Title: Thinking of You and Me
Author: OpheliacAngel
Pairing: Gabriel/Dean
Genre: Romance/Family
Rating: Teen
Summary: Dean knows what he wants for Christmas this year.
A/N: Just wanted to write some fluffy Christmas debriel. It's kinda late but whatever.
Gabriel's tree may be over decorated and look like it was put together all in a manner of five minutes time, but there's something beautiful about it that takes Dean's breath away; that and the fact that Gabriel thought about doing this for them and went through with it.
The archangel turns around and smiles at him, as he's putting yet another ornament on the huge tree leaning slightly towards him. "Hey, kiddo. Hunt go well?"
Dean clears his throat and draws his gaze away from both Gabriel and the tree, "Yeah, went fine."
"Good," Gabriel turns away then, choosing to let Dean go for the moment. Dean almost sighs in relief, he hates it when he's under Gabriel's scrutinizing gaze, even more so when he recognizes that it's not a glare but more like a concerned look. The truth is, Dean's glad that Gabriel's around for the holidays this year; usually he and Sammy skip them, either cause they don't have time or forget entirely because one of them is dead or gone. As far as Dean's concerned, Christmas is a holiday meant for celebrating, and Dean doesn't have much to celebrate other than Sammy being at his side.
Gabriel being here though, there's something great and comforting about it that Dean can't explain. He sets Dean at ease, and he makes Dean think about what he really wants out of life.
Because if Gabriel could be anyone's, Dean would want the archangel to be his.
Dean's stomach suddenly growls and he heads into the kitchen, immediately spellbound by the huge table and all it's covered with, even more amazed by the overflowed two refrigerators.
"Seems like you made enough to feed an army."
"Yeah, well," Gabriel shrugs, but it's almost like he's hiding something, which is typical anyway, "just want to make sure you two mutton-heads get enough to fill your over-sized stomachs with." Dean shares a glance with Sam, who shakes his head in amusement and flips the TV on. Sam keeps on pushing him lately, ducking out of conversations shared between his brother and Gabriel, pretending he's not there when they're within a few feet of one another. It's weird, and Dean's fairly sure Sam's up to something no good, but he leaves it alone.
If Gabriel wanted him, wanted either of them, he would have made it known already.
He grabs a tray of buffalo wings and a beer and scoots out of the kitchen before it gets even more awkward. He's been hanging out in his room a lot lately when he isn't hunting, in fact, he's been doing the latter so obsessively lately that Sam's been begging him to slow down and stay at home a little more. He can't help it though, just because he likes Gabriel around doesn't mean he wants to be near him all the time. It's uncomfortable to be around the guy when he knows his feelings will never be reciprocated, and the archangel only makes it harder by going out of his way to do things for them.
There's only so much Dean can take, and Gabriel could know too much already.
Dean eats and sleeps in his room, which Gabriel occasionally hangs out in as well, despite his uneasy protests, but he only feels more tired when he wakes up again. He rubs his eyes and tries to ignore his sore throat, but looking over and seeing Gabriel not two feet away, arms crossed and face serious, sets him on edge and he reels, almost toppling off the bed. He rights himself and tries to clear his throat in embarrassment, but only ends up coughing.
"You sick or something?"
"No," Dean rasps out against his own will, "why?"
"Dean, no one goes to bed at three in the afternoon." It's rare that Gabriel calls him that, usually it's just random pet names, and as much as it makes Dean uncomfortable, he also likes Gabriel saying his name and wouldn't mind if he said it more. It's yet another thing that he can't ask for or express, and he half wants to strangle Gabriel and half wants to thank him for stalking him to no end as of late. He doesn't know how much more of this being alone he can take.
Then again, he must have just decided the tree was finally done, and Sam's most likely too boring to hang out with. Not that Dean thinks he's better company or anything, not lately he isn't.
He yawns, ready to go back to bed, "What time is it?"
"Six-thirty, it's almost dark. I was just getting ready to plug in the lights," he says excitedly, though trying to tone it down a bit. "Sam's already downstairs waiting."
"Couldn't you have knocked?"
"Nah. What's the point?"
Dean shakes his head in amazement when considering his current lifestyle, but he trudges downstairs with Gabriel anyway. The tree seems taller and wider than the last time he saw it, not to mention infinitely more decorated, but it could be all in Dean's head because he's tired and out of it. The archangel waits as long as he can before plugging the cord into the wall, until total darkness descends upon them, supposedly desiring the full effect. Dean crosses his arms in a pathetic excuse for defense and waits, ignoring Sam looking at him. "Dean...?"
"I'm fine, Sammy. Jus' tired is all."
Sam nods, leaving him alone, and Gabriel's gaze lingers on him for a moment too long before reaching down. Seconds later, the tree seems to explode right before them, lights of every color and every hue of every color lighting up the entire living room and - Dean would imagine - most of the neighborhood. His mouth drops open at the beauty of it, every light sparkling and no inch of the tree left untouched, and doesn't close again until Gabriel pushes a tray of gingerbread cookies into his chest.
Dean looks down at the frosted cookies and takes one.
"Merry Christmas, Dean."
He must say it to Sam afterward too, there's no way he wouldn't have.
Gabriel's kiss, however, is for Dean and Dean alone. The human doesn't doubt that for a second as he kisses back and wraps his open arms around his archangel. Making out underneath the massive tree for the remainder of the night, its magnificent glow seeming to outline the presence of Gabriel's wings as they hover over them both, might just be the highlight of his life.
FIN