. Yes, he knew that he liked Gabriel more than he probably should, but really, how couldn't he adore the pocket-sized archangel with the epic one-liners, bad insults and really witty sense of humor? Maybe he had carried a torch for him for quite a while now. There was just never anything that made him hope he could actually pursue those intentions one day. So there he was, walking beside the short archangel, happy because the other one's hand brushed against his, because he knew that was all he would get.
It was depressing to think about it this way, but Sam was just being realistic.
“So, who's got the balls to ride that roller coaster with me?” the archangel interrupted his train of thought and pointed at the nearest ride. Sam counted two loops and several corkscrews in the track, but he wasn't really afraid of any of those.
“Sure,” Sam said, with Dean and Cas nodding along in approval.
As it turned out, roller coasters were really fun to ride, and not only because of the ride itself, but because of his companion's reactions. Sam grinned when he climbed into the seat, securing the safety bar over his lap and shoulders. He felt anticipated, and maybe his pulse was a bit faster than usual, but he felt okay. Cas was equally calm, but in a brooding and worried way, like he didn't trust in any of the security appliances, and frowned for the whole time. Dean was sweating and nervous. He would probably deny this to the day he died, but Dean just rode with them so he wouldn't get mocked afterwards. Sam knew him too well to not see all the signs that shouted 'Dean Winchester is scared shitless'. His big brother all but clutched Castiel's hand. Still, all of this wasn't that surprising - considered that Dean was afraid of flying as well. He was afraid of everything that didn't move on his own command.
Gabriel, on the other hand, was even more giddy and happy and grinning. He seemed totally in his comfort zone, and Sam didn't dare to name all the feelings that the short angel set off inside his chest. He was even more adorable when cheery like a little child.
During the ride, Gabriel shouted in glee at every drop and turn and vertical loop, while Sam found himself just laughing hysterically. Cas' look was still worried, his lips pressed shut, and his hands grabbed tightly around the safety bar or Dean's hand, when the older Winchester seemed sure that Sam wouldn't see it. Dean would also never admit that either, but he cried like a girl during one particular fast heartline roll. Which made Sam laugh even more.
After they left the train, Sam felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins and even though his heart still raced as well, it jumped when he noticed a completely psyched archangel beside him. “That was awesome!” Gabriel shouted and thrust his fist into the air.
Sam just laughed. He couldn't restrain himself, and honestly, why would he want to. They finally had a day to themselves, a day where they needn't worry about monsters and hunting and the end of the world. The sun was shining bright, they had fun, and most of all, there was a gorgeous trickster-turned-archangel by his side, so what was not to love about all this.
He smiled contented, and Gabriel at his side returned it, which on the other hand set that familiar tingling in Sam's stomach off. That strange buzz of emotions that never failed to make his chest clench. It wasn't easy to tear his eyes away from the angel's with all of this silently going on inside him. Sam had never told anyone about his feelings for Gabriel, not even Dean. He had hoped he could deal with them on his own, but found that intention increasingly difficult to handle. Not when Gabriel was like this.
They choose a few smaller rides after the initial burst that had been that roller coaster, like a wave swinger, which was fun too. And despite it being Dean's birthday and all, Sam only had eyes for Gabriel. He was fascinated by the shining, honey brown orbs of the angel, and by the beautiful smile on his lips. Every so often, their eyes would meet, and Gabriel would reward him with a beaming grin.
“Hey, Sammy, I asked you something. Are you in there?” the archangel asked now, poking his finger onto Sam's chest.
The hunter blinked shortly, realizing he hadn't payed attention. “Sorry, I didn't... I didn't notice. What was it?”
Gabriel shook is head teasingly, but grinned cheekily. “I'm disappointed, Sam-squatch. I just asked if we'd get some candy from the store over there.” He pointed to a little stand a few feet away, where all kinds of candy and sweets were laid out on the counter and hanging from the roof.
“Yeah, of course,” he answered instantly, walking towards the store and only noticing after several steps that he completely forgot about Dean and Cas. So Sam quickly turned around to the couple, raising an eyebrow as he once again caught them in the middle of a make-out session. “Okay, nothing for you then, guys?” he mocked.
Dean broke the kiss just long enough to shout a short “Nope, we're fine!” at Sam. The younger Winchester rolled his eyes at the excessive amount of french kissing in public and turned back to Gabriel, who had been watching him. Dean seemed to get increasingly cool with being gay for Cas, which was kind of a good thing, but-
“Well, aren't they sweet,” Gabriel rolled his eyes, interrupting Sam's thoughts once again. The hunter didn't exactly mind.
“Yeah, don't get me wrong, I'm happy for them... sometimes they just strike a nerve with all this,” Sam sighed, admittedly more than just a little bit frustrated.
Gabriel's lips curled into a soft, understanding smile, and he nudged Sam's side with his elbow before reaching for his hand. Sam was entirely taken by surprise, but he willingly let the angel drag him to the store. The touch felt really good, a bit too intimate maybe, but oh so very good and comforting. Sam even had to suppress a disappointed sigh when they reached the candy shop way too soon and Gabriel let go of his hand.
“Hi there! I'll have those chocolate strawberries and-” Gabriel began before interrupting himself and turning around to Sam, “what's it gonna be for you?”
“Cotton candy,” Sam answered quickly, eyeing the delicious, fluffy pink candy in the machine. If they once had a day off and didn't need to worry about hunting, then he didn't need to worry about his health either.
“And cotton candy,” Gabriel repeated to the guy behind the counter, completing his order.
So they stood in the warm sun, Sam stuffing his mouth with cotton candy and Gabriel licking and biting at the chocolate-covered strawberries, and somehow managing to smear the chocolate all over his cheeks and around his mouth. Sam sighed quietly. There weren't much things he'd rather do now than just to reach out and lick the chocolate from the angel's cheeks. And lips. And then work his tongue between that delicious pair of lips-
And then Sam saw it. One lost piece of chocolate, sticking to Gabriel's cheek. Not just a smear but an actual little piece. “You've got some chocolate there,” he said quietly. Before he realized what he was doing, Sam extended his hand to brush it off onto his index finger. And because he didn't know anything better to do with it, he licked the piece of chocolate from his finger. Gabriel actually gasped for air when he saw this.
So just when Sam returned to the stick covered in cotton candy, there suddenly was Gabriel's hand, also placed onto the fluffy sweet. “Not fair!” the angel complained, “You stole my candy, so I'm getting some of yours.”
Their hands brushed against each other's, and lingered in this position for a few short moments. When Sam's eyes met Gabriel's over the cotton candy, he almost felt the tension humming between them, even more powerful than it had been during the past weeks and months. Maybe it was the touch, or the playful sparkle in Gabriel's eyes, or the fact that they stood so close to each other, but Sam was dumbstruck.
And Gabriel was simply adorable when he pouted like this.
Despite the fact that Gabriel was a freaking archangel of the lord and Sam was just a puny little human, that moment kicked it off. Gabriel standing in front of Sam, with his mouth covered in smears of chocolate, pouting with the hint of a smile tugging at the edges of his lips, looking cheekily up at the taller hunter - this, every single thing about this, was who Gabriel was. Everything Sam loved to pieces about him. The sweets, the playful attitude, the fucking brunette locks of his hair sticking up in weird directions from the last ride they'd been on. All of this was Gabriel, and damn it, but Sam wanted it. Wanted him, wanted Gabriel. Wanted to kiss that pout off his lips, right now.
Realizing that they still fuzzed about the cotton candy, Sam gave him a beaming smile and sighed theatrically. “Well, okay,” and only then, he picked a handful of cotton candy off the stick to hold it towards Gabriel's mouth. The archangel quirked an eyebrow at him in surprise, but got the hint. He didn't break the eye contact when he opened his lips to accept Sam's offer, and the moment his finger's brushed the pair of soft, seductive lips, Sam shivered. Shivered from the pleasure of the touch, of the intimacy of the whole gesture, and of the intense look in Gabriel's eyes. The latter even had the nerve to wrap his lips around Sam's fingers and lick them clean as he withdrew his head.
Sam remembered to breath when Gabriel began to laugh, apparently amused by the expression on the hunter's face.
It was surreal.
Sam was mesmerized throughout the whole rest of eating his cotton candy, mostly because of Gabriel stealing little bits of it after finishing his strawberries - and Sam was sure that the angel touched his hand totally on purpose on more than one occasion.
And then, there was that so-called stratocoaster, a type of roller coaster that practically was just an immensely huge tower where the train got launched atop and vertically dropped back to the ground. One small hill later, the ride was over. But it was the height that was frightening, even to Sam.
Gabriel's eyes shone when they reached the ride. “Oh, I'm so going to ride that one,” he said, shaking his head in awe before turning to Sam, “You with me, Sammy?” the angel asked cheerfully.
Sam admittedly had to swallow first before he answered. “Challenge accepted.”
When he turned around to Dean and Cas, Sam found pure and utter fear written across Dean's face and began to laugh.
“What? Dude, I'm not insane, I'm not gonna ride this piece of crap. No way. You can mock me 'til you die, I don't care,” Dean quickly said, wrapping his arm securely around Castiel's waist. The dark-haired angel smiled gently at him.
“Okay, well. Then it's just you and me, Gabe,” Sam turned to the archangel, and they both went to wait in line.
Despite not being afraid of height in general and loops and all those other inversions in roller coasters, this one was impressive. Sam had to lie if he said he wasn't kind of uncomfortable when he sat down in the car and adjusted the security bars. Gabriel beside him seemed also quieter than usual, and a look in his direction told Sam that he was apparently also nervous.
They didn't speak a word when the train got rolled into place, and Sam focused on the sign explaining that the train sometimes didn't make it to the top and that this was called a rollback and it wasn't unusual or dangerous at all - trying to calm his nerves, but to no avail. Gabriel on the seat beside him gripped the security bar tight, obviously going through the same state of mind. Sam tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it most likely looked like the one he got back from Gabriel, kind of wavering and unsure.
And then there was the sudden acceleration of the launch, and Sam couldn't suppress the totally manly, loud yell that the pressure elicited from his chest. A matching cry came from Gabriel beside him, and within a few seconds, they found themselves on the peak of the hill. Sam made the mistake to look down, and fuck this thing was huge and damn it hadn't looked that tall from down there and now they were going to go all the way back down-
Gabriel's hand was on his, reaching over to grasp his hand tightly, and Sam gladly squeezed back.
Right then, the train rolled over the peak, rushing down, and the air was pressed so rapidly out of Sam's lungs that he wouldn't have been able to shout even if he had tried. The airstream was singing in his ears, almost painful in its intensity. Luckily, it took only seconds to reach the ground again, and after the following hill with an almost relaxing amount of air time the train hit the breaks. Sam fell forwards, panting hard as he leaned against the security bar around his chest and shoulders.
“Oh. My. God.” Sam managed, still gasping for air, but feeling the grin spreading on his lips.
“Yeah, I second that,” Gabriel coughed from beside him. “That was... wow...”
Their hands were still entangled and currently resting on Sam's thigh. When the hunter realized it, he took a careful look at the archangel beside him, but the latter just watched him equally surprised.
Then they both burst into hysterical laughter.
Only when they left the car, Gabriel subsequently let go of Sam's hand, who reluctantly released it. They returned to Dean and Cas, who sat on a nearby bench and talked, and both of them still grinned widely.
And maybe not entirely because of the ride. Sam felt like walking on cloud nine right now, and he just hoped deeply that the signs he was reading in Gabriel's behavior wasn't wishful thinking. Which didn't mean that Sam had any kind of plan on how to confess to Gabriel, but he quickly pushed that thought to the back of his mind.
“So, how was it?” Dean asked as soon as they were within earshot.
“Let me just think of an adjective between 'amazing' and 'mind-blowing',” Sam answered while brushing his hair back behind his ears.
“Don't forget to add 'fucking scary' to the list,” Gabriel grinned teasingly and nudged his elbow into Sam's side.
“Hey! I was not scared!” Sam objected, poking the angel back with a matching grin on his lips.
“Oh c'mon! You cried like a woman!”
“And you like a little girl!”
Gabriel pouted and it made Sam almost give in. Almost.
“Touché, Winchester,” the angel stated instead, and Sam threw his head back and laughed loudly.
Dean had watched their bickering with an amused smile on his face, and interrupted them at this point. “Now, c'mon you two, we'll settle this the manly way. We still got to ride the Ferris wheel.” With that, he stood up from the bench, Cas' hand in his, and sauntered slowly towards said Ferris wheel, one of the few rides they hadn't already been on that day.
Gabriel winked at Sam, and the younger Winchester wondered for a moment what he meant. He should find out soon, but for now, Sam shook his head and followed his brother and Castiel, and Gabriel was back at his side, walking so close that his shoulder bumped against Sam's upper arm every few steps. The light touch was still frustrating, but there was a new kind of tension between them, stirring up so many feelings inside Sam that it literally took his breath away. He was still frustrated, but in a kind-of happy way. He felt anticipated, Sam realized.
When they reached the Ferris wheel, it was Cas who turned around and said quietly, “I'd like to take a car with Dean alone, if you don't mind.”
“No, no, of course not,” Sam said quickly.
That way, Sam and Gabriel ended up in one car, and silently sat down as it made its way to the top. After almost reaching the peak, it came to an abrupt halt, and Sam already knew from the archangel's smirk A) who was responsible for that and B) that this would take a while.
Sam found himself once again mesmerized by Gabriel's warm eyes, which currently looked up at him cheekily and fondly.
“It has been a wonderful day, hasn't it?” the archangel asked, his voice soft and his eyes glued to Sam's.
The hunter watched him carefully, taking every detail of the view in that he could get. The setting sun dipping Gabriel in dim, red-orange light, underlining his distinct features and letting his lips look even more kissable than they already did. Sam's breath hitched for a moment when Gabriel stood up to lean against the middle post of the car.
“Yes, it has,” Sam answered deliberately slowly while standing up as well and stepping beside the archangel. Gabriel was still eyeing him. “Thanks, Gabe,” Sam added quietly and smiled.
“Thanks for what?” the shorter one asked back innocently, “This was Dean's birthday present, so-”
Gabriel's eyes shot open in surprise when he felt Sam's hand in his, and Sam laughed affectionately at the expression on the angel's face. After the initial shock, though, Gabriel returned the smile.
Then Gabriel entangled their fingers, lacing them together, and squeezing Sam's hand. All of this was accompanied by a happy smile on the archangel's lips, and Sam's heart now apparently had decided that twice as fast than usual was the pace to go. Gabriel was close, so very close, and all Sam needed to do was lean slightly down and capture the other one's lips with his. Yet, the question still stood between them, if there was more there, if Sam was allowed to do this. If he wasn't just imagining all of it.
The angel's smile became a bit wider, a bit more gentle and loving, and Sam took it as permission to bend down and closed his eyes slowly. And within the next second, Gabriel was there, meeting Sam half-way, pressing their lips together in a first, tender encounter. Gabriel's lips were as soft as he imagined them to be and he tasted faintly like candy and chocolate. It didn't take long for Sam to run his tongue along the angel's bottom lip, begging for entrance, begging for tasting more of him. The first strokes of their tongues against each other's were languid and slow, circling and rubbing against the other's, exploring as much as they were able to and enjoying every split second of it. Gabriel practically melted in Sam's arms, pressing even closer, fisting his hands into the fabric of Sam's shirt.
When they broke apart after several minutes, all Sam could do was laugh merrily. “God, how could I possibly have been so blind?”
Gabriel shrugged. “Think positive, Sammy. We've got a lot of leeway to make up.”
One car down the wheel, Dean and Cas were watching Gabriel standing up, Sam following, and them holding hands and kissing for the first time.
“Ha!” Dean cheered. “Yes! I knew it would work!”
“Of course. Didn't I tell you so?” Castiel replied smiling.
“Yes, you did. That thing with the bit of chocolate worked out perfectly,” the hunter grinned and bent down to kiss his angel. “Thanks, Cas. That was the best birthday present ever.”