Sam was getting rather sick of staring at the back of Dean and Cas's heads. Of course, the two of them were sitting close – disturbingly close – to each other in the front seat of the Impala, while Sam was stuffed in the back seat. Alone. Again. He was trying really hard not to feel bitter about it; constantly reminding himself that Dean was happy for once, and it was probably worth giving up his place in the front seat. Honestly, he wasn't sure why it made him so upset. Maybe it was because he felt flat out lonely. Sam glanced down at the vacant seat next to him, as the scenery blurred by through the window. How could such a tiny back seat feel so damn gigantic?
As Sam sat staring at the sleek interior, a sound suddenly burst into the semi-silence. It was a quick noise; something that sounded like a slide whistle going up, followed by a loud 'pop.' It sounded just like a piece of bubble gum being blown up and popped. Sam blinked toward the front seat, glancing between Dean and Cas. Was one of them chewing gum or something? Neither of them seemed to have heard the noise. They were both still staring out the wind shield, snuggled close and blissfully ignorant. Sam shook his head, trying to wake himself up. 'Great,' he thought to himself, 'you spend a few days away from the trickster, and you're already hearing things.'
And as soon as the thought crossed his mind, Sam was suddenly thinking about Gabriel again; Recalling their fantastic night of mischief, remembering Dickie trotting happily along at his feet, and reminiscing about the perfectly sweet flavor of the archangel's kiss...It was probably the best night of Sam's life. And it was only two – or was it three? - nights ago. Sam's eyes widened with realization. Geez, was it really that recent? Because, to Sam, it felt like forever-ago...
That bubble-gum sound whooshed and popped again in the car, making Sam flinch.
Where was that noise coming from? It was eerily close by; emanating from the back seat with Sam. Could Dean and Cas not hear it, too? Or were they too wrapped up in each other to even notice or care? Assuming it was the case, Sam started looking around for the source. He began to feel like he'd done this before; searched for a strange sound nearby – and then it hit him. The sound must have been coming from his own phone.
Sam quickly reached into his coat pocket and retrieved the small device. Just as he suspected, it was flashing with an alert. 'Two new text messages.' An odd tingle grew in his stomach at the sight. Before he even had time to ponder who was sending these messages, the bubble-gum sound popped again. It was louder this time, and there was no doubt that it came from Sam's phone. The number two changed to a number three on the screen in his palm. How the hell was his phone making that noise? He didn't have any text-tones that sounded like that. Apparently, someone was needing to talk. Sam glanced up at Dean and Cas once more, before opening the phone to see who was sending him messages. His heart skipped a beat when he saw those two little words on the ID...The Candyman.
It was him! That smug trickster Sam couldn't stop thinking about. Without another thought, Sam instantly pressed the 'view' button, all too eager to see what Gabriel had to say. The first message popped on the screen -
Is it too early in the relationship to ask for dick pics?
Sam could feel heat racing across his own cheeks. He instinctively pulled the phone closer to his chest, afraid Dean or Cas might see it. What the hell kind of question was that?! Sam couldn't deny that it sounded exactly like something Gabriel would say, but the question somehow made him feel intensely bashful; like being asked to bend over at the doctor's office. While he mentally tried to find a polite way to answer to the trickster's question, he opened the second message.
I'll take the lack of reply as a yes.
Sam took an easing breath. At least he didn't have to find an answer. Thankful that Gabriel had found the answer on his own, Sam opened and read the last message.
How about a date instead, Sammy-boy?
Sam smiled down at the words on the screen. He could almost hear Gabriel's humming voice as he read; able to picture those pouting lips moving with the sounds in his mind. The man was typing a reply before he even had time to think twice about it.
'What kind of date?' he typed, before pressing the send button.
Once his reply was on it's way to the archangel, Sam looked up at the back of Dean's and Cas's heads again. Neither of them had moved. They were still sitting extremely close together, and probably touching each other somehow. Sam couldn't believe that his heart was actually starting to pick up speed. A child-like sense of excitement was gripping his guts. A date? An actual date with Gabriel? Sam was suddenly picturing them sitting side-by-side in a movie theater; sharing a giant bucket of popcorn while Gabriel annoyed the other people by rambling too loudly, each of them trying to steal glances at one another in the dark...Was that the type of thing the trickster was suggesting?
The bubble-gum noise popped from Sam's phone again. He quickly opened the new message to read:
Phew! Finally! A response! I was starting to think you were ignoring me. And the date? Let's just say it's someplace real special, kiddo. A place no one else has ever been before.
Sam could feel his goofy grin spreading. Gabriel was definitely living up to his teasing reputation. What the hell kind of place was he talking about? The trickster might be suggesting a different planet or something, or worse – he might be getting ready to make a joke.
'If you say 'in my pants,' I swear I'll stop texting you,' Sam typed and sent.
There was a moment of silence, in which Sam glanced around the car with a ridiculous smile and felt lighter than a feather, before the bubble-gum popped again. He quickly opened the new message.
Lol. Nope. You won't show me yours, so I won't show you mine. :) Jokes aside, kid, I'm talking about a real place. And the best part is, you get to take some souvenirs home. What do you say, my little peach? Want me to take you away?
The grip tightened on Sam's insides. God, yes. More than anything, he wanted Gabriel to take him away. The car jostled all of the sudden, causing Sam to lift his sights from his phone. He could see beyond the wind shield that the Impala was pulling into a new motel parking lot. Dean and Cas were already mumbling in the front seat about rooms.
The sudden distraction was enough to remind Sam of his current biggest fear – Dean finding out about Gabriel. The mere thought made the smile slip away from Sam's lips. But before he could get too invested in the terrifying notion, the Impala's engine was cut off and Dean and Cas were getting out. Sam's brother paused to look back at him.
"Think there's anyway in hell we could afford separate rooms tonight?" Dean asked quietly, appearing cautiously optimistic.
Sam sighed a little and shook his head. He knew Dean wanted privacy with Cas, but they were on their last hundred dollars. They were gonna have to make another trip to a pool hall soon, or find credit cards or something. Dean seemed to accept this answer, though; rolling his eyes but nodding.
"I figured," he grumbled, stepping out of the car, "Sit tight, Sammy. Cas and I will get the room."
Sam shifted in his seat as he watched his brother and the angel start for the motel's reception building. Now that they were gone, Sam returned his attention to the phone in his hand. He re-read Gabriel's message again, before typing his own.
'When?' he replied, pressing send afterward.
Sam sat in silence for a moment, waiting for the bubble-gum noise to come from his phone again. He glanced around, finding it hard to sit still. Maybe this was how it felt for kids to be told they were going to Disney World. He wasn't sure what to do with all this jittery energy.
"How about now?"
Sam jumped at the sound of Gabriel's voice. The archangel was suddenly sitting next to him, with one leg bent over the other and his arm resting on the back of the seat. Sam had to double take at the trickster, shocked at his unannounced appearance. The energy seemed to grow even fiercer in Sam's chest, as his eyes searched Gabriel's form. Seeing him in person was so much better than trying to imagine him in his head. God, Sam just wanted to reach out and take hold of his tiny body and never let it go – but he restrained himself. Instead of clobbering him with a giant hug, Sam turned toward Gabriel in the seat and gripped his tiny arm.
"H – hey," Sam said, the grin flashing back on his face.
A million things were running through Sam's head to say, but 'hey' was all that came out of his mouth. Gabriel smirked back, winking a golden eye.
"Hey, sweet-cheeks," he repeated, voice as smooth as caramel.
"Wh – where's Dickie?" Sam asked. He was used to always seeing the little dog with Gabriel.
"Chasing some tail at a dog park," Gabe answered, eying Sam's entire form, "probably knockin' up another poodle. You know him. Can't keep it in his doggy pants. Say, you ready to go, kid?"
Sam's first instinct was to glance out the window, in the direction Dean and Cas had walked away. Would they notice if he were to disappear for a little while? Maybe they would see it as a favor; giving them time to be alone together. Besides, Dean would call if he was worried, right? Sam turned his sight back to the gorgeous archangel in front of him.
"Yeah," he breathed, excited beyond belief, "let's go."
The grin that graced the trickster's lips held a hint of relief. He reached out to place his hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam had no idea where Gabriel was planning to take him, but he was still looking forward to it; because he would be with him, and that was all that really mattered. And within a single second, they were sitting somewhere else.
Sam blinked repeatedly. Where ever they'd just landed was extremely bright; a harsh white glow shining around them. It took the man a moment to adjust his sight on the place. A large room gradually came into focus. He and Gabriel were sitting on a white couch – in the middle of what looked like a candy shop. The floor, ceiling and walls were all painfully white; making the candy look even more colorful by contrast. Tall containers towered toward the ceiling, displaying an array of different candies; the clear tubes of gummies, chocolates and lollipops all lined the walls invitingly. Sam smiled at the large varieties of candy as he slowly rose to his feet. It was like something out of a child's storybook.
"Where are we?" Sam asked, stepping closer to one of the counters.
"This is my place," Gabriel said nonchalantly, hoping off the couch to join Sam in looking at the sweets, "Sort of. I wasn't lying when I said I mess around with heaven's secret stock, Sammy-boy."
Sam turned to look the trickster in the eye, secretly admiring the perfect shade of honey his irises possessed.
"You mean, all this candy is spiked with something?" Sam asked, a bit astounded.
Gabriel reached passed Sam to pick up a piece of rounded chocolate. He held it up between them, letting Sam see it as he spun it around in his palm.
"This chocolate helps you fall asleep," he informed, tossing the small brown ball back in its bowl before picking up an orange lollipop from the next, "and these suckers give you sweet dreams, if you know what I mean."
Sam smiled, as he watched Gabriel move down the line, picking up different candies to tell about them. It was like watching a proud scientist explaining his latest inventions; seeing the passion and enthusiasm light up his face.
"These gummy bears will get rid of headaches," he continued, practically spinning around to point to the next container, "those peanut butter cups can heal small wounds, these marshmallows can make you laugh your ass off. And if you suck on one of those gobstoppers long enough, it can cure depression."
Sam blinked around in awe, stunned at the sheer amount of medicinal sweets. So, this was how Gabriel spent his free time? Creating candy that could change or heal people? None of it sounded like something a careless trickster would do. On the contrary, it sounded thoughtful.
"Why?" Sam breathed, nudging a piece of colorful hard candy with his thumb as his eyes found their way back to Gabriel's, "Why do you make all of this?"
A serious look fell across Gabriel's face, one which Sam could not remember ever seeing before. It seemed like he was about to reveal some deep, personal secret. The archangel stepped closer to Sam.
"Look, the human race might a shit-storm of drama sometimes, but I happen to have a soft spot for most of you," he said, his golden eyes holding nothing back, "I help out where I can, you know? A piece of chocolate on a mother's bedside table here, some gummy bears on a veteran's counter there. If a couple of random gobstoppers show up in the cancer wing of a kid's hospital, who's gonna notice, right? Generally, the kids will eat them and live to fight another day – Why are you looking at me like that?"
Sam gulped, having to shake himself out of the admiring daze he was in. It felt like his heart had just swollen behind his ribs, thumping forcefully with emotion. Gabriel wasn't the person Sam thought he was. He was so much more; so generous and caring of others. Helping people in small ways – from curing simple headaches to aiding children in combating cancer – was something Sam would have never imagined the trickster would do. And Sam was overwhelmingly glad to be proven wrong.
"Whoa," Sam tried to find words, as he stared down into Gabriel's open eyes, "That's...really nice of you."
"If you tell a single soul, I'll hunt you down, Samsquatch," Gabriel warned, his eyes narrowing playfully.
Sam chuckled. Maybe Gabe was one of those people that liked to help others without receiving the credit. Maybe, for whatever reason, he liked his trickster reputation better than that of a caring person. So, Sam nodded, reaching his hand out to hook his index finger around Gabriel's.
"I won't," he promised.
Gabriel's smile returned at full capacity. His free hand raised between them, and a small plastic bag appeared in his palm. It was tied off at the top, like one of those tiny gift bags people received after a party.
"There's one of everything in here," Gabriel said, holding it toward Sam, "A souvenir. Just like I said."
Sam smirked down at the archangel's smug face as he took the candy from him.
"How will I know what they do?" he asked, slightly hesitant.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Gabriel purred, easing up on the tips of his toes.
Sam knew what the archangel was doing. He was leaning in for a kiss; offering his mouth up for the taking. The sweet aroma of cotton candy was thick in Sam's nose, wafting from Gabriel's person. Sam could never turn down the chance to kiss him...
Their lips met in a sudden clash; the sensitive skins pressing firmly together. They split apart at the demand of Gabriel's impatient tongue. A small hum came from the back of Sam's throat at the sweet taste. His whole hand reached out to take Gabriel's, holding it in a tight grip while they kissed. Gabe's hands, however, were suddenly diving in the deep end; one raking into Sam's hair while the other slid up Sam's bare back under his plaid shirt.
Sam's eyes flew open at the sensation of Gabriel's touch, feeling a tingle travel all the way down his legs. That weird emotion – the same one that reminded him of being asked to bend over in a doctor's office – was back. It made him feel strangely squishy and uncomfortable; like a little boy seeing porn for the first time. Of course, he did want Gabriel to touch him; holy shit, he wanted it... but maybe it just wasn't the right time...
"Gabe," Sam pulled back to sigh, able to hear his own heartbeat in his voice.
"Yes, peach?" Gabriel replied, his golden eyes scanning the whole of Sam's face.
Sammy very carefully took a step back, being extremely delicate as he slid out of the archangel's grasp. His body was trembling on the inside, organs quaking. Why did he feel so lightheaded? Where was this weird discomfort coming from? All at once, he realized what it was.
"Uh, I need you to do something for me," Sam said, able to feel the heat on his cheeks, "Something important."
"Take my clothes off?" Gabe suggested casually.
"Wh – wha? Uh, n – no," Sam stuttered, caught off guard as more heat scorched his face, "No, I'm being serious."
"So was I," Gabriel smirked, "Want me to take off yours instea -?"
"Listen!" Sam interrupted, feeling the blood rushing toward his crotch at the passing notion of sex, "I don't want Dean to find out, okay? Don't let him know that we are...you know,...whatever it is that we are doing."
Sam met the trickster's bright amber eyes, seeing a touch of playfulness hidden in them. Sam desperately hoped that Gabe would take this seriously. He didn't even want to think about the look on Dean's face, if he found out that Sam was so close with the being who had personally killed him a million times...Gabriel swallowed and gave a firm nod.
"Okay," he finally said, "I won't tell the grumpy cat about our love affair, Sammy-boy. Mum's the word. But, you know what they say," the archangel stepped closer to trail his fingers over the buttons down Sam's shirt, smirking seductively, "When the cat is away..."
"Dean's not a cat," Sam said, gently smacking Gabe's hand away, "He's a freakin' pit bull. And if he finds out, he's gonna tear us apart."
Gabriel chuckled a little, apparently amused by Sam's exasperation. But Sam could see that look on his face; that tiny bit of hidden pain twinkling in his honey eyes. The archangel was doing his best to hide it, but it was still present. Sam allowed Gabriel's hand to rest high on his shoulder.
"Guess the date's over then, huh?" he asked, the pain clear in his angelic voice.
Sam gathered the bag of candy in his hand. He didn't want to part from the trickster either,...but it was probably for the best. Just for tonight, anyway. Just long enough to keep Dean from getting suspicious.
"For now," Sam smiled, taking a last look around the gigantic, candy-filled room, "Thanks for having me over."
"Anytime," Gabriel winked, tugging at Sam's shoulder.
Before any pain had time to swell in Sam's chest, he leaned down to capture Gabe's mouth one last time. This kiss was meaningful; harboring more feeling then it ever had before. Gabriel was the first to pull away this time.
"See you soon, Sammy-boy," he whispered.
Sam gulped.
"See you -"
Before Sam could finish his sentence, he was whooshed away. It was dark around him now; the bright white room gone from his surroundings. Sam blinked and looked around, finding that he was standing in a parking lot in the dark. The Impala was sitting beside him, her shiny body reflecting a nearby streetlight. A chill was creeping across Sam's skin. Why didn't Gabriel let him finish saying goodbye? Sam tried his best to shrug it off as he turned toward the long row of rooms. Maybe it would have been too painful for Gabe to hear.
He spotted Dean and Cas through the window of room twelve. Thankfully, they were both fully dressed for once; sitting and talking on one of the beds when he walked in. Sam tried his best to keep to himself as he dressed for bed; keeping his mind occupied with changing clothes and brushing his teeth. Gabriel's bag of candy sat beautifully on the nightstand, almost begging Sam to try something from it. A sudden realization made Sam cringe. What if Dean wanted some? What if Cas tried a bite, and instantly knew that it was Gabriel's?
"Hey, guys?" Sam called, picking up the bag.
Dean and Cas both looked toward him questioningly.
"Don't eat any of this, 'kay?" Sam asked.
He quickly and carefully tossed the candy into the bedside table, to keep it out of their view.
"Well, that's real nice of you share-bear, " Dean spat, shoving his pants into his duffel bag, "but fine. We'll leave it alone. As long as you make me a deal."
Sam eyed his brother. He just knew Dean was going to ask for something ridiculous; maybe wash the car or clip his toe nails for him. The list of humiliating chores seemed endless.
"What?" Sam asked.
Dean nodded at Cas before grinning sneakily.
"You let Cas sleep in bed with me, without bitching about it," he said, raising an eyebrow, "and I won't touch a single gummy bear."
Sam took the time to consider it; picturing Dean and Cas laying next to each other in the morning. It wasn't too bad, he guessed. As long as they still had clothes on, that is.
"Fine," he mumbled, pausing to point threateningly at Dean and Cas, "but if I hear so much as a whimper from over there -"
"Relax," Dean interrupted, waving a dismissing hand, "we're not gonna do that shit while you're here. That's just creepy, Sam. We're just gonna sleep."
"Angels don't sleep," Sam grumbled.
He finally slid under his own covers, pulling the blanket up to his chest. He caught that Dean was raising an eyebrow at him from across the room.
"How would you know?" Dean asked.
Though Dean sounded playful, instant paranoia flashed through Sam's whole body. Oh, shit! It suddenly felt like Sam had 'I'm in love with an archangel' stamped across his forehead.
"Uh, g – goodnight," Sam stuttered, quickly reaching up to click off his bed-side lamp.
The younger Winchester rolled over to face the opposite wall at once, feeling his heart pounding again. Dean couldn't have possibly known about Gabriel, right? He had a fairly large knowledge about angels, before being with Gabriel. Maybe his statement didn't sound as obvious as he thought. Sam kept listening to them talk, to make sure they weren't suspicious.
"Take your shoes off," Dean whispered.
"Why?" Cas whispered back.
"It's more comfortable in bed without them," Dean replied, "Besides, I think we keep the sheets dirty enough."
Oh, god. Did Dean really just say that?
"I heard that," Sam grumbled, making sure it was loud enough for them to hear.
The two of them were pretty quiet after that. It left Sam to stare blankly toward the opposite...and his thoughts were drawn back to Gabriel like a magnet. His tongue trailed across his own bottom lip as he recalled that oh-so-perfect taste of the archangel's kiss. How was it possible, for someone to taste so sweet? Was it some kind of charm? Whatever it was, Sam found it to be fitting; a candyman that tasted like candy...
Unfortunately, the younger Winchester caught the ending of one of Dean's hushed sentences. It sounded like, 'more than welcome to spank me.' An aggravated groan escaped Sam's throat. Ugh. Was he ever gonna get any peace and quiet tonight, free of vulgar comments from the peanut gallery?
"I heard that too," he grumbled, frustrated.
"Go to sleep, Sammy," Dean called back, sounding way too chipper for bedtime, "We have a big day tomorrow, dammit."
Sam rolled his eyes at his older brother's playful demand. Once the silence settled among the room again, the ache of loneliness seemed filled Sam up. Why did he leave Gabriel so soon? Why didn't he just stay a little longer? And kiss him a little deeper? And tell him how much he meant to him? Guilt was coursing through Sam, as he lay staring blankly at the darkened wall. He didn't even really get to say goodbye...
"Goodnight," Sam uttered under his breath.
Though no one was around to hear it, saying it out loud made Sam feel a tiny bit better. About three ticks of a clock went by, before that sound interrupted the silence – the noise that sounded like bubble-gum being popped. Sam's heart leaped at the sound. He instantly shifted in the bed to sling a long arm over the side. He dug around in his pants for a moment before finding his phone. There was a text message waiting for him, when he opened the screen. It was from The Candyman.
Goodnight, Sammy-boy
(Author's Note: Gabriel is such a sweet angel, isn't he? Making people feel better when no one's looking. :) It might not be exactly canon, but oh well. And, yes, I totally referenced one of my own stories in this chapter. Am I ashamed? Nope! :) Praise be to you, if you caught it, dear reader! I know some of you have waited patiently for this sequel, so I'm glad to finally get it to you! I hope you've enjoyed the beginning, and you can sleep well knowing that there will be hot, passionate smut in later chapters! Hope you stick around for it! :) Thank you so much for reading!
In case you didn't know, this story is the sequel to The Candy Quest and the companion story to my Destiel fic, Fantasies. And because I am apparently masochistic, I'm attempting to write both stories – at the same time. *Que dramatic music of surprise* Needless to say, it's going to be a difficult feat to accomplish, but with your encouraging reviews and loving support, I think I can do it. :) I will be publishing two chapters, one for each story, simultaneously. So, the chapters may come out slower, but you get two at a time! Woo hoo! :) Thank you guys soooo much for reading my stories! The next chapters will be out soon!)