Gabriel gets the first hint, when Asia is blazing out of the radio and Sam flinches.
It's in a diner during breakfast and when the elderly woman behind the counter turns the volume up Sam flinches a second time. Fear, panic and turmoil are radiating of Sam and just a slight peek at his thoughts are actually causing Gabriel to flinch in return. He's glad Sam isn't looking at him right now, who's busy with letting Dean not out of his side, otherwise he would seen him making a very winchesterly guilt face.
He says nothing, just watches Sam when they leave the diner and getting on with the current hunt. It's nothing big, just a witch using her powers in order to recruit people to follow the old way. As trickster he thinks it's funny since the witch powers are causing hilarious things like 3 feet tall apples coming out of the ground, but Gabriel has learnt it's these small hunts are the ones to watch out for.
During the big ones the Winchesters are normally on guard and after an apocalypse you can bet they're able to take out pretty much everything dangerous, but during the small hunts the past comes back to bite you in the ass.
Here it's coincidental, but apparently 'Mystery Spot' is hanging all over Sam's head. All the feelings seem to come back when Sam isn't trying to suppress them and Gabriel watches how difficult it gets for Sam the next days to forget the horrible time.
He himself keeps his distance.
For once Gabriel doesn't know what to do and how to approach Sam with the subject.
It's not even the fact Sam blaming him, he probably doesn't blame Gabriel at all, just seeks to fault with himself like he did and does with the rising of Lucifer.
No, it's him not knowing how to make amends.
If giving Sam a month on Hawaii, would help the course Gabriel would. Same as with time travels to the past (Sam loves them, studying all the things close up, experiencing it first hand was just his kind of thing and Gabriel provided because Sam go so few gifts in his life), but somehow Gabriel know it would be just distracting Sam, not actually solving the issue. Besides he would know it. He would remember constantly how he tortured Sam because of his own fear and it would stand between them, even if Sam himself would be unaware.
Gabriel doesn't feel great. Not at all.
Sam is sitting in front of his laptop, researching a creature called Diwata, an elemental spirit, who lost it's wits thanks to the chaos of the apocalypse and is now cursing everyone who causes disturbances in her forest. Yet the prospect of being cursed by a divine elemental godlike being isn't Sam's biggest problem right now.
It's Gabriel, who hasn't done more the last few weeks but sitting across the room watching, following, fucking studying Sam. The sight of the archangel crouching somewhere, nibbling at his candy, leaving piles of waste and wearing an unreadable face is something Sam has been forced to come accustomed to. Gabriel is avoiding him, even at night he just sits next to Sam and strokes his hair soothingly while he sleeps, but they haven't really talked. Or done something else which would induce they are more then friends.
Or at least Sam thought it was that way, but obviously there's something bugging Gabriel and it's serious otherwise he would complain. Loudly and repeatedly, because it's how the way Gabriel deals when he's angry and Sam liked being a person Gabriel would confine into, even if it's just ranting.
It's stupid probably, but Sam misses Gabriel and the archangel is just sitting on Sam's bed a few feet away.
"So what's bugging you?", Sam finally asks, gathering his courage while breaking the silence.
"Hm?"
Gabriel continues to munch his candy bar, it's the six in a row of some serious teeth destroying stuff and Sam's wonders if Gabriel feels the taste at all or is just doing it out of habit. He seems distracted enough.
"You're doing this since weeks, this silence brooding while you're just watching me. Not even your brother was this bad."
Sam uses 'your brother' on purpose. Gabriel doesn't like the stuff that comes with the word Lucifer and it's not even his angelic name anyway, so Sam tries to respect Gabriel and goes along with it.
"No one is that bad" Gabriel snaps, but finally Sam has his attention.
"Perhaps" Sam admits "but you're coming close. This silent brooding you is worrisome."
Gabriel makes a face and Sam expects Gabriel just to vanish with a snap, being finally done with Sam, but the opposite happens. Instead of leaving, he wills Sam with a thought to the bed and in Gabriel's lap. Sam readjusts his legs, but doesn't ask. The angel is sitting on something, like a reculant bird who refuses to leave it's egg (but the thought of Gabriel puffing his feathers is cute, Sam thinks absently).
