Holding you we make two spoons

by softgrungefic

Sam and Gabriel were high school sweethearts. Now they live together in their very own house with their very own massive dog and five-year old daughter. Pure, unadulterated schmoop.

Holding you we make two spoons

Beta'd by winchesterghosties/snowbriel/Bri of the inconstant url

Art by ziarenete13x (will only be viewable on AO3)

*Past Abuse tag: There are mentions of younger Lucifer not being a particularly good brother. Nothing too explicitly violent, but there is a scene in a flashback where he hits Gabriel.

Beta'd by winchesterghosties/snowbriel/Bri of the inconstant url

Art by ziarenete13x

...

thank you for making me
see there's a life in me
it was dying to get out
holding you we make two spoons
beneath an April moon
everything is soft and sweet

"Sweet Avenue," Jets to Brazil

"Well ain't your little girl just the cutest thing!?" One of Gabriel's co-workers from the used book store flattened a hand to her cheek with a big grin. Marianne hid her face in her little hands, with one dyed blue pigtail sticking up at odds with the other (yellow) one. Gabriel laughed.

"Annie, are you being shy?!" He slapped a hand to his heart, all surprise and bravado. "I never woulda thought my little button would be shy! I swear Tilda won't bite!" He winked. "And if she does I'll show her what for!"

Sam patted their daughter's knee and shot Gabe a look—raised eyebrow and repressed smile. The expression that said, "Now look here! Don't say that!" Gabriel leaned on the car and kissed his cheek as if to say, "Oh hush." In the back seat, Itty-bitty raised her head with a snuffle to eye them. Gabriel waved at her, and one of her floppy, spotty ears twitched. She raised a paw in something similar to a wave back. He laughed, then stepped back a bit from the car.

"Thanks for the ride, Porkchop!" Gabriel waggled his fingers at Sam. Sam rolled his eyes, but he smiled, and gave Gabriel a salute before checking behind the car and pulling out of the parking spot. Gabriel and Tilda watched the red Charger drive away with matching smiles, though Gabe's was admittedly bigger and goofier and much fonder. Tilda swatted his arm and gave him a pointed look.

"He sure is handsome!" She straightened her shirt. "How on earth'd you land a catch like that?!"

Gabriel feigned offense, eyes wide, then laughed. "We went to high school together." He hooked his arm through hers and they strolled toward the front door of the bookstore.

"High school sweethearts?!" Tilda put her free hand over her mouth. "Now that is just precious!"

Gabriel snorted. "I guess so!"

...

Sam stood in front of his locker with pursed lips and the beginnings of a headache. Around his feet pooled countless Hershey's kisses in all colors of foil. They'd all fallen out of his locker the second he swung the door open. He reached down to retrieve the leaf of crumpled notebook paper peeking out of the chocolate, and flattened it in his hands, opening it up completely to read the message.

Hey there, King Kong! I realized today that you are a cutiepie. I have no idea how I never noticed before! So I got you a buncha chocolate and if you can find me maybe I'll give you some more!

Hint: Look in the place where the rich kids smoke.

Love, your secret admirer.

Sam sighed, and rolled his eyes. "Seriously? What is this, a romcom?" He bit his lip. Could be worth looking into, and school had ended for the day... For the week, in fact. He stuck the note into his pocket and began scooping the chocolates into his backpack. What wouldn't fit—which was something like half the pile—he made into a mound and scooted toward the corner so that no one would step on them. Maybe someone would take some. He hiked his backpack up—much heavier now—and made his way toward the back of the school where the wealthier kids liked to hide on the tennis court and smoke.

Out there, he bee-lined toward the few students still lingering. They took notice of him immediately, and one stepped away from the others. He was tall and lanky with a patchy, ridiculous attempt at facial hair, and Sam only knew he was from England or France or something. Maybe both. He was a senior named Balthazar. A friend of Gabriel's.

Sam tried not to blush, gripped the straps of his bag, and said, "Uh... I got a note. It said to come here." He tried for his most charming grin, the one that made his teeth flash white and dazzling, and flicked his bangs out of his eyes. He shrugged.

Balthazar laughed, smooth and charming, and pulled a carefully folded piece of pink paper from his back pocket. He held it out to Sam with a puff of smoke and a, "Here you are, darling. Ta." He turned away and rejoined his friends. Someone whistled at Sam, so Sam flushed redder and walked away as fast as he could without looking like a frightened child.

He opened the paper, blinking at its bright shade of fuchsia. Big blocky black letters stared out at him and said only:

I was too lazy to set up an actual scavenger hunt. Go to the ice cream parlor. 3

Sam snorted. He pocketed that note as well, and began to make his way to the old-fashioned soda fountain and ice cream parlor a few blocks away. At that point, he had some idea of who his secret admirer might be. He sincerely hoped he was right. He'd been harboring some pretty strong feelings for his next-door neighbor and childhood friend Gabriel Novak for quite some time, so the idea that Gabe might feel the same made him feel a little... fluttery. (Even if Gabriel was already eighteen and Sam was only sixteen.)

...

Gabriel kissed Itty-bitty's wet nose and messed up her ears so one stuck up briefly before flopping back down. She licked his chin—a very big dog, she was. A white and black spotted Great Dane tall enough to stick her nose under Gabriel's chin with little effort. He laughed, and patted her head. "You're such a good girl, yes you are!" He wrapped his arms around her neck and she woofed.

The front door banged open, accompanied by a shout of, "Papa! Daddy got me ice cream!"

Marianne bounded into the room, pigtails bouncing, with a popsicle shaped (sort of) like SpongeBob clenched in one tiny fist. Behind her, Sam crumpled up the wrapper and tossed it at Gabriel. Gabe caught it with a laugh.

"Did he, now? What a nice daddy!" He leaned down to plant a big kiss on her cheek, then straightened up to drag Sam down into a tight hug. He kissed Sam's cheek too, before patting his ass appreciatively—earning a slap to the wrist and a grin—and sauntered to the kitchen to throw away the ice cream wrapper. He could hear Sam's muffled protest as, unsurprisingly, Itty-bitty jumped up on her hind legs to cover his face in dog slobber. Marianne laughed and cheered her on. Gabe sidled back into the living room, a shameless grin plastered across his face, and crossed his arms as he leaned on the doorframe.

Sam coaxed the dog down, and pointed a finger at her with a stern expression. "Itty." His voice was reproachful and not too loud, but just loud enough. "Stay down." Itty-bitty whined, and pawed at her nose before laying down with her face settled between her legs. She looked up at Sam with big brown eyes. He smiled. "Good girl."

She woofed.

Marianne, with her popsicle shoved in her mouth, leapt onto Itty-bitty with a shout. The dog huffed but allowed the little girl to climb all over her.

Sam stepped around them. He shouldered his way out of his suit jacket and draped it across the back of an armchair before making his way over to Gabriel. Gabe wrapped an arm around Sam's waist, and Sam encircled Gabriel's shoulders with his own arm, and they leaned on each other. Gabe tilted his face up for a kiss. Sam laughed, and obliged.

"Welcome home, daddy." Gabriel winked.

Sam rolled his eyes.

...

Sam pushed the door to the parlor open, tentative. The bell jingled. "Heat of the Moment" mumbled over the speakers, crackly. The girl at the counter—with short pink hair and cat-eye glasses—smiled at him, and nodded her head toward the only occupied table, at the other side of the room. Sam walked to the table, and tapped the shoulder of the person sitting at it.

Gabriel Novak looked up at him with a broad smile and chocolate smeared on the tip of his nose.

Sam grinned. "Gabriel." Just as he'd hoped.

Gabe winked. "That's my name, kiddo! Don't wear it out." He held out his arm with a tilt of his head. "Have a seat."

Sam sat in the chair across from him, setting his backpack on the ground. He folded his hands in his lap and looked down at them. Then he looked back up at Gabe. "So... Is this a prank, or something?" He licked his lips. He knew Gabriel very well. Knew him as the resident trickster of the senior class, and as the older boy who constantly teased Sam, and wore bruises like badges. Knew he liked practical jokes and candy.

Gabriel laughed. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers, and the girl at the counter immediately began making something (Gabe was quite the regular at the shop.) He licked his lips and said, "Sam. I really do like you." He let his eyes sweep over Sam once, twice, and smirked with one raised eyebrow. "You're cute. And single."

Sam blushed, and reached up to push his bangs out of his eyes. "Uh... thanks?"

"You wanna go out sometime? Like, on a date?" Gabriel laced his fingers together. His grin remained cocky and his posture confident, but something in his eyes—such a strange caramel color that had always slightly unnerved Sam—seemed... nervous. But that couldn't be. Sam couldn't make someone like Gabriel nervous! Could he? Gabriel had never been nervous in his life, so far as Sam could tell.

Sam chewed on his thumbnail absently. The girl set down a chocolate milkshake in front of him, and returned to her post behind the counter. Sam met Gabe's eyes. He bit his lip.

"...Okay."

Gabriel beamed, and Sam couldn't help but smile back.

...

"But Daaaaaaaaaddy!" Marianne pouted her biggest pout and wiggled her toes. "Don't you want pretty toenails like me?!" She batted her blonde eyelashes up at him.

Gabriel grinned, securing her multicolored braid. He raised his eyebrows at Sam. "She's got a point—they are pretty." He rested his chin on his daughter's head and wrapped his arms around her. She giggled and patted at his arm.

Sam sighed. "Only the toes." He pursed his lips. "And if you get nail polish on the carpet, you're both grounded." He crossed his arms.

Gabriel and Marianne crowed with delight, and tugged Sam's shoes off. They stripped his plaid socks away. He raised his eyes to the ceiling, and scooted back to rest against Itty-bitty—who snuffled at him before deciding she'd let it slide— and stretched out his long legs. Gabriel rolled up the bottoms of Sam's slacks, then settled beside their daughter to prepare an attack on Sam's toenails.

"What color do you think daddy would look best in, eh?" Gabriel elbowed Marianne conspiratorially. She pressed a finger to her mouth with a hum. Then snapped—just like her Papa.

"Yellow!"

Sam groaned.

Gabriel laughed. "Yellow and red?" He smirked.

"Darn it, Gabe!" Sam lifted his foot and prodded Gabriel in the stomach. Gabriel laughed, wicked and pleased. Sam hated yellow combined with red. Said it made him think of limp French fries and watery ketchup. Gabriel delighted in teasing him about it.

Marianne bounced on her knees and said, "Yes!" Gabriel dug around in their little box of nail polish until he found the glitteriest red they owned and a revolting shade of glow-in-the-dark neon yellow. They decided to alternate colors and do little polka dots on each nail. Sam lay back and tolerated them poking at his feet. The dog whined underneath him and he reached up to scratch her ears.

"I know, Itty. They're pure evil." He made a kissy noise at her and she licked his face. "Smells bad, huh?" She eyed him dolefully.

Gabriel laughed.

...

"You got a job at Sonic?" Sam looked downat his Algebra 2 homework with a smile. "I am so not surprised." He set his pencil down to mark his place in the textbook, and sat up, switching the phone to his other ear. He threw himself down on his back and stretched his legs out. Gabriel's laugh filtered out through the speaker all muffled and static-y. "Though I half-expected you to call saying you got drunk and needed me to pick you up."

"Oh, Sammich, you wound me!"

Sam grinned. "I better get free ice cream." He crossed his ankles.

"Not on your life, you freeloader."

Sam snorted. "You're the one who spends days at a time at my house, eating all of our food and flirting with my mom!" He rolled onto his side and pulled his knees up. "Speaking of which... Are you coming over tonight?" He wrapped the phone cord around and around his finger, teeth pressed lightly into his bottom lip. There was a short pause.

"Yup! Mike just wants me and Cassie to do the dishes first. And Anna has to get back from her acting practice or whatever. As long as Luke doesn't throw a hissy fit, we'll be over."

A soft smile overtook Sam's expression even as his stomach twisted at the mention of Lucifer—Gabriel's older brother by a year. "Good." He closed his eyes. "I need help with my Spanish homework."

Gabriel scoffed. "What did I say?! Freeloader!"

Sam stuck his tongue out, even though Gabriel couldn't see. "I'll give you chocolate kisses."

"Sold."

Sam laughed. "Cheap whore."

"What?! You're terrible, you dog!"

Sam chuckled. "You love me."

"Maybe."

"Bye bye. I'll see you soon."

"See yasoon, biscuit."

Sam snorted and pushed the end call button. He tapped the phone against his mouth, then hauled himself out of bed and dropped it onto his desk. He shoved his window open and leaned his elbows on the sill, closing his eyes against the soft breeze. He almost drifted off, until he heard a door slam. His eyes snapped open.

He leaned out of his window to see if he could glimpse into the Novaks' living room from there. He could. He saw Lucifer waving around a bottle of definitely illegally acquired and probably cheap beer. Saw Michael frown, stern, and heard shouting mostly from Luke.

Anna, thirteen years old and having gotten home from choir rehearsals five minutes before, slunk into the kitchen, where Castiel and Gabriel presumably also hid.

The rain pattered on the glass.

Sam chewed on his thumbnail. Michael's voice raised, and Lucifer threw his bottle. Sam flinched. Luke lurched forward to grab Michael and they grappled with each other until Gabriel rushed out of the kitchen and tried to pry them apart. He got one hand wrapped around Lucifer's wrist, but Lucifer twisted away and struck him across the face with a white-knuckled fist. Gabriel stumbled back. He shouted something incoherent and stormed back into the kitchen. Lucifer almost went after him, but Michael grabbed his arms and pinned him to the wall.

As Sam expected, Gabriel came around the back of the Novak house with his younger siblings clutching at his hands. They'd snuck out the kitchen window. (Not for the first time, and likely not for the last.) Sam closed his curtains and sat on his bed and waited.

Downstairs he heard the door open, and the deep voice of his father trading words with Gabriel. The change of a television channel from baseball to The Princess Bride—everyone's favorite movie and enjoyable for both Anna and Castiel, who was Sam's age.

Sure enough,the stairs creaked with quiet footsteps, and Sam's bedroom door opened. Gabriel slipped in and shut the door behind him, face downturned and eyelashes damp. He stood leaning against it for a moment, his hands clenched at his sides, before he shucked his sweatshirt and wet socks and clambered onto Sam's bed. Sam pulled him close and held him tight. He traced his thumb gently underneath Gabe's steadily darkening eye—it looked like it would be swollen pretty bad by the morning. He rubbed Gabriel's back.

Gabe took a deep shuddering breath and wilted under Sam's fingers, melting into his warm embrace.

"Sorry." He grabbed a handful of Sam's t-shirt. "Sorry."

Sam loosened Gabe's fingers from the fabric and spread them out so he could lace them with his own slenderer, longer fingers. He kissed Gabriel's knuckles. "You didn't do anything to apologize for."

"But we were supposed to pretend to study and grope each other tonight." Gabriel licked his lips, rubbing at his eyes with his free hand. "And instead I'm getting snot on you." He let out a half-hearted snort.

Sam smiled. "I don't mind when you get snot on me." He reached out toward his desk and grabbed a box of tissues, and shoved them into Gabriel's hands. His cheeks dimpled, and he pushed a strand of hair out of Gabe's eyes. "We can always grope later tonight." He raised his eyebrows.

Gabriel chuckled wetly and wiped at his face with a tissue. "Can 'later' be right now?" He wiggled his eyebrows, sniffling. "Or, you know, once I wash my face?"

Sam laughed, quiet, and pressed a kiss to Gabriel's forehead. "Definitely."

Gabriel smiled. He was in and out of the bathroom in about five minutes, pushing wet strings of hair out of his face and sinking to his knees on Sam's bed. He slipped his fingers under the edge of Sam's shirt and trailed them up his sides and ribs, tickling a little and leaning close so their lips brushed.

Sam cupped one hand against the back of Gabe's skull, tangling his fingers in the soft feathery hair at the base of his neck. His other hand slid around Gabriel's waist and tugged him closer until Sam could turn them over so Gabriel lay on his back underneath Sam. Gabriel mumbled incoherently into Sam's mouth. Sam laughed and pulled away just enough for Gabe to speak clearly. He made a questioning face.

Gabriel smirked. "I said, 'have you been working out?'" His eyes twinkled in the dim lighting of Sam's bedroom, one highlighted by a swathe of purple-red bruising.

Sam snorted. "Go on a run every morning." He ducked his head to fasten his teeth gently on Gabriel's throat. Gabriel hummed and ran his hands back through Sam's shaggy hair, shoving his bangs out of his face. He pulled, so Sam looked back up, and pushed his mouth against Sam's. Sam huffed out an amused breath and let Gabriel slip him a little tongue.

...

Gabriel grumbled and rolled away, pulling the covers over his face. "Too earlyyyyy..." He swatted at Sam's arm. Sam rolled his eyes and dragged the sheets away from him. He stuck his hands—cold from washing the dog—up Gabriel's shirt, and Gabriel flailed away from him with a yelp. "Dammit, Sam!" He rolled out of bed, and nearly fell over. He righted himself with a huff, smoothed his hair down, and straightened his tank top. He shot Sam a glare. Sam grinned.

"What?" Sam held his hands up innocently. "I just figured, you know..." He shrugged. "I dropped Marianne off at kindergarten thirty minutes ago. Which means it's past noon. Which means it's too late to sleep." He crossed his arms.

Gabriel scowled. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Tyrant." He rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms over his head. Sam watched him. Gabriel tilted his head, and met his eyes. "Stop objectifying me." He cracked a smirk. "Or at least, let's be equal opportunity here." He planted his hands on his hips. "It's your day off from work. Strip."

Sam grinned, teeth flashing, and tugged his t-shirt up over his head, dropping it on the carpet. He spread his arms. "Happy?" One eyebrow lifted smoothly in imitation of Gabe. Gabriel pretended to think, with one finger tapping his jaw. He smiled wide and pleased.

"C'mere." He walked around the foot of the bed and grabbed Sam's shoulders, pulling himself up to stand on his tiptoes and plant a firm kiss on Sam's lips. Sam immediately moved to lift Gabriel in his arms, so the shorter man could drape his arms around his shoulders and wrap his legs around Sam's waist. Gabriel adjusted his angle and deepened their kiss, swiping his tongue across Sam's bottom lip. Sam stepped toward the bed, and sat with a huff of breath. He tangled his fingers in Gabriel's hair and pulled away enough to smile at him and say,

"You are so predictable."

Gabriel laughed quietly. "Screw you. You're lucky I don't have bad morning breath." He pressed their mouths together again. Sam hummed in agreement. Gabriel pulled one hand back, and slid it down Sam's free arm, to his wrist, over his knuckles, lacing their fingers together, palms touching. Sam squeezed his hand. He nipped at the edge of Gabriel's mouth. Gabriel smiled and turned his head briefly, pressing his nose against Sam's neck with a deep breath. Sam kissed his temple.

Gabriel sighed against his skin and trailed small kisses up Sam's throat and across his jaw and his cheek, back to his lips. "You have such a pretty mouth, kiddo." He bit down softly on Sam's lower lip. Sam slipped his hands down Gabriel's sides and up the back of his wifebeater, splaying cold fingers across Gabe's warm skin. Gabriel shuddered with a soft gasp.

Sam smiled. He whispered, "You're an idiot." He hoisted Gabriel around, and pushed him down against the pillows, crawling over him to settle with his hands planted on either side of Gabriel's head. He lowered himself down with a shower of kisses and ran his hands along Gabriel's arms, so he could pull them up over his head. Pinned Gabriel's wrists to the pillows with one hand. Gabriel smirked.

"Thought I was s'posed to get out of bed, not back in."

Sam snarled at him, with a smile.

Gabriel bit back a whine. He liked when Sam did silly things like growl. He flexed his fingers and craned his neck, stretching for a kiss. "Cutie."

Sam grumbled and kissed him back roughly.

...

Sam and Gabriel sat on the couch together, with the living room lights off and the TV flickering brightly at them as Luke Skywalker ran across the screen. Gabriel wormed his hand into Sam's much larger one (puberty was really doing a number on the kid), and leaned his head against his shoulder. Sam buried his nose in Gabriel's hair with a smile—he smelled like chocolate, and nectarines, and rain. He closed his eyes. Gabriel shifted, and pushed at Sam, until Sam got with the program and lay down on the couch. Gabriel climbed on top of him, and rested his cheek on Sam's chest. Sam, now a senior in high school, was already much taller than Gabriel, and at least Dean's height if not more. Beginning to be the perfect size to hold Gabriel.

They fell asleep like that.

Woke up when Dean called Sam's name and flicked the lights on. Gabriel grumbled and allowed himself to be shoved to the edge of the couch as Sam sat up and stretched, yawning.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Mom wants to know how much longer Gabe's stayin' over." He scratched his head. "Cas and Anna are staying the night, too, since Michael's out of town." He smirked. "So, unless you're too busy groping to eat, it'll be done in like five minutes."

"Dean!" Sam's lips pursed and he rolled his eyes. "We weren't groping! And he's staying like one more day." He huffed.

"That's what you said three days ago, " Dean snorted. "He might as well live here at this point."

"Shut up, Dean!" Sam glared at Dean, and Gabriel labeled it as The Deadly Bitchface in his head. Dean just scoffed.

Gabriel laughed and threw himself back into Sam's arms. "You're adorable when you're angry." He rustled Sam's hair and leaned against him with a grin. Dean made gagging noises and returned to the kitchen to help their mother and Castiel with dinner. Sam gave Gabriel a light slap on the wrist.

"You're ridiculous."

Gabriel laughed loudly. Then winced. He grimaced and squirmed around a little bit beside Sam, until Sam caught loosely at his hand with a concerned expression. He met Gabriel's eyes, and tugged at the edge of his shirt, questioning. "Gabriel..." He bit his nail absentmindedly, as he always did when he was worried or nervous. "Are you hurt?"

"..." Gabriel sighed, with a roll of his eyes. "Yeah. Bruises on my ribs."

Sam raised his eyebrows. His face scrunched up in concern. "When?"

"I tripped on your stairs this morning." Gabriel scratched the back of his neck. Shot Sam an embarrassed grin.

"Again?" Sam's eyebrows crinkled, lifting a little. But his eyes cleared. Less worried. Mostly amused.

Gabe pulled a sour face. "Yeah."

Sam's frown deepened, and he kissed Gabriel's cheek. "You gotta be more careful." Kissed the corner of his mouth. "Okay?" He kissed Gabriel on the lips.

Gabe chuckled and nodded, reaching up to push Sam's shaggy bangs back from his forehead. "Okay. But it's not my fault your house is trying to kill me. Why's the staircase so narrow, anyway?"

"Don't ask me. I didn't build it."

Gabriel snorted. "That's a relief. I was almost afraid I was dating a secret old man."

Sam shoved at him with a scowl. "Jerkwad." He pressed his forehead against Gabriel's. "You definitely fell down the stairs, though? You're not just lying to make me feel better?"

"Hey." Gabriel met Sam's eyes with a serious expression. "I've been at your house for the past week, and Luke hasn't even been home since Mike kicked him out." He framed Sam's face in his hands. "Trust me, okay. It's just your clumsiness rubbing off on me." He winked.

Sam rolled his eyes but smiled and let Gabriel pull him into a deep kiss. A very deep kiss. Just as Dean walked in again.

"Oh for the love of—Stop making out and come get dinner!"

Gabriel giggled into Sam's neck, as Dean stomped off. He stroked Sam's hair for a few moments before leaning back with a broad smile. "Let's go eat, Sammy boy."

"Okay." Sam grinned.

...

Gabriel tugged his sneakers off and tossed them into the back of the car beside Marianne's booster seat. She giggled at him, and he winked at her. Sam swatted his shoulder, but he was smiling, so Gabriel counted it as a win—no scolding for tossing his shoes about this time. (Though he'd never say that out loud because then Sam would just complain that "Being in a relationship is not a contest, Gabriel!")

"So!" Gabriel reached his left hand out to twine it with Sam's fingers on the gearshift. "It's your birthday tomorrow. We goin' out, or stayin' in?" He raised one eyebrow.

Sam rolled his eyes. "You know exactly what we're doing."

Gabriel cracked a broader grin. He tapped a finger against one of Sam's knuckles and nodded, looking down at their joined hands. "I knoooow, I know." He drew his hand away, and crossed his ankles. He looked out at the houses going by as they drove down the street. His smile softened. "Love you."

Sam raised his eyebrows, glancing over at Gabe. "Where'd that come from, all of a sudden?" He smiled. Gabriel snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I have to have a reason to say I love you?!" He crossed his arms, with an exaggerated pout, and huffed. "I knew it—you hate me!"

Sam laughed. "What? No, you don't need a reason!" He reached up to flick Gabriel's ear. "You just usually don't profess your undying love to me on the drive home!" He smiled widely at Gabriel, and Gabriel stared at his dimples for at least five seconds before rolling his eyes again and grabbing Sam's wrist to kiss his palm.

"Ah, shut up."

Sam chuckled. "Now that's the Gabe I know." He patted Gabriel on the cheek, and Gabe turned pink, but turned his head quick to kiss Sam's palm again.

In the back seat Marianne and Itty-bitty met each other's eyes in a mutual understanding that parents were just gross and kissy at all times and there was nothing to be done for it but ignore them.

...

Sam dragged Gabriel out of the car with a grunt and stooped to pull the man's arm around his shoulders, keeping him upright. He grimaced. "Next time you go out drinking, don't get so wasted you can't stand." He kicked the car door shut with a bang. (And damn, if dad saw that he'd throw a fit.)

Gabriel giggled, swaying on his feet, and poked Sam's chest. "Oh, Sammy." He grinned up at Sam. "Twenty-one, Sammy! Gotta get smashed!" He nearly tripped, and Sam almost went down as well. Sam rolled his eyes, and gave up on trying to stoop to Gabe's height. He leaned down and scooped Gabriel into his arms bridal-style and stomped his way to the front door. Better to take Gabriel to the Winchester house where everyone stayed up 'til at least one than to wake up the entire Novak household and risk a disappointed scolding from Michael ("You're going to end up just like Lucifer at this point. Is that what you want to happen?" et cetera). He kicked the front door a few times.

After a few seconds, Mary opened the door. She took in the sight before her and burst out laughing. "Oh dear!" She folded the washcloth in her hands and said, "Looks like someone got hammered for their twenty-first birthday!" She stepped aside so Sam could carry Gabriel into the house, and closed the door behind them. Sam made his way upstairs, toward the bedrooms. Mary trailed behind him. She opened his bedroom door for him. "Will you boys be needing anything? Ice, or water?" She crossed her arms. "Maybe some aspirin for the morning?"

Sam tossed Gabriel unceremoniously onto his own large bed, and turned to smile at his mother. "Maybe a glass of water and some ibuprofen?" He pulled an apologetic expression.

Mary just smiled and nodded. "Alright then." She patted Sam's arm and left the room.

On the bed, Gabriel lay sprawled on his back with one arm raised so he could watch the light from the ceiling lamp stream between his fingers. His grin was goofy and wide and loose, and his body relaxed against the sheets even more than usual. Completely vulnerable. What an idiot. Sam settled in his desk chair, resting his arms on the back of it, and watched Gabriel.

When Mary came back with water and pills he thanked her and set them aside. She shook her head and kissed Sam on the cheek, before moving to the bed to lean down and plant a kiss on Gabe's forehead. He fluttered his eyelashes at her and kissed her cheek. She laughed. She went back downstairs to watch pro wrestling with Dean (John was probably in the garage.)

Sam watched Gabriel giggle to himself and mostly ignored the words streaming from his mouth in order to focus on the vague sound of his voice and the way his dimples formed when he smiled and the way his eyes flashed a little bit green in the lighting of Sam's bedroom. He did catch something about Lucifer having gotten arrested the other day and how sad Michael was, but how relieved the air in the house was at the same time. Everything else was meaningless banter. Gabriel tended to blabber when he'd had too much to drink.

Eventually Gabriel noticed him staring, and rolled onto his side to stare right back with a dopey grin. "Heya, kiddo."

Sam smiled at him. "Hey."

"You're such a cutiepie." Gabriel held his arm out, and Sam leaned forward to take his hand. "Cutest sasquatch in the state of Kansas." He stuck his tongue out at Sam. Sam rolled his eyes. "Cuuuuutie patootie."

Sam huffed out a quiet laugh. "Shush, you." He stood up and got into the bed beside Gabriel, bundling him into his arms so he wouldn't accidentally roll onto the floor. Gabriel burrowed into his embrace with a happy noise from his throat. He grabbed a handful of Sam's shirt. Sam sighed, but kissed his forehead. "Dumbass."

Gabriel waggled his eyebrows, ridiculous and flirtatious. "Duh!" He gave Sam a sloppy kiss to the side of his mouth. Sam kissed him back with another roll of his eyes. One kiss turned into many, many kisses blurring together, lips locked, hands wandering. Sam got one hand down the back of Gabriel's jeans before he remembered that Gabriel was still drunk. He frowned and pulled away, propping himself up above Gabe and looking down at his flushed face. Gabriel whined and tried to coax him into more kisses.

Sam shook his head. "You're way too drunk." He compromised with a kiss to the cheek, and rolled onto his side, wrapping his arms around Gabriel's waist. "It's late. Get some rest."

They fell asleep just like that, still clothed, but Sam at least woke up in the middle of the night and managed to get them both into pajamas. His flannel shirt hung past Gabriel's fingertips and down to his mid-thighs. It was adorable. Gabriel fell back to sleep immediately, still a little intoxicated, and Sam climbed under the covers beside him.

In the morning, they found immediate use for the ibuprofen as the sunlight peeked in through Sam's un-curtained bedroom window. Gabriel grimaced, downing the pills, and lay back down. He pulled Sam's pillow over his face with a groan.

"At least you're not throwing up."

Gabe let out a bark of laughter. "Thank God for small mercies." His grip on the pillow tightened.

Sam rubbed his hand in small circles across Gabriel's back, under the borrowed shirt. Gabriel squirmed under his touch with a content sound. He relaxed under Sam's attention, and Sam realized after about ten minutes that he'd put Gabriel back to sleep. He chuckled (it was not a giggle!) quietly to himself, and stood. He felt like a shower.

Gabriel snored softly.

Sam left his bathroom door open just in case.

...

Gabriel hummed bits of a love song he'd heard on the radio as he dipped slices of sourdough bread into egg mix. He tapped his foot on the linoleum. The pan spat when he flicked a droplet of water into it, so he dropped a doused slice of bread in and listened to it sizzle. He looked out the window above the sink—a crow stood in the backyard perched on the edge of the sandbox. Its feathers glistened in the late morning sunlight, and its beady eyes glinted. He smiled, and turned back to the French toast as it began to send its smell through the room. He estimated less than five minutes until Annie came shouting down the hallway.

Sam drifted his sleepy way into the kitchen, having slept later than Gabriel for once in his life, hair mussed and pajama pants hanging low on his hips. He smiled and wrapped his arms around Gabriel. Gabriel grinned up at him, and flipped the toast before it began to burn.

And there it was:

"BRUUUUUUUUUUNCH!"

Marianne exploded into the kitchen with wide eyes and hair sticking up in five different directions, colored canary yellow on the right and electric blue on the left. Her nightshirt had somehow gotten tucked into her shorts, as well, but only in the front. Gabriel burst out laughing.

"Morning, Sunshine!" He tossed the first slice of French toast onto the waiting plate. Noting Marianne's obvious impatience, Sam pushed his hair out of his eyes and set to work cutting the slice up into manageable pieces, and delivered it to the table. Marianne jumped up into the seat.

"Peanut butter!" She slapped the tabletop with a serious expression.

Sam grinned, and found the peanut butter so he could slather it over the hot tops of the bread. He sat in the chair beside her.

Pretty soon, Sam had a plate full of French toast as well, with just a bit of butter and maple syrup and fresh sliced strawberries.

Gabriel sat down with his food drenched in syrup and whipped cream and twice as many berries as Sam's. Sam pulled a face. "You're gonna have a heart attack one of these days." He took a bite. Gabriel kicked him underneath the table, hiding a grin behind what looked like a forkful of nothing but whipped cream. Sam rolled his eyes. Marianne blazed through her breakfast at the speed of light, and sat swinging her legs, watching her parents eat.

The dog wandered in and settled herself between Sam's ankles with a whine. He scratched at her shoulder with his toes and took a few more bites before dragging himself out of the chair to dump some food into her bowl. She dawdled over with a pleased huff and engrossed herself in devouring every tiny speck of kibble she could find.

Sam laughed and sat back down to finish his own food.

Gabriel had already cleaned his plate.

"You two are ridiculous."

Gabriel scoffed. "You're just slow!" He propped his chin on one fisted hand and winked at Marianne. "Ain't that right, sugar?"

Marianne giggled. "Daddy is super duper slow!" She slapped her hands to her plump cheeks. "Like a toitle!"

"I am not a tortoise." Sam pointed his fork at her with a fake pout. She covered her mouth with her hands and giggled even more. Sam grinned at her.

Gabriel lifted his legs and laid them across Sam's lap, which got him half a scowl and a resigned puff of laughter.

When Sam finally finished, he did their dishes while Gabriel went to get Marianne dressed. Then Marianne played in the living room with Itty-bitty, with Gabriel watching both her and a re-run of The Colbert Report, while Sam got himself ready.

Sam ran his fingers through his damp hair, inspecting himself in the mirror. No tangles in his hair, and he hadn't missed any spots shaving. Not that he ever did. Usually wasn't a lot to miss after only a day. Not like Castiel, who had to shave twice a day, and chose once a day, and so had permanent stubble (He took after Michael.)

Sam pulled his favorite off-white undershirt on, and over that a soft blue and brown plaid shirt with pretty pearlescent snaps. Dark jeans that fit just right. Polka dotted pink socks Marianne had picked out special for him over Christmas. He planted his hands on his hips and glowered at himself in the mirror. Then he smiled. "Happy birthday to me."

"Well, don't you look lovely." Gabriel glanced over his shoulder as Sam emerged from the bathroom. Sam snorted, and grabbed his cowboy boots—reddish brown and comfortable from lots of use—before making his way to the couch. He plopped down beside Gabe and tugged his boots on.

"Says the one wearing a purple silk shirt." Sam elbowed Gabriel.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow, and drawled, "It's aubergine." He kept a straight face for all of ten seconds before cracking up and leaning against Sam with a giggle. "It's comfy."

"Mmhmm." Sam wrapped his arm around Gabriel. He buried his nose in his hair, and it still smelled like always—sweets and fresh air, but also a bit like maple syrup and eggs. Gabriel tugged at a strand of Sam's hair until Sam moved and kissed him. Sam sighed. "Idiot."

"Moose."

Marianne stood up quite suddenly with a huge grin, and Gabriel barely had time to prepare before she'd launched herself into their laps with a shout of, "Cuddle puddle!" He managed to avoid a knee to the groin, but not an elbow to the neck.

They dissolved into a pile of giggles and flailing limbs, until finally they ended up on the floor—Sam on his back on the carpet, arms full of Gabriel and Marianne, with his leg still propped up on the couch cushions. Itty-bitty sat beside his head and licked his face once, before he pushed her away with a grimace, and tightened his arms around his family. "I think you broke my back," he moaned.

Marianne pouted. "But Papa says you're indestructible! Like Superman!" She rested her chin on two chubby little fists, elbows digging into Sam's chest unpleasantly. Gabriel rolled off of him with a chuckle. Sam pinched his waist and he squeaked, glaring at Sam. Sam grinned smugly.

"I'm only a little indestructible!" Sam grabbed her under the armpits and lifted her so he could sit up, before rearranging her in his lap. "I have a weakness just like Superman."

Marianne looked up at him curiously. "What's Daddy's weakness?" She pressed her hands against her thighs. Sam grinned down at her.

"Little pointy elbows and knees!" He wrapped his arms around her and smooshed her to his chest. "And big strong girls named Marianne Winchester!"

Marianne laughed and squirmed out of his arms, toward Gabriel. Gabriel lifted her up and stood, glancing at his watch.

"Alright, Annie! It's time to drive up to Uncle Dean's place aaaall the way in Seattle!"

Marianne cheered and wrapped her arms around Gabriel's neck.

They dropped her off at the apartment Dean and Castiel shared—they were roommates, because they were very close friends and neither could stand living with anyone else, and also because Seattle housing tended to be way too fucking expensive for one person. Dean grabbed her up into a big hug with a roar, and Castiel hugged her as well, though with a great deal more composure. She waved goodbye to her parents, and they waved back, and kissed her cheek and forehead respectively before going back outside.

In the car, Sam said, "I can't believe you're wearing khaki pants and they look good."

Gabriel guffawed. "Oh man, Samalam." He shook his head, grinning widely. "You really know how to make a guy feel attractive." He scratched at the edge of his eye with a snort, and fixed a stare on Sam. He winked, and Sam rolled his eyes. Gabriel settled his hand on Sam's shoulder. "But it's true that these pants make my ass look fantastic."

"You're such a jerk." Sam grinned, and shoved Gabriel's hand away. He pulled away from the curb, looking intently over his shoulder. No cars, luckily. The red Charger purred as he drove it down the street. Gabriel stretched his arms above his head to brush his fingers against the roof.

"I am a charming gentleman." He hooked one leg up over his knee. His black dress shoes kind of glistened in the afternoon sunlight. He wiggled one eyebrow, with a suggestive smirk. "And a gentlemanly charmer." He winked. Again. (Sam never realized how often someone could wink before he met Gabriel.)

Sam snorted. "With a weird outfit." He almost ran a red light, but managed to get through the intersection while it was still yellow. He glanced over at Gabriel. "Seriously. Patent leather oxfords, khaki pants, a Batman belt, and a purple silk shirt. And—is that a swatch watch?"

"Shut up! It has foxtrot steps on it! It's cute!" Gabriel adjusted his watch on his wrist with a pout.

Sam smiled, and pulled up to the curb, cutting the engine and opening his door. "Fine. It's kinda cute. Just because it's on you." He raised both eyebrows, and got out of the car. Gabriel sat in his seat for a moment before bursting out of his door.

"You can't just say something adorable like that and then leave me in the car!" He grabbed the tail of Sam's shirt, and hooked his arm through Sam's once he got close enough. "Dickwad!" Sam laughed and tugged him along into the theater. Gabriel pouted, but grinned when Sam pressed a kiss to his temple. He turned his face up for another kiss, and Sam pecked him on the lips.

They settled in their seats in the theater for a lovely, romantic date at the movies. Not that a horror movie could really be considered particularly romantic.

...

Gabriel snatched the cap from Sam's head. "Sammy boy! I am so proud of you!" He wrapped his arms tight around Sam, and Sam hugged him back at least as tightly. "Graduating with honors and going to a fancy college! Not like silly ol' me working at the Sonic with a GED." He buried his face in Sam's neck. "So, so proud of you, baby."

Sam grinned, and leaned down to kiss Gabriel. "A GED is plenty good, Gabe." He rested their foreheads together. "It's not silly."

Gabriel grabbed Sam's hand and squeezed. "Aw shucks. You sure know how to make me feel special." He winked saucily, and pulled Sam toward their siblings and parents. Mary got to the both of them first, and crushed them in her arms—she was shockingly strong for what seemed like a normal housewife. Next, Sam got swept up by his big brother and his dad, while Gabriel clobbered Castiel with congratulations and teasing. Michael Novak shook Sam's hand with a kind smile, after hugging Cas. Then Gabriel wormed his way back under one of Sam's arms, and they posed for a picture—Gabriel grinning wide with Sam's cap on his head, and Sam with his arm wrapped around Gabriel's shoulders and a toothy smile.

(Gabe keeps a copy of the photograph in his wallet to this very day, and Sam hung it on his wall until he lost it during his junior year of college.)

"So... Kiddo." Gabriel sat beside Sam on his bed, propped up against the pillows. He tilted his head to catch Sam's eye. He half-smiled. "Stanford is kinda far from Lawrence." He wrapped his fingers around Sam's hand.

Sam frowned. He didn't like the way Gabe's eyes looked. Kind of sad. He moved to straddle Gabriel's thighs, and pressed him back against the pillows with a crushing kiss. Barely let Gabriel get his breath back before kissing him again. Gabriel melted a bit beneath him. Eventually, Sam let up, and he whispered against Gabriel's cheek, "Come with me?" He knew it was selfish to ask Gabriel to go all the way out the California with him, just so they wouldn't have to be apart, but he couldn't help asking.

Gabriel made a tiny sound in his throat, and pulled Sam back in for another kiss. "Yes, absolutely." He locked his arms around Sam's neck, and slithered so he lay more comfortably, with Sam half on top of him. "God, yes, Sammy." He closed his eyes.

Sam grinned and pressed his lips to Gabriel's cheek, and his ear. "Great." He kissed Gabriel's neck, and his collarbone. "Awesome." Kissed his mouth again. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me, big boy." Gabriel caught Sam's eyes, soft and pleased. "I'd be so lonely without you here to kiss me."

Sam laughed. "Yeah." He buried his nose in Gabriel's hair with a deep breath. "Yeah, me too."

...

The movie long over, Sam and Gabriel sat beside each other in a booth in the Mini Saigon. They were engrossed in the menu, Gabe with his hand resting on Sam's knee, and Sam with his arm around Gabriel. Gabriel pointed at one of the listings with a soft hum. "I haven't tried that..."

"Squid?" Sam smiled.

Gabriel grimaced. "On second thought, maybe not. I'll just get phở gà or something." He tapped his foot against the floor tiles, and leaned his head on Sam's shoulder. Sam nodded, and pulled him in closer.

"Okay."

The waitress came by and they ordered pad thai and phở and fresh spring rolls, and of course some mango juice because Gabriel couldn't go any length of time without something sweet in his mouth.

When the food came, Gabriel swiped his finger through the peanut sauce and sucked it off. He sighed, happy. "God, I love this sauce." He licked another fingerful of it, then relented to let Sam dish out a portion of his noodles for him. They ate mostly in silence, though Gabe occasionally cracked a stupid joke. But mostly no talking. Just savoring delicious food. Although there was a small issue with the soup.

Gabriel loved phở, he really did, but damn it made him have to piss like a racehorse. He frowned, and excused himself to use the bathroom.

Sam laughed and used the opportunity to steal a piece of chicken from his bowl.

...

"Let's go christen the bed, if you know what I mean."

Sam choked on his water. He cleared his throat, and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, and pulled a face. "Jesus Christ, Gabriel!" He screwed the cap back onto his bottle and threw it at Gabe. Gabriel caught it with a leer.

"What?!" Gabriel tossed the bottle onto the couch. He sauntered over to Sam and grabbed him around the waist, laying his head against his chest. "We officially have a place together!" He looked up at Sam, all wide-eyed faux innocence and scheming smile. "Why not make it official?"

Sam scoffed, and walked Gabriel toward the back of the apartment. "Well, I'm tired from moving all of your shit, for one thing." He pushed Gabriel backwards into the bedroom. "And there are no sheets on the bed." He pressed him onward, until the backs of Gabriel's knees hit the mattress and he sat down with a thump. Sam climbed into his lap, and draped his arms over his shoulders. The final part came out as a whisper against Gabriel's lips. "And the neighbors might hear you screaming my name." He nipped at Gabriel's bottom lip.

A strangled noise escaped Gabriel's throat, and he grabbed a handful of Sam's hair, tugging him closer for a heated kiss. "You son of a bitch." He slipped his other hand up Sam's back, under his shirt. Sam grinned and trailed his fingers down the front of Gabriel's sweater. His hand stopped and hovered at his belt buckle. Sam bit down on Gabriel's lip again, with a wicked smirk, and sucked on it a little. Gabriel sighed underneath him and allowed himself to be maneuvered further up on the bed with no fuss. Just pulled Sam along with him, desperate for kisses. Sam laughed.

"You're so easy." Sam palmed at the fly of Gabriel's jeans, and leaned in closer. He set his mouth against Gabriel's throat. Flicked his tongue against his skin. Gabriel squirmed beneath him, breathing fast. Sam unzipped his pants and stuck his hand down the front of his boxers, and Gabriel hissed in a quiet, shallow breath.

Sam didn't move his hand—just let it sit there, cool on Gabriel's skin. He used his free hand to push Gabe's shirt and sweater up, and trailed feather-light kisses up his stomach and chest. Rested his forehead on Gabriel's collarbone and breathed softly, completely still for several long moments.

Gabriel whined, high and breathy. "You're such a fuckin' tease." He lifted his hips against Sam's touch, hot and hard and desperate. Sam clicked his tongue and pulled his hand away.

"Ah, ah, ah." He shook his head. "I'm in charge."

Gabriel raised his eyes to the ceiling with a deep breath. "Fuck." He gnawed on his lip, itching to do something. "You're gonna make me beg?"

All Sam did was grin, teeth flashing.

Gabriel sighed. He met Sam's eyes—pretty and blue and oh-so-fierce—and grumbled to himself, "Fine, fine." He returned his stare to the ceiling. "Please?"

Sam chuckled. "Hm, I dunno..." He ghosted his fingers down Gabriel's belly,and tapped his hip bone.

Gabriel closed his eyes. "You're such an asshole sometimes." He dug the heels of his palms against his eyes, frustrated. "Please, Sammy. You know I need you."

Sam fit his mouth to Gabriel's—their lips fit perfectly, kind of like jigsaw puzzle pieces—and slid his hand along Gabe's waistband. He hummed deep in his throat, and it vibrated in his chest. Gabriel lifted a hand to curl around the back of Sam's neck and tried to deepen the kiss. Sam pulled his mouth away, though, and moved to tongue the spot just above his collarbone. He slipped his fingers back into Gabriel's pants, but kept his touch light. Continued to suck at the skin at the base of his throat.

Gabriel's grip on the back of Sam's neck tightened. He muttered his name breathlessly. "Sam." His voice cracked. "Please. Just fuck me already."

"Bingo."

Sam grinned—wide and feral—and sat up. He grabbed his duffel bag from the floor, ignoring Gabriel's protests, and dug around in it until his found the bottle of lube and a few condoms. He held them up for Gabe to see, raisinghis eyebrows, and opened one of the condoms with his teeth.

Gabriel let his head drop back to the pillow. "I am so screwed."

"Yeah, you are." Sam smirked, and kissed Gabriel hard.

...

"Happy birthday, Tiger." Gabriel crawled up Sam's body, dropping kisses here and there across his skin. He dragged his fingers down Sam's sides,and gripped his hips, and leaned down to press their lips together. Sam pushed his fingers through Gabriel's hair and jerked him closer, slipping his tongue into Gabe's mouth. Gabriel slid his hands up Sam's chest with a soft moan, and straddled Sam's waist.

Sam smiled against Gabriel's lips. He tasted like peanut sauce and mangos. Gabriel ground his hips down, and dug his fingers into Sam's shoulder. Sam slid his hands down Gabriel's back until they rested firmly on his thighs. He sucked on the corner of Gabriel's lower lip. Whispered, "Someone's a little too sure of himself." He slid one hand around and gave Gabe's ass a firm squeeze through his red silk boxers. (Ridiculous underwear, but Sam liked how they looked on Gabriel anyhow.)

"We'll see about that." Gabriel's words came out rushed and not nearly as confident as he'd meant. Sam rolled his eyes, and tightened his fingers around Gabriel's waist before flipping him onto his back with a grunt and settling down on top of him. He shot Gabe a predatory smile. Gabriel quirked an eyebrow up at him. He lifted his arms, and grabbed Sam's face in his hands, pulling him down to kiss him some more, smiling the entire time.

Sam grinned, feral and amused. "I'm gonna wipe that smirk off your face." He pressed Gabriel into the sheets. Reached down and groped him, sliding his hand under the waistband of his boxers. Gabe gasped. Feeling impatient, Sam stripped them both down in a handful of seconds, tossing their clothes to the floor, and bit at Gabriel's bare hip, reaching for the strawberry flavored lube on the nightstand.

He kissed Gabrielas he worked on prepping him. Nibbled at his lip almost hard enough to hurt. Slipped his tongue into his mouth, while Gabriel squirmed against the press of his fingers, with his arms locked around Sam's shoulders. He breathed loudly through his nose.

Gabriel definitely wasn't smirking anymore, so Sam counted that as a nice accomplishment.

When Sam pulled away, going for a condom, Gabriel chased his mouth with kisses, reluctant to relinquish any touch for even a second. Sam shot him a dimpled grin, and Gabriel smiled earnestly at him.

"Somebody's eager." Voice low, Sam slicked himself up, and pulled a face at the sickeningly sweet fruity smell of both lube and condoms, gripping Gabriel's thighs. He slid in slow and careful, biding his time—mostly to annoy Gabe. "Patience is a virtue, you know." He moved his hands to fist them in the sheets on either side of Gabriel's head.

Gabriel gave a quiet moan. "Less talking, more fucking." He tightened his legs around Sam's waist, digging his feet into Sam's lower back and his fingers into Sam's shoulders, urging him on. Sam snorted out a brief laugh. He shifted Gabe to a slightly more convenient position, elbows digging into the mattress, and gave an experimental roll of his hips, letting his eyes drift half-shut as he focused on the right movements.

Gabriel's breath hitched in his throat, and he grabbed a handful of Sam's hair, pulling him in for a kiss. Sam laughed at Gabe's rough hands. He found a rhythm he liked—slow and leisurely and just enough to make Gabriel gasp for air.

Evidently it was exactly what was needed to shut Gabriel up—usually he never stopped talking even during sex, but just then he seemed intent only on riding out Sam's movements and getting air in and out of his lungs, breathing Sam's name over and over, punctuated with tiny moans, eyes fixed on Sam's face, looking a little unfocused.

"You like that, baby?" Sam murmured against Gabriel's jawline. "Don't even have to touch you, huh?" He nipped Gabe's ear. Gabriel shook his head with a shaky moan, tightening his fingers in Sam's hair. Sam laughed, breath hot against Gabriel's ear, and put a little more force into his movements. Gabriel's eyebrows drew together. Sam mumbled, "Oh, you're so sensitive." He pushed Gabriel's hair from his face, resting their foreheads together and focusing on Gabe's drooping eyelids. "You can close your eyes. It's okay." He kissed the edge of Gabriel's mouth. Gabriel's breath came in shallow gasps and he shut his eyes. Sam groaned, digging his fingers into the sheets, dropping light kisses all over Gabriel's face.

Gabe's fingers tugged painfully on Sam's hair but Sam didn't really mind—not with Gabriel whimpering like that as Sam thrust into him. He bit the inside of his cheek. "Gabe—" He swiped a thumb along Gabriel's eyebrow. "Hey, you okay?"

Gabriel nodded. His eyes fluttered open to meet Sam's. "'S good." He smiled, and loosened his fingers from Sam's hair, sliding his hands down to rest his arms just beside his head on the pillow.

Sam chuckled breathlessly. He wrapped his fingers around Gabriel's wrists, drawing them up above his head, and pinned them together with one hand. With his other hand, Sam trailed light touches down Gabriel's jaw and across his chest. His tongue flicked against Gabe's lip, and Gabriel let him lick into his mouth, breathing harshly through his nose. Sam reached down between them, and with a few quick slides of his palm had Gabriel keening into his mouth.

Sam swallowed down Gabe's moans as he tensed beneath him, and lost any kind of rhythm he had. His kisses lost focus and he pressed his mouth wetly against Gabriel's neck.

It was almost anti-climactic, if he were honest. (Not quite, though.) But he appreciated it, trying and almost failing to catch his breath as Gabriel's arms came up—trembling slightly—to wrap around him. Shaking through a stubborn sort of orgasm.

He laughed softly when it ended.

"What're you snickering at?" Gabriel pouted.

Sam shook his head and pulled away, sticky with sweat and Gabe's semen. He grimaced. "Nothing. Just happy, I guess?" He threw away the condom, pulling a face, and disappeared into the bathroom to wet a rag with warm water and wipe himself down. He didn't feel like taking a shower but he wanted to be at least a mockery of clean. He wet the rag again and brought it into the bedroom to wipe Gabriel down.

Gabe raised his eyebrows. "Happy because of sex or just happy?" He tilted his head. Moved whatever limbs Sam directed him to, too tired to protest being pampered. (...Not that he'd ever protest pampering.)

"Just happy." Sam tossed the washcloth into the dirty laundry and collapsed into the bed beside Gabriel. He held his arm out and pulled Gabe into a warm embrace. Gabriel smiled and closed his eyes, settling against Sam's chest and sighing.

"Me too." He smirked. "Though I dunno if I'll be able to move for a few hours."

Sam frowned. "I wasn't even rough!" He laced his fingers together across Gabriel's belly.

"No," Gabe grinned. "But somehow you managed to be very thorough without doing much of anything at all, so I am both pleased and worn out." He turned his head to catch Sam's eye. "Don't wake me up unless the house is on fire."

Sam snorted. "Alright, alright." He buried his nose in Gabriel's hair and closed his eyes.

...

Gabriel threw himself down on the ratty couch beside Sam. He tossed his black cap to the floor with a grumble and lay down, stretching his legs out and setting his head in Sam's lap. Sam grinned and pushed Gabe's hair back from his face. "Rough day?" He scooted his textbooks to the side.

"Much as I love food, working in the kitchen is not fun." Gabriel scowled, and turned onto his side. He buried his face in the soft fabric of Sam's sweatshirt. "Why did I ever think it would be a good idea to work at Wendy's?"

Sam laughed. "Because you're an idiot." He tapped his finger against Gabriel's exposed ear—cold from walking outside in the crisp winter evening. "Seriously. Fry cook?" He shook Gabe's shoulder with a teasing smile.

"I like to cook!" Gabriel pushed Sam's hand away. Sam leaned down to plant a kiss on his cheek, and Gabe rolled his eyes.

"Exactly. You like to cook, so don't work in fast food."

Gabriel pouted. "Jerk." He sighed and poked Sam's side with an outstretched finger. Sam snorted. Gabriel sighed, and muttered, "I'll survive though... Least I'm not working at Wal-Mart." He cracked a smile.

Sam laughed and hauled Gabriel up off of his lap, elbowing him to the side so he could stand and stretch his arms over his head. His shirt rode up, and Gabriel took the opportunity to reach out grabby fingers—he tickled Sam's side. Sam twitched away with a squawk, and glared at Gabriel. "Don't tickle me!" He crossed his arms and stepped out of Gabe's reach. Gabriel lurched to his feet. He wrapped his arms around Sam's middle and squished his cheek against Sam's chest.

Sam placed his hands on Gabriel's hips and leaned forward against him. He hummed a little random tune, resting his chin on top of Gabriel's head. He closed his eyes and swayed a little where he stood. Gabriel moved with him. They half-danced to Sam's toneless humming in the middle of the living room.

"You smell like French fries." Sam sniffed Gabriel's hair. "And shampoo." He nuzzled him with a soft breath. Slid one hand into Gabriel's back pocket.

Gabriel patted Sam's back. "And you smell like coffee." He kissed Sam's neck and collarbone.

Sam pinched Gabe's butt, and Gabriel yelped. Vengeance was indeed sweet.

...

Marianne stared at herself in the mirror with great concentration. She narrowed her eyes. Tilted her head, and tugged on her little blue bun, and then the yellow one. "Does Superman have giraffe ears?" She pursed her lips—an expression she picked up from Sam. Gabriel beamed at her.

"Do you want Superman to have giraffe ears?" He straightened her red cape so it flared just right, and made sure her boots were tied tight and secure.

She thought for a few seconds, and a slow grin overtook her face before she struck a pose and exclaimed, "Yes!"

Gabriel laughed. "Alright then!" He grabbed her under the armpits and lifted her up over his head, settling her on his shoulders. "Then let's go get some darn candy!" He bounced her a little and turned into the living room. Sam frowned at them from beside the couch, arms crossed. Decked out as Thor.

"I feel silly."

Gabriel scoffed and flapped his hand dismissively toward Sam. "You look fine!" He grinned. "And you guys have matching capes!" He bounced toward Sam—a careful hold on Marianne's leg, with her fingers tugging at his hair—and laced their fingers together. He tilted his head.

"Yeah, Daddy!" Marianne leaned over to kiss Sam on the cheek. "You look just like Thor!" She giggled.

Sam raised his eyebrows. "Really?" He grinned. "Well, that's a relief!" He bopped her nose. "And what about your papa? Does he look like Willy Wonka?" They both turned a discerning eye to Gabriel's costume.

Marianne squinted. "He needs his hat!"

"You're absolutely right!" Sam cast around the room for the tan top hat, and found it behind him on the couch. He spun it in his hands before plopping it onto Gabriel's head and straightening it. He pulled Marianne down from Gabe's shoulders and set her on her feet. Then he whistled for the dog.

Itty-bitty lumbered in from the kitchen, nose wet from her water. She wore a collar to match Marianne's costume—bright blue with a Superman logo tag. She snuffled at them and obediently let Gabriel attach a little doggy cape and her leash.

They left with flashlights in hand. Gabriel held Marianne's fingers, and in his free hand he clutched the candy pillowcase. Sam held the leash—Gabriel wasn't allowed to hold it, due to the fact that Itty-bitty came clear up to his jaw. She'd never run off or spooked or anything before, but Sam thought caution would be the best approach to walking her.

They hit every house with a porch light on, and by the end of the night the pillowcase bulged with sweets. Gabriel held Marianne to his chest and she dozed, snoring softly, drooling a bit on his neck. He didn't mind. He'd dealt with much worse than slobber when she was three. (Namely, a lot of dirty underpants when they were potty training.)

Once inside, Sam unhooked Itty-bitty from her leash and almost immediately began stripping out of his costume. Gabriel made his way to Marianne's room with the girl in his arms, so he could get her into pajamas and to bed. She barely stirred as he changed her—and he was glad for that, because the thought of dealing with a cranky five-year old at that moment sounded less than pleasant. He let her hair out of its buns and tucked her in with a kiss. "Nighty night, sugar."

She snored at him.

The door creaked open, and Sam walked in wearing a t-shirt and flannel pants. He leaned down to kiss Marianne's cheek, and wrapped an arm around Gabriel's waist as he straightened up. "Let's get you into something more comfy." He raised his eyebrows at Gabriel, and Gabe snorted, but let himself be led out of their daughter's room and into their own bedroom, lit only with a bedside lamp. Sam threw himself down on the bed, watching Gabriel tug off his many layers of costume. He stripped everything off, and put on a clean white wifebeater before climbing into bed beside Sam.

"I think you're the only guy I've met who wears silk boxers." Sam pulled Gabriel down beside him and tucked his head under his chin, wrapping his arms around Gabriel's shoulders. Gabriel flicked his nose.

"Shut up. They're comfortable." He relaxed into the sheets. "And stylish. And you told me you liked them!"

Sam grinned. "Sure, sure." He turned off the lamp and the room plunged into darkness.

...

"So?!" Gabriel slung his arms around Sam's neck and squirmed until he pulled himself up Sam like he was climbing a tree, wrapping his legs around Sam's waist. "When are you getting the results back!?"

Sam backed up so he could drop onto the bed with a huff. "Christ, you're more excited than I am!" He locked his arms around Gabriel with a grin. "But we won't find out until the end of October."

"What!" Gabriel pouted. "That's likethree months at least." He hugged Sam tighter. "But still. I'm sure you did great and the people grading the bar exam will be like 'Gosh this kid's a genius!'" He buried his face in Sam's neck.

Sam laughed and lay back, pulling Gabriel down with him. "I don't think I did that well. I don't think anyone did that well." He rubbed circles over Gabriel's back.

"You're too modest." Gabriel's voice came out in a low purr, muffled and content. He breathed slow and deep. Sam scratched at his back and got a little squirm and a grumble out of it (Gabriel's back was ticklish in spots.) He sighed.

"You're probably right."

Gabriel grinned. "I'm always right."

They got the results a few months later, and sure enough Sam did very well, and managed to land himself a job far quicker than most of his peers. As Gabriel had expected.

They celebrated with Gabriel's favorite thing to cook—chocolate chip pancakes.

...

Sam lay on his back in the grass of their back yard with Itty-bitty draped over his legs and Marianne curled up on his chest. One big hand rested on the back of his daughter's head, and he smiled, dozing in the warm afternoon sunlight. Gabriel looked down at him with a smirk and a plate full of cookies. He tapped his leg with the toe of his sneakers. Dropped down beside them, careful to keep the platter level. "I made chocolate chip cookies!"

Sam squinted one eye open. "Smells good." He grinned, and pushed himself to sit up a bit, resting on one elbow and holding Marianne close with his other hand. Gabriel held up a cookie, eyebrow raised, and Sam grabbed it from him with his teeth. Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"You animal." He shoved a cookie into his own mouth and watched Sam try to eat without his hands.

Eventually, showering Marianne with crumbs, Sam gave in and sat up completely so he'd have one hand to use. The cookie disappeared quickly after that. He leaned over and pecked Gabriel on the cheek. "Thank you." He reached his arm out and pulled Gabriel against his side.

Gabriel settled against him with a snort. "The gorilla has manners! Shocking." He set the plate on the ground beside them, and sighed, happy. The air smelled like chimney smoke and apples and freshly mown grass. It was an unseasonably warm day in November, and he did not mind one bit. "You're still messy."

Sam pinched his side. Gabriel squawked, and hit him lightly on the shoulder. "Don't be an ass!" He squirmed closer and tugged at Marianne until she slid into his lap with a sleepy murmur. He wrapped his arms tight around her, resting his chin on top of her head. Sam, in turn, wrapped his arms around them both and leaned his cheek on Gabe's hair (Very soft).

The dog snuffled at their feet.

"Your uncle called." Gabriel turned his face to Sam's, trailing kisses along his jaw.

Sam frowned. "Bobby? Why?"

"He wanted to invite us over for Thanksgiving. Said your aunt Ellen is making your favorite stuffing." He kissed the edges of Sam's lips, and Sam smiled softly against his mouth.

"Yeah?" Sam pulled away. "What'd you tell him?" He raised an expectant eyebrow.

Gabriel snorted. "Oh you know, the usual—We'll only go if Ellen bakes me a cake." He smirked.

Sam rolled his eyes. He buried his nose in Gabriel's hair, and sighed. "Cas and Anna are going too, like usual?"

"Yup! Full house. The Novak siblings who aren't in jail, and the whole Winchester family, back in Kansas together!" Gabriel nudged Sam with his elbow and stood, careful not to step on the cookies, resettling Marianne in his arms. "Dean's forcing your mother to make a cherry pie, even though it really oughta be pumpkin." He shook his head. "What a dummy."

Sam pulled himself to his feet, grabbing the platter of cookies. He followed Gabriel—who carried Marianne on one hip—inside. "Well, you know how Dean gets." He let the dog inside before closing the screen door. "I swear he's sexually attracted to fruit pies. Castiel should be worried."

Gabriel let out a bark of laughter. "Well, personally I don't think Cas has much to worry about. Have you seen the way those two eye each other? It's like they're trying to undress each other with the power of their minds!" He set Marianne down on the couch and cracked his back. "They really need to just get it over with and make out already."

Sam put the cookies on the counter, and wrapped Gabriel up in his arms, and walked him toward the armchair. "Agreed." He turned and sat, and pulled Gabriel down into his lap. "They're more obvious than you were."

"I like to think I had a little more finesse."

Gabe puckered his lips. Sam rolled his eyes, but kissed him anyway. Gabriel grinned lopsided and self-satisfied. Sam shook his head and pulled a face. "You've got about as much finesse as a bag of worms."

Gabriel made an O with his mouth, then set his hand to his chest with a dramatic pout. "Your words wound me, Samchop!" He grinned.

Sam groaned. "God, don't call me that."

"Samchop?" Gabe waggled his eyebrows. "Fine, how about biscuit? Dimples! Caveman, Samsquatch, shortcake, honeybunch, sugarpie, Sam-I-am?" He nipped at Sam's jaw. "Or maybe I'll just stick with kiddo."

Sam frowned. "Kiddo is better, but still kind of creepy."

"Only if you ignore the fact that I've been calling you that for like ten years." Gabriel kissed his cheek. "Old habits die hard, and all that jazz."

Sam smiled. "I guess."

Gabriel laughed.

...

Sam patted the still-fairly-small Great Dane on the head. She looked up at them with huge brown eyes, her tail flopping in the dirt. Gabriel pushed at his shoulder and said, "Look at her! She's so cute I could just eat her up!" Sam laughed at that, and pulled the gangly dog into his arms. She licked his face. She was a few months old, and growing fast according to the shelter worker. They had trouble getting her all the food she demanded. But she was mellow and friendly. He scratched behind her ear.

"Does she already have a name?" Gabriel looked up at the shelter worker. The man—Chad— smiled, and shook his head.

"We just call her Bitty." He shrugged. "She responds well enough to it."

Gabriel elbowed Sam to the side and ruffled the pup's floppy ears. "Reminds me of Pushing Daisies." He kissed her nose. "How 'bout we take you home and call you Itty-bitty and give you lots of love, hmm?" Itty-bitty thwacked her tail on the ground and licked a stripe up the side of Gabe's face. Gabriel laughed and hugged her tightly.

Looking at them, Sam smiled. He stood, and followed Chad to fill out a few forms and settle the adoption process so they could take her home. He began compiling a mental list of the supplies they would need, and listened carefully to everything Chad told him.

In just a few days, everything had been settled, and Sam and Gabriel led Itty-bitty out to the car. She jumped into the back seat and sprawled across it without a second thought, setting her head on her paws. She looked at them. They smiled at her.

They picked up everything they could possibly think of at the pet store that they'd forgotten, and got her settled in at home.

On the couch, watching TV, Gabriel voiced a concern. "What if the dog doesn't like the baby, when we bring her home?" He crossed his arms and looked at his bare feet. Wiggled his toes. "I mean, the girl's three—what if she's afraid of dogs?" His forehead creased and he frowned. Sam slung an arm around his shoulders.

"It'll be fine, Gabriel." He hooked his other hand under Gabe's chin and tilted his face up to look him in the eyes. He smiled. "Marianne and Itty-bitty will get along fine."

Gabriel's expression gentled, but he still looked worried.

Sam swiped his thumb across Gabriel's cheek, and pressed their lips together for a brief moment. "It'll work out fine, I promise."

Gabriel bit the inside of his cheek. But he finally cracked a crooked grin. "Okay." He hugged Sam closer. "I believe you, for now."

Sam snorted. "You better."

Itty-bitty tilted her head at them from where she lay across their feet.

...

Gabriel sifted through the remnants of Marianne's candy stash absentmindedly—all gathered together in a small bowl, mixed up—until he found one of the last chocolate bars, and turned to Sam. He unwrapped the little Twix and shoved both pieces into his mouth. Voice muffled, he called out, "You ready to go?"

Sam popped his head around the corner, jacket in hand. He smiled. "Marianne's just putting on her shoes." He shook the jacket out and slipped it on over his plaid shirt, tugging so it sat straight on his shoulders. He withdrew back into the hall for a moment, and just a few seconds later re-emerged with Marianne's hand wrapped around his finger. She grinned up at Gabriel as they approached, lifting her feet high in her new yellow shoes. (She insisted on wearing them, even on the car ride from Olympia to Lawrence. She'd probably try to sleep in them at the hotel that night.) Gabe bent down to fluff her pigtails.

"Everyone ready?!" He planted his hands on his hips.

Marianne cheered, and Sam joined in.

"Okay! Get the dog!" Gabriel scooped their daughter into his arms. Sam leashed Itty-bitty—just in case—and followed Gabriel outside, locking the front door behind him. They got everyone settled into the car, and Sam let Gabe slide into the driver's seat because, if he were honest, Gabriel was a much better driver than him and they all felt safer with Sam in the passenger seat on that long of a car ride. Not to mention, Gabriel genuinely enjoyed driving.

It was a bit of a distance, but they got to Sioux Falls just as everyone else did. They just had to leave a day earlier and stop at a motel partway there—where they ran into Dean and Castiel at a gas station, going in the same direction— and also had to eat dinner at a greasy Burger King playing nothing but country music. When they got to Bobby's place, they parked the red Charger beside the Impala, right as Dean helped Castiel to drag a bright green cooler from the passenger seat. God knows what they'd brought, in a cooler so large. Probably a whole damn turkey. Gabriel cackled to himself, and Sam shot him a warning look, but Gabriel just smiled and jumped out of the car. He opened the back door, and whistled.

Dean's head shot up and he glared at Gabriel as Itty-bitty lumbered out onto the gravel.

"You didn't." His knuckles whitened around the edge of the cooler. Beside him, Castiel's eyes narrowed, before shot Gabriel a disappointed look. "You drove across that many states with the dog?"

Gabriel smirked. "We did." He unleashed the big dog, rubbing her ears. "There's much more room for her to run around here, and she likes to play with Rumsfeld." Itty licked his jawline, and trotted off around the back of the car. As she passed, Castiel patted her head, and Dean backed away. Gabriel laughed.

Sam elbowed him. "Don't be a jerk."

Gabriel pouted.

"I'm just teasing him!" He crossed his arms. "Deano here's a big boy. He can take care of himself." He took Marianne from Sam's arms, hugging her close until she squirmed and demanded to be let down. She clung to his leg though, just a little shy of the few people milling around outside—Rufus tried to pinch her cheeks and she hid between Gabriel's legs, nearly knocking him over. Dean laughed at that and followed Castiel inside.

Sam took the loaf of bread they'd brought in one arm and raised his eyebrow at Gabe. "You know he's afraid of dogs." He planted his other hand on his hip. "You shouldn't make fun of him." His expression warmed, and he sort of smiled. Playfully. Bad sign. "After all, baby, you're terrified of the dentist." He grinned and whistled at Marianne, whose pigtails bobbed as she chased after him into the house.

Gabriel stood a moment, not pouting at all, before shouting, "At least I'm not scared of the oven and clowns! Jerk!" at Sam's receding back. He glowered, and crossed his arms, but went inside and couldn't help but smile the second Ellen Harvelle pulled him into a bear hug.

"Hey there, short stuff." She slapped his back. "What's this about ovens?"

Gabe snorted. "Ah, nothin'." He kissed her cheek. "You bake me that cake?" He winked.

"Bake your own goddamn cake!" She shook her head, messed up his hair and disappeared off toward the kitchen where Bobby and Mary no doubt stood with Castiel. Gabriel rolled his eyes. He looked toward the cleared out living room—wondered where the hell they'd moved the books—to see John and Dean on the couch with Marianne between them, lavishing attention upon her. Sam stood a few feet away with his eyes fixed on them, clearly a little uneasy. Which meant John was probably a bit tipsy. Gabriel slipped into the room and made his way to Sam's side, to grab his hand.

"Don't worry so much. It's Thanksgiving. Holidays!" He stood on his tiptoes to peck Sam's cheek.

Sam smiled, and kissed him back. "I know."

Gabriel lowered his voice. "Besides, if your dad accidentally did anything like drop her, Dean would probably rip his spine out through his mouth."

Sam snorted. "Probably. So would everyone else." He slid his arm around Gabriel's waist and pulled him close as people milled about in little groups talking. Mary and Castiel emerged from the kitchen and coaxed Marianne away from the Winchester men with a fresh roll and the promise of hugs—she let Castiel wrap her up in his arms and even let Mary kiss her face all over. Sheriff Jody Mills, friend of the family, was there as well and cooed over her.

"That girl's gonna be spoiled rotten by the time she's ten." Ash sidled up, elbowing Gabriel lightly in the arm.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at him. "Well if she weren't, I'd be worried the family didn't love her enough." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Ash snorted. He took a swig from his beer.

Several other people made the rounds to fuss over Marianne—Jo, and Pam, and Missouri, and Rufus once more. Bobby stole her from Castiel and carried her on his shoulders into the kitchen to give her a handful of cookies. Sam shot him a glare.

"If you give her more sweets I'm disowning you! Gabe is bad enough!" Sam raised both of his eyebrows. Bobby scoffed at him and gave her another cookie. Sam sighed, burying his face in Gabe's hair. "Grandparents are the worst." He took a deep breath. Gabriel chuckled and reached up to pat his cheek.

"Bobby's her great uncle."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

In the corner, Anna and Jo chatted quietly, turned toward each other intent and enthralled. Gabriel would have to tease Anna about it later but for that moment he chose to stay wrapped in Sam's arms by the fireplace and watched John and Castiel's drinking contest. John gave up pretty quickly. Dean clapped his best friend (more than that?) on the back with a loud laugh. John rolled his eyes. And, ohhh, that was where the boys got it from.

Gabriel couldn't help but notice that Michael was absent. He wondered if he was busy, or if he forgot, or if he just hadn't wanted to come. Maybe he'd chosen to visit Lucifer in prison, instead. The thought left a sour taste in Gabriel's mouth and he tried to wash it away with hot cocoa.

Something like twenty minutes later, Balthazar burst into the house with two bottles of champagne and a loud shout of, "Who wants booze?!" Half the guests groaned and the other half cheered—Gabriel did both. He extricated himself from Sam for a quick hug with Balthazar—one of his oldest friends—and a more awkward one with Kali. She smirked at him, and made her elegant way toward a bowl of chips. Gabriel traded words with Balthazar, mostly insults, before helping Bobby herd the group of newcomers into the main room. More than just Balthazar and Kali, it was also Crowley (who so loved to hit on Bobby just for laughs) and his cousin Meg, and a gangly friend of Bobby's named Garth. And that was about it.

Gabriel found his way back to his own family. Sam held Marianne now, and stood talking with Castiel about whatever nerdy things they both liked. Gabriel almost tripped over Dean's (purposefully) outstretched foot, and shot him a glare before worming his way under Sam's arm. Sam spared him a brief glance and kept talking. Ah. Latin. Of course. Dweebs. He closed his eyes and leaned into Sam, and grinned when Marianne reached out a hand to pat his face. He cracked one eye back open to peer at her. She giggled and bopped his nose.

"Are you hiding, Papa?" She tapped his cheek. He reached up to catch her little hand in his own and pretended to bite her fingers.

"I'm just relaxing!" He kissed her hand. "It's nice and warm in here—makes me sleepy!"

Marianne stuck her tongue out. "I'm not sleepy at all!" She squirmed in Sam's arms, and he let her climb out of his grip to wrap her arms around Gabe's neck. Gabriel shifted her to a more comfortable position and rested his chin on her head.

"Well, Papa's old." He smirked. "And gets sleepy easy."

Marianne giggled in his arms. "Okay."

Gabriel held her close for the rest of the night, leaning against Sam's warm body, generally ignoring the flow of people—content to just... be. They stayed in Bobby's house overnight. Dean and Cas shared the other guest room, and presumably Dean took the floor. In the morning, they said their goodbyes, claimed any leftovers that still existed, and left for the long drive home.

...

Gabriel sat in the back seat behind Sam, staring at the little three year old girl napping in her car seat. Her fingers, tiny and soft, clutched at his sleeve. Her chest moved gently with her breaths, and her hair curled blonde around her ears. Her near-white eyelashes sent little shadows down her cheeks. He squeezed her arm. Her skin was warm and smooth. She made a little whistling sound when she breathed—the cutest snore he'd ever heard.

A content smile overtook his face, and he leaned his cheek against the side of her car seat. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. "Marianne Winchester, huh?"

Sam caught his eyes in the rearview mirror and grinned. "You good back there?" He returned his focus to the road. Gabriel let his focus shift from Marianne to Sam for a moment, with a calm expression and a soft smile.

"I'm totally cool." He closed his eyes. "Completely at ease."

Sam snorted. "I believe you. You look like you're on about five kinds of tranquilizers."

"Shut up." Gabriel kicked the back of Sam's seat. "Asshat."

Sam grinned wider. "You love me."

"Yeah, so shut your face." Gabriel stuck his tongue out.

They got home fairly quickly, and Sam carried Marianne into the house while Gabriel dealt with the bags and kept the dog down with a firm hand on her collar. Itty-bitty snuffled, but kept all four paws firmly on the ground and only sniffed curiously at the toddler. Gabriel scratched her ears as a reward and followed Sam down the hall to the bedroom they had prepared for the newest member of their family.

Sam put her in the bed and she mumbled something about trains. He smiled. Gabriel began to unpack the bag. Didn't want to leave a bottle of milk in there or something. He grabbed the half-empty cup he found, then stood beside Sam a moment, and looked down at Marianne.

She had been in a foster home previously, but the foster parents evidently decided they didn't want to deal with her after all and sent her packing. Sam and Gabriel had been looking at children to adopt and something about her caught their attention. Maybe her name, maybe her big green eyes.

Maybe just the way she looked at them from her little secluded space in the room. She reminded Gabriel of when Castiel and Anna had been young—eight and five respectively. Not long after the house fire that killed their parents, sitting in the corner playing alone together, ignoring Luke's shouting and Michael's retorts, while Gabriel watched over them and made sure Lucifer's anger never reached them. Not physically, at least. Of course, protecting them from the sight of Luke and Mike beating the shit out of each other when they grew older, more bitter... That proved more difficult. Worse still if he was the target of Luke's wrath. Eventually there really was nothing he could do. So they just bore it as their burden, and he and Mike protected Anna and Cas as best they could until Michael finally kicked Lucifer out of the house.

But they'd done okay.

And so her wide gaze had drawn Gabriel in, and Sam had noticed. Everyone had noticed.

And now, Marianne lay in her very own bed with her very own family.

And Gabe thought, "This is amazing," in his house with his very own dog and spouse and child, doing well for himself.

And he smiled.

...

Sam slipped his arms around Gabriel's waist, trailing a path of light kisses down the side of his face. "Marianne asleep?" He tugged on one of Gabe's belt loops. Gabriel tilted his head back to plant a kiss on Sam's face. He grinned.

"She is asleep. But for one thing, you're wearing barrettes..." He wiggled his eyebrows. "And for another, you smell bad. Why did you have to do yard work?" He turned around in Sam's arms. Pulled at the slightly damp strap of his tank top. Pursed his lips. "It's shower time, my little potato chip."

Sam frowned, and reached up, choosing to ignore the strange nickname. He tugged the barrettes from his bangs—needed them earlier to keep his hair out of his eyes while mowing the lawn. "How about we both wash up?" He nuzzled Gabriel, so that Gabe twitched away with a soft laugh.

"Fine, you dirty caveman!" Gabriel grabbed two fistfuls of Sam's shirt and tugged, walking backwards down the hall and pulling Sam after him. Sam went with no complaints and a lot of distracting kisses, so that Gabriel almost tripped on his way up the staircase. Other than that, they made their way to the bathroom with no incident.

Gabriel shut the door behind them while Sam undressed. He took a moment to admire the line of Sam's spine curving forward, then began to slip out of his clothes while Sam set the water running. He sat on the edge of the tub.

"Bath works too, I guess, but..." Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "You sure we'll fit?" He leaned a little over the edge. Dipped his hand in the warm water pooling above the drain.

Sam laughed. He pushed Gabe out of his way, so he could step into the bathtub, and settled down into it with his legs folded up somewhat, sitting straight. He grinned at Gabriel, all white teeth and deep dimples, and held his arms out. An invitation if Gabriel ever saw one. Gabe rolled his eyes and hopped into the tub. He let Sam position them together, leaning his head on Sam's sternum and propping his feet up on the faucet with a smirk. Sam fastened his arms around Gabriel's waist.

"If we get stuck in here, it's your fault." Gabriel tilted his head back with a wink.

Sam just tightened his arms.

Gabe huffed out a laugh and laced his fingers together over Sam's. He closed his eyes. The warmth of Sam's chest against his back, and from the water rising above their ankles, made him drowsy, content, and happy. He only opened his eyes when Sam jostled him, stretching his arm out to turn off the water, and then sat back again with his chin rested on top of Gabriel's head. Gabe smiled.

"Hey, what kinda ring would you want? If we... you know."

Gabriel raised his eyebrow. He twisted around to meet Sam's eye. "'Scuse me?"

Sam laughed. "You know, if we got married. What kind of ring do you think you'd want?" He shrugged. "I'm just curious."

"Well." Gabriel kissed Sam's cheek and leaned back against him. "Obviously something tacky and gold." He grinned, and grabbed Sam's left hand between his palms, and fiddled with his ring finger. "Or just, you know, a pretty red gold band. Maybe a gem. Something sparkly. You know? Warm and just a little shiny." He pulled at Sam's hand so he could kiss each knuckle. "But you know I'd like anything from you. Even a plastic spider ring from a Halloween cupcake."

"What!" Sam swatted Gabe's shoulder. "A plastic spider?! What kind of horrible fiancé do you think I am?" He nipped at Gabriel's ear. Gabriel let out a laugh.

"Only the best for little ol' me, eh?"

Sam scoffed. "Damn straight."

"So, why're you askin'?" Gabriel tilted his head back and wiggled his eyebrows. He pecked at Sam's jaw. "Planning on popping the question?"

Sam shrugged. "I dunno. Do you want me to?" He leaned forward, and rested his chin on Gabriel's shoulder with a sigh. He turned his face to press his lips to the skin of Gabe's neck.

Gabriel reached up, grabbing Sam's jaw and pulling him into a solid, warm kiss. He knocked their foreheads together, eyes locked on Sam's. He smiled. "Only if you get me an engagement ring. Typical. Stone in the middle." He winked and dragged Sam into another kiss. "And get down on one knee, after a candlelit dinner. You know—Stepford style."

"I don't think—" Sam had to push Gabe away to get his words out. "I don't think a man with a woman's wedding ring is considered very Stepford." He simpered. He let Gabriel press their lips together again.

"What? You don't think I'd make the perfect stay-at-home housewife?" Gabe turned around fully—his neck kind of hurt, twisted as he was—and straddled Sam. He slid his hands up Sam's chest and neck before running his fingers back through his hair. "Is it because I'm short?" He prevented Sam from responding with more fervent kisses across his face and jaw and neck and mouth. Eventually Sam gave up trying to say anything and let Gabriel shower him with affection, warm and happy.

...

Gabriel sat on the carpet in front of the couch with Marianne facing him, quiet and wide-eyed. She stared at him. He had an array of his own favorite foods spread out on the floor between them. He picked up a corn chip and held it out to her. "Do you like chips, Marianne?" He smiled, tentative and a little nervous.

She pouted. "No."

He licked his lips and looked down at the food. He popped the chip into his mouth and cast around for something sweet. His eyes caught on the sliced strawberries, so he took a little piece of the fruit and held it out. "I like strawberries. Do you?"

She eyed him, and reached out one tiny hand to take it. He watched as she stuck it in her mouth. Her mouth twitched in a little smile. "I like red berries." She stared at him.

Gabriel broke out into a grin, and scooted the bowl of strawberries toward her, with her little fork beside it. Her smile widened, and that was when Gabriel discovered she had one tiny dimple on the left side of her face. Just the one, lopsided and sweet. He resisted the urge to cuddle her to death.

"You like sweet things?" He tilted his head. Pointed to himself. "I love sweet things. Chocolate is my favorite."

She bounced where she sat. "Chocolate is nummy! I want chocolate!" She mimicked his head tilt.

Gabriel grinned. "You and me are gonna get along just fine, Marianne."

...

"Do I have to?" Sam pulled his puppy dog face, but Gabriel was having none of it.

"You bet your perky little ass, you do!"

Sam's mouth twisted. "But you already know what the ring looks like, and—"

"Down on your knee." Gabriel raised his eyebrows imperiously.

Sam heaved out a sigh and dropped to one knee, pulling a little velvet box from his jacket pocket. Blushing, he opened the box. "Gabriel..." He cleared his throat. Rolled his eyes. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes. Now gimme." Gabe held his hand out, palm up. Sam snorted and deposited the engagement ring into Gabriel's waiting hand, standing back up as he did so.

"This is almost ugly. But still pretty." Gabriel twirled the engagement ring in his fingers, eyeing the rose gold of the band and the way the white diamond glittered in the light reflecting off the snow through the window. He tossed it into the air, then caught it in the palm of his hand before slipping it onto his ring finger. Made a fist and looked at the way it glinted. He grinned, eyes crinkling at the corners. "I love it."

Sam pulled a face. "Good, because you chose it," He leaned down to kiss Gabriel. "And I am not returning it to the jeweler."

Gabriel smirked. "Merry Christmas to me." He wrapped his arms around Sam's shoulders. He stood on his tiptoes and nuzzled Sam's jaw, and kissed him back. "So. " He bumped their noses together. "We're really gonna do this." A beam of light from a passing car flashed through the window and lit them up from the side. He focused intently on Sam's eyes—very green that evening—and looked strangely serious. Sam cupped Gabriel's face in his hands with a soft smile.

"You know I never do anything unless I'm serious about it. Especially not something this expensive." He tucked a strand of hair behind Gabriel's ear. "We're gonna do this." He hooked a knuckle under Gabriel's chin, tilted his face up, and kissed him long and deep. Eventually he let Gabriel pull away for air. Gabriel blinked up at him.

"Okay." Gabriel finally cracked a smile, cheeky and pleased and broad.

Sam settled his hands on Gabe's hips, pulling him to stand closer.

"Good."

...

Marianne stood in the middle of the bath tub and screamed.

"Come on, Annie." Gabriel tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but she swatted him away and screamed louder. Her face grew red and tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Marianne, please!" Gabriel cast around for something distracting, anything, and his eyes landed on a small plastic alien. He grabbed it and held it under the water, squeezing until it filled up, and shook it. "Look, Marianne. An alien. He squirts water!"

She opened her eyes and quieted somewhat, still hiccupping and sobbing but no longer wailing her brains out. She blinked at the chartreuse toy Gabe held. He wiggled it, and squished it so a thin stream of water shot from its mouth and hit her in the chest. She flinched, sniffled, and held out a grabby hand. "What is it?" She wiggled her fingers.

Gabriel grinned. "Well, Annie, it's an alien." He tilted his head. "You know what aliens are?"

She nodded. "Like from outspace!" She held the toy in both hands and stared it in the face.

"Yup!" Gabe bopped her on the nose. "You're a smart one, huh?"

Marianne smiled. "I like aliens." She squished the alien between her hands and shot Gabriel right between the eyes with a burst of warm bathwater.

Gabriel threw his hands out. "Whoa!" He wiped at his face, beaming, and leaned his elbows on the edge of the tub. "You got me! Now." He looked her in the eye. "Are you ready to calm down and take a bath with Mister Alien?" One eyebrow raised. "'Cause Mister Alien doesn't like it when you're dirty, and neither do I."

Marianne chewed on her lip, and slowly lowered herself down to sit in the water. "Okay."

"That's my girl!" Gabriel leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Daddy sure will be happy when he gets home from work to find such a clean little Annie!"

Marianne smiled.

...

Dean's voice could be clearly heard through the phone. "WHAT?!" It crackled, and Sam held the receiver away from his ear with a grimace. Dean went on with an incredulous, "Why the fuck didn't you tell me sooner, bitch?!"

"I'm telling you now, you jerk." Sam cradled the phone between his jaw and shoulder, as he returned to stirring a pot of potato soup (Just because the oven made him uneasy didn't mean he couldn't use the stove.) He fiddled with the stovetop temperature. "You're literally the first person I've told other than Marianne and the goddamn jeweler." He flipped some stray hairs out of his eyes.

Over the line he heard Dean sigh. Then, more muffled, "Cas, you owe me twenty bucks."

"You had a bet going on whether we'd get married?! You asshole!" Sam grinned down at his soup, torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to strangle his older brother through the phone.

"Not 'whether,' you idiot. 'When.' Cas thought it'd take another six months at least and I bet that you'd be married before May."

Sam did laugh, then. "You guys suck." He turned off the burner and set the glass lid on the soup pot to keep the heat in. It clouded up with steam. He covered the receiver to shout, "Marianne! Gabriel! Dinner!"

A set of identical petulant whines trickled from the other room.

"Now!"

Gabe and Marianne appeared in the doorway not five minutes later, wearing matching pouts and smears of paint. Gabe winked at Sam and washed the paint from Marianne's face and hands before nudging her into her booster seat at the table. Sam rolled his eyes. He swiped a spot of paint from Gabriel's nose with his thumb and raised his eyebrow. Gabe shrugged.

"Anyway." Sam returned the phone to his ear, watching Gabriel dole out bowls of soup with a watchful expression. "I've gotta go now. Tell anyone about the wedding and I'll get Meg and Balthazar to pop your tires." He hung up on an indignant squawk from Dean. Smiled down at Gabe.

Gabriel grinned up at him. "Everyone's gonna know by tomorrow morning." He kissed Sam's cheek.

"I'm well aware." Sam snorted. "Always good to get the fear of God into my brother, though." He took a bowl from Gabriel, who let out a bark of laughter, and they made their way to the table together. Sam made sure to drop two ice cubes into Marianne's bowl before continuing. "I'd hoped Castiel would be a good influence on him, but considering they both had bets running... I was obviously wrong to expect anything like that." He rolled his eyes.

Gabriel snorted. "Cassie sure seems like the good one of the family, huh? But no one loves gambling, burgers, and booze more than that weirdo." He shook his head. "Strange kid. Perfect for Dean."

"No kidding." Sam stirred his soup absentmindedly. "Hey, you tell anyone on your side?"

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. He smiled down at his bowl, and licked his spoon. "Yup!" He shot Sam a smirk. "Called Mike. He said he's definitely coming. Luke's on parole, so he overheard and... Well, we're gonna keep an eye on him but he wants to come too." Gabe's mouth twisted. "Anna will be up from LA." His expression softened. "Just got done filming for some little indie piece, she says."

Sam grinned. "That's great! So... Whole family, huh? When's the last time you guys were all together?"

Gabriel snorted. "Like... a decade ago. We haven't all been together since before Luke got arrested." He sighed. "It'll be weird, but I'm hoping it goes well."

"Yeah..." Sam leaned over to kiss Gabe's temple, and Gabriel grinned up at him.

Marianna stuck her tongue out. "Gross!"

They laughed.

...

"I love Daddy!"

Gabriel and Sam both looked at Marianne. A broad grin overtook Sam's face. "Me?" He pointed to himself, sitting on the floor in front of the couch with Gabriel behind him, sprawled on his back across the cushions. Marianne threw herself into Sam's lap.

"Yep! Daddy—" She pointed at Sam. Then to Gabriel. "And Papa!" She moved her hand so her index finger led straight to the dog. "And Itty."

"Yeah?" Sam hugged Marianne tight. She squealed and squirmed out of his arms. She clambered onto the couch to join Gabriel. Gabe wrapped an arm around her, tugging her close against his side. He kissed her forehead, and she giggled.

"We love you too, sugar."

Sam pulled himself to his feet. He knelt on the edge of the couch and nudged Gabriel and Marianne until they moved so that he could bundle them into his arms and lay with them. It was a tight squeeze, but he managed to scoot underneath them both to make more room. (Their combined weight made breathing just a little more difficult. He'd plan their cuddling better next time.) Marianne snuggled close, and Gabriel rested his ear against Sam's chest, listening to the persistent beating of his heart.

"It's nice to have a normal little family like this." Gabriel rubbed Marianne's back thoughtfully. Her eyelids drooped. Beneath them, Sam shifted, and set his hand on the back of Gabriel's head.

"Yeah. You never really had the apple pie life growing up, huh?" He leaned up a little to kiss Gabriel's forehead. "Though, I suppose Michael tried..."

Gabriel watched Marianne fall asleep, and snorted. He raised an eyebrow at Sam. "Yeah, and you saw every moment of that disaster."

"Hey, at least you've got us."

Gabriel nodded. "Yeah. I've got you and Annie, and your perfect family, and Castiel and Anna." He sighed. "And sometimes Mike. Screw Luke." His hand stilled on Marianne's back. He turned his face against the heat of Sam's chest. "Anna's following her dreams, Cas is successful, and I'm happy."

"Hey," Sam stroked Gabriel's hair back from his forehead and planted another kiss on his temple. "I love you, okay?"

Gabriel nodded. "Love you too, Sammich." He closed his eyes. "I think you made sure I didn't end up living alone in a shitty studio apartment with a job as a janitor or something."

"I'm glad I could help." Sam smiled. "We wouldn't want you to be even more of a loser, after all."

Gabriel laughed. "You asshole."

"No swearing."

...

"Boy, you better have a good explanation for not callin' me sooner."

Sam bit his thumbnail, holding back a laugh. He sat on the floor, leaning against Gabriel's knees, with the phone held to his ear. "I was gonna tell you myself. I just figured Dean might as well get the word out before I sent out invites."

"You at least tell your Mama before now?"

Sam smiled. "Of course, Bobby." He tilted his head back. Raised his eyebrows at Gabe. Gabriel smirked and poked his nose. Sam rolled his eyes. "Dad, too. And we sent out the invitations this morning, so soon everyone Dean hasn't told will know."

Bobby huffed on the end of the line. "Well, alright then. I'll be sure to check my mail."

"Okay." Sam grinned wider. "Talk to you later?"

"Don't kid yourself, idjit. You boys never call."

Sam laughed. "Bye, Bobby."

"Bye. Don't let your man spend all the money on cake." The line clicked.

Gabe leaned forward a little, resting his elbows on Sam's shoulders. "What did he say?" He quirked an eyebrow, clearly curious, maybe apprehensive, but generally hopeful. Sam reached up to mess up Gabriel's hair with a roll of his eyes.

"He said not to let you buy an expensive cake." He tilted his head back, and grabbed Gabe's face in his hands, and kissed him upside-down.

Gabriel poked his ear. He sat back up and sighed dramatically. "Well, I make no promises."

Sam snorted.

...

Sam closed his book and set it on the side table, turning his eyes to Gabriel. He bit his lip. "Hey, Gabe." He slid down a little, and moved his pillow to lay on his side and look at Gabe. He frowned. "Lucifer's back in jail, right? You wanna... talk about it?" He reached out and wrapped his fingers around Gabriel's arm.

Gabriel met his eyes. He shrugged, rolling onto his side. "Why would I wanna talk about it?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No reason, I just. I know you... still have some issues with your older brothers. And I just thought maybe you'd wanna talk. You don't have to!" Sam tugged Gabriel closer. "I'm just... here if you need an ear?" He smiled, gently.

Gabriel shook his head. "I'm fine. As far as older brothers... You know Mike never really did much more than raise his voice a little—I mean, he was what... sixteen when our parents died? Raising his younger siblings... I get it. That's a lot for a kid to handle. He just tried to keep us all in line." He clasped Sam's hand between his own, focusing his gaze on their interlaced fingers with a soft, unreadable expression. "And honestly... With Luke? I'm almost glad he's in jail again. I dunno what he did to get arrested but as long as he's locked up... I feel safer. You know?"

"Yeah. He always was... Difficult. But Michael, he never...?" Sam raised his eyebrows. "Because I remember the times you climbed into bed with me at 3 am, crying. With bruises." He frowned. "I mean, we gave you a key 'cause of that. You snuck Cas and Anna into our house multiple times and then hid in my blankets." He tilted Gabe's chin up, pressing his lips to Gabriel's forehead. "Was that really all Lucifer?"

Gabriel jabbed him in the shoulder with one finger. "You know it was, Sam. Mike never laid a hand on us. Swear to God. And I thought I said I didn't wanna talk about it! How do you always do that?" He pulled a face. Crossed his arms when Sam laughed quietly.

"I guess I'm just good at getting you to talk about your feelings." Sam smirked.

Gabriel shook his head and squished in closer against Sam's body so he could take in all of the taller man's warmth and presence. Sam wrapped his arms around Gabriel's body—always ready to act as an anchor.

They lay quietly for a while.

Just as Gabriel was drifting off, however, he heard a soft knock, and the bedroom door creaked open slow and careful. Marianne stood in the doorway pouting fiercely, with a large teddy bear clutched in her little embrace. Itty-bitty stood behind her, protective glint in her eyes.

"What's wrong, sugar?"

Marianne rubbed at her eye. "...Bad dream." She plodded over to the edge of the bed, and Gabriel reached down to haul her up into his arms. He shifted around so she settled between him and Sam, and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin against her soft hair. She sighed shakily, and wrapped small fingers around his wrist. Sam scooted closer, to rest one broad hand on her shoulder.

Itty-bitty jumped up onto the edge of the bed and curled up at their feet with a snuffle. Sam didn't have the heart to push her back off the bed.

...

"Smile!"

Sam glared at the video camera with pursed lips and an armful of flowers. "Really, Dean?" He shoved the flowers onto the table—they were meant to decorate the arbor with but no one had gotten around to actually doing that. He frowned deeper. "I'm kinda busy right now. Trying to make sure everything is ready for my own wedding. Ring any bells?" He crossed his arms.

Dean laughed, steadying the camcorder with one hand, a beer in the other. "Come on, Sammy. Just ignore me. You're great at that!" He winked, and backed away. Stood a little more in the corner—but still nowhere near Itty-bitty—and trained the camera on Sam's face. Sam rolled his eyes, but went about his business taking things out of the fridge, putting other things back in, yelling at Gabriel to get his ass out of bed.

The usual.

Gabe emerged from their bedroom after the third scolding. His hair was disheveled and he looked like he hadn't slept all night. Probably hadn't, actually. He sat on the floor and cuddled Marianne and Itty-bitty for a good twenty minutes until Castiel herded him toward the bathroom at Sam's (irritated and snappy) request.

Sam sighed, sitting at the kitchen table. He raised his eyes to the lens of Dean's camcorder. Smiled, tiredly. Dean grinned back and sat down across from him, and wiggled the cam in his face.

"How're you doing, Sammy? Nervous?" His eyebrows wagged, and his eyes glinted teasingly.

Sam pulled a face. "I am now." He ran a hand back through his hair. "You know, now that everything's ready and people are arriving and I can think—Dean. I'm getting married." He spread his hands out with a baffled expression plastered across his face. Terrified. "To Gabriel."

Dean grinned. "Yeah, gotta say it's a little surprising. I mean, he was the kid who filled your bed with frogs once just 'cause he was bored." He bit his lip, trying not to laugh. "Talk about pulling pigtails. Maybe we shoulda seen this coming, after all!" He leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah." Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. He settled his elbows on the table and let out a little puff of laughter. "Yeah, really. What a jerk. Guess he's my jerk, though."

Dean snorted. He shook his head. "Awww, Samantha, are you gettin' all sentimental? Don't cry on me." He raised his eyebrows.

"Shut up, jerk. If anyone's gonna cry it's probably you." Sam smirked.

Dean shot a half-hearted glare at his little brother. "Bitch, I don't cry! I'm a man!"

"Men can cry. And you do too! You cry like every time you watch a sad movie!" Sam kicked at Dean underneath the table. He was about to say something scathing when he was interrupted by a shout of,

"SAM! Close your eyes!"

Sam frowned, eyebrows pulling together in confusion. "What?" He turned his head, but someone's fingers covered his eyes. He sighed. "Gabe, what are you doing?"

"You can't see me until we're at the altar, dummy!" Gabriel's chuckle sounded close to Sam's ear, accompanied by a little puff of warm breath. "It's the rule!"

Sam smiled. "You're an idiot." He pried Gabriel's hands off of his face, but kept his eyes closed, and tilted his head to kiss Gabriel. He missed his mouth, but at least hit his cheek, so he was satisfied. Gabriel kissed his lips anyway. And Dean made a disgusted noise. Sam flipped him off.

Gabriel disappeared from Sam's side for a moment, then reappeared. He leaned in close to Sam, breath smelling of chocolate and peaches, and whispered, "I'll see you walking down the aisle."

"It's not really an aisle."

Gabriel pressed his lips to Sam's. "Shut up. I'll see you walking down the line of flower petals in the back yard." He pulled away. Sam caught his wrist and pulled him back, eyes still shut tight—if he was anything, he was a suck-up. He hugged Gabriel tightly and let him go. Gabe laughed, and within seconds he pulled away from Sam and, from the sound of it, went out the sliding glass door to the backyard. Sam opened his eyes, a dopey smile on his face.

Dean smirked at him. "Go get dressed, little brother." He waved the camera in the direction of the bathroom.

"Alright." Sam laughed to himself. "Alright! Go make sure Marianne doesn't eat the cake!" He shooed Dean away, and turned toward the bathroom. As he closed the door behind him and slipped out of his shirt he realized Dean had videotaped his and Gabriel's ridiculous conversation and their silly kisses.

Blackmail material.

Sam groaned, and stripped down so he could take a shower.

Gabriel straightened his off-white jacket with a deep breath. He approached his older brothers. Smiled wide and cheerful. "Hey bros." He gave an awkward shrug and shoved his hands into his pockets, biting his lip. Nodded his head to Michael, who would be performing the ceremony for them, and then to Lucifer.

Mike looked down at him, worryingly stern. Then his face broke out into a gentle smile. "Gabriel." He hesitated, before pulling his younger brother into a firm embrace. "I'm sorry for... the past. And I'm happy for you." He kissed the top of Gabriel's head and gave him a squeeze before releasing him. His smile drooped a little. "As awful of a brother as I've been... I'm very happy that you've done so well. And though I'm afraid I'll never really be able to make it up to you, I'm glad to have the chance to marry you off to Sam." His forehead crinkled and his mouth quirked, but then his smile returned full force.

Gabriel's mouth twisted uncertainly. "Mike, I—" He paused. Sighed. "I care about you. You're my big brother. I love you. So... Thank you. For this. For... raising me. Even if it was hard. And you, Luke." He caught Lucifer's eye with a nervous chuckle. "Even if you're a bag of dicks, I love you too." He shrugged, with a cheeky grin. "As long as you don't hit anyone, I think I'm good with you. I think I can... Maybe not forgive you. But I can deal. For now."

"I won't be hurting anyone." Lucifer heaved out a slow breath. "I promise. Won't even yell at Michael unless he burns down your house." He winked. The lightheartedness of such a simple action sent a little chill up Gabriel's spine—he hadn't seen Lucifer joke since... Well, ever. It was a little disconcerting, but a little bolstering. Different, but nice. He wondered if it was an act, or if Luke really had changed. He hoped for the latter, but wouldn't hold his breath.

Gabriel felt himself relax, somewhat. Not completely—he probably never would be able to relax completely around Lucifer or even Michael—but he managed a little. Marianne bumped into the back of his leg. He flinched, then laughed and looked down.

"Hey Annie!" He noted her reaching arms, and beamed, and picked her up. "How are you?"

Marianne giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck with a broad grin, her heels digging into Gabriel's lower back. "I want to carry the flowers!"

"Well that's what flower girls do, don't they?" Lucifer addressed the little girl, but kept his distance, arms crossed behind his back, well-aware that Gabriel didn't really want him anywhere near his daughter. The mild expression on his face and the foot of space between him and Marianne somewhat reassured Gabriel though.

Gabriel nodded his head. "That's right!" He bounced Marianne in his arms and she giggled. She wrapped her arms, soft and a little chubby, around Gabriel's neck loosely, and planted a firm (if wet) kiss on his cheek. He returned it.

Marianne grinned.

"Now," Gabriel murmured against her soft, freshly dyed (turquoise!) hair. "How about you go get your basket of flowers, and you get Daddy, and lead him out here? Hmm?" He squeezed her tight before letting her drop to the ground. She saluted him and ran off squealing. Gabriel watched her make her way into the house with a soft smile.

"She's so sweet." Michael's voice came out quiet and... a little awed, if Gabe were to try and describe it. His black hair glinted sleek and neat in the spring-time sunshine as he bowed his head to look down at his well-oiled shoes. Forehead smooth, standing still with a relaxed posture. Very calm. Gabriel tilted his head at Michael, and reached out to clasp his shoulder with one hand.

"The sweetest."

Beside them, Lucifer snorted. But he agreed.

Sam straightened his soft crystal blue tie—a gift from his father the night before, just for the occasion—right as the sliding glass door opened and the thunder of tiny feet filled the house. He threw open the bathroom door with a big grin. "I hear Annie!" Sure enough, Marianne jumped up into his arms with a shriek, and buried her face in his neck. She giggled. Sam hugged her tight, and then she slithered her way back down to the floor. She narrowly avoided kneeing him in the crotch. "Is everyone waiting for me?"

"Yeah! You're a slowpoke!" She poked his dimples with slightly glitter-dusted hands—sparkles were, after all, one of those things that were ever-present in the house and impossible not to find at some point on someone.

"Well!" Sam straightened up, running a hand through his slightly damp hair. "I guess we should go outside, then?"

Marianne nodded. She stuck one hand out for him to take, white wicker basket full of baby's breath and crocuses still miraculously held tight and intact in her other hand. He let her lead him to the door, and they opened it with a cheer, attracting the attention of almost everyone.

Mary and John Winchester, Dean, Castiel, Balthazar, Crowley, Garth, Bobby Singer, Ellen Harvelle, Sheriff Mills, Meg Masters, Ash and Jo, Anna, Lucifer and Michael, as well as friends like Tilda—every single person they could possibly think of and more, all crammed into the grassy barely blooming backyard, sitting on shitty folding chairs they'd rented for the occasion. All shadowed by strings and strings of flowers swung back and forth between the edge of the roof and the top of the fence. All smiling—some crying already. (Mary and Dean, mostly.) All looking at him except for Gabriel and the pastor (Michael), deep in conversation. But then, Gabriel turned his head.

Sam beamed at him, and Gabriel broke out into a wide grin, spreading out his arms.

"The special guest everyone's been waiting for!"

Sam laughed, and followed Marianne down the little narrow path of flower petals toward the rather makeshift altar.

When Sam came out of the house, Gabriel didn't notice. Not at first. But a sudden hush overcame the yard, and fabric rustled, and Michael's eyes flicked up to focus on an area just over Gabe's shoulder. Gabriel turned his head to see Sam smiling with Marianne's hand in his own, standing tall and proud and happy in a blue-green suit with a sprig of tiny blue flowers in the lapel to match his tie. Gabe felt himself grin broadly, and maybe blush a little. He raised his arms and said something stupid to keep himself from turning into a blubbering mess in front of all of their friends and family, and winked.

Sam rolled his eyes, and laughed—bright and dimpled and adorable—and let Marianne tug him toward Gabriel. The little girl seemed to have forgotten her flowers on the grass and was set on getting one parent to the other.

Gabriel bent down to ruffle her hair when they reached him, and she clung to his leg as he pulled Sam in for a hug and whispered, "You're beautiful."

"Shush." Sam flicked his knuckles, which stung, but Gabe didn't notice.

He couldn't bring himself to really notice anything other than Sam. Which was dorky, and sappy, but goddammit it was true. Gabriel smirked, crooked, and grabbed Sam's hand tight in his, turning together to face Michael and go through the ceremony.

Underneath the smooth sound of Michael's voice, Gabriel could hear the soft sound of someone sniffling but he couldn't tell if it was Dean, Mary, Garth, or Missouri. Probably all four.

Throughout the exchange of vows, Itty-bitty prodded Sam's side with her snout and wagged her tail before settling down between their feet. Marianne still clung to Gabriel's leg. He chuckled as Sam slipped the cold rose gold band onto his finger—right next to the gaudy engagement ring he would most definitely never regret, and almost before Michael had said the words, "You may now kiss," grabbed Sam's face between his palms and stood on tiptoes to press their mouths together. Sam reached his hands up, fingers tangling in Gabriel's hair, holding him close, and Gabriel let his arms slide down to wrap around Sam's shoulders.

A cheer went up, and several people whooped, and began to applaud.

Gabriel thought it was a little silly that they would clap like that, but he smiled against Sam's lips and pulled away. He fastened his fingers in the lapels of Sam's jacket with a dopey grin. Sam's hands settled around his waist. He tilted his head so their foreheads rested against each other. Another small kiss.

Dean whistled, and Gabe raised his middle finger. Sam slapped his hand lightly. They hugged tight and turned to face the small crowd. Sure enough, Dean's face was definitely wet. And of course he held that stupid camera.

Gabriel smirked, with Sam's arm around his waist and their daughter's arms around his calf.

Perfect.

Of course, practically being suffocated when they were mobbed with emotional family members all trying to hug them at once... That was less perfect. But still fun. Gabriel didn't even mind so much when he found himself wrapped up tight in Lucifer's arms. He even hugged back a little before pulling away—a little uncomfortable but still happy—and heading to Anna. Her arms twined around his shoulders and her face pressed against his hair, and Gabriel squished her close. She kissed his cheek and let herself be dragged away by Jo.

Gabriel went around finding loved ones to embrace. Balthazar left him with a wedding gift he would try not to think about until he and Sam were very alone. Kali actually deigned to show affection and hugged him so tightly he got dizzy. Over her shoulder he could see Sam getting the same treatment from Garth.

In the midst of all the emotions and hugging, someone shouted "Isn't there supposed to be dancing!?"

Gabriel turned with a scowl, and sure enough Meg stood with a smug smirk and crossed arms, one eyebrow raised. He glared at her. She waved her fingers delicately at him.

Sam heard Meg shout something about dancing and before he knew it he was trying not to step on his mother's feet, the strains of some silly love song plunking away in the background. Gabriel seemed to be faring better, with one arm around his little sister's waist and the other raised to clasp their hands together. Though both Anna and Gabriel looked embarrassed, faces scarlet.

Sam returned his attention to Mary, and cleared his throat awkwardly.

Mary laughed. "Are you embarrassed, Sammy?" She reached up and tucked a stray curl behind his ear, and squeezed his hands, swaying slowly, head tilted back to meet her son's eyes. Sam shrugged.

"A little." He licked his lips. "You know I can't dance."

Mary grinned and leaned up to kiss his nose. "Neither can I." She let go of his hands as the song dwindled to an end. "Go get your man." She winked.

Sam pulled a face. But he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned around to face Gabriel with a deep breath. He smiled. Gabriel smirked at him as he approached.

"Nervous?" Gabe slid his hands up Sam's arms, and clasped them together behind Sam's neck. Sam nodded. Gabriel chuckled, and said, "Then I probably shouldn't tell you that your Mom hijacked the camcorder." He jerked his head toward the house.

Sure enough, when Sam glanced over his shoulder Mary had the camera trained on them with a big smile and Marianne sitting at her feet. Sam flushed and his fingers tightened at Gabriel's waist.

"Really? Really? Why did Dean bring that damn thing?" He pulled Gabriel closer, breathing in the sweet smell of chocolate and crocuses. Gabriel laughed quiet against his neck, trailing light kisses up his throat and across his jaw and face, and finally pressed his lips to Sam's.

"Because he's a big brother, that's why." Gabriel breathed against Sam's mouth. Sam rolled his eyes, but kissed him back, a little fiercer than necessary—not that Gabe was complaining. He liked Sam's aggressive kisses just as much as the feather-light ones.

Sam nuzzled him. And then realized just what song was playing. "Really, Gabriel? Of all the songs you could have picked you chose one of the worst 80's love ballads to ever be conceived?" But he was grinning wide.

"Hey! This song is great! And it was playing in the ice cream shop when I asked you out!" Gabriel toyed with a strand of Sam's hair, cheeky smirk in place and one eyebrow raised. "And Dean said you love Asia!" He threw out one arm.

"I hate Asia. Dean loves Asia." Sam slid one hand up the back of Gabriel's jacket, rubbing circles against his back through his dress shirt.

"Oh come on! 'Heat of the Moment' is a great song."

Sam's eyebrows lifted in disbelief. "You're ridiculous."

Gabriel laughed. "You love me."

"Yeah." Sam kissed him. "I guess I must."

"Well, kiddo." Gabriel smiled. "I guess I must love you too."

Their rings clinked when they twined their fingers together across their bodies, and that suited the both of them just fine.

The song changed to something swingy, and other pairs of people—couples, siblings, friends—swarmed out into the middle of the yard around Sam and Gabe. Sam was pleased to note that Dean dragged Castiel out into the midst of it all, hands clasped tight. (Gabriel was more aware of the fact that Anna, blushing furiously, had Jo Harvelle's arms wrapped around her waist. Gabe was gonna tease her to the ends of the earth.)

On the porch, Mary Winchester took John's hand in her own, still holding Dean's camcorder, and smiled. Marianne clung to her ankle. Mary was very proud of her boys.

Michael, a few feet away, was also very proud of his little brothers and sister. (And yes, that included Lucifer.) He watched Gabriel show Sam how to do the right steps, subdued grin on his face, sipping at sparkling apple cider.

Proud didn't even begin to cover it.