Next chapter of the Sabriel dog shelter AU requested from tumblr(: I'll have the first three chapters up pretty quick because they are already written, I'm currently writing the fourth. As always, feedback is greatly encouraged and appreciated, enjoy!


Starbucks

Gabriel woke up to his Jack Russell licking his nose. He tried to ignore her and go back to sleep but it was useless. Cassie was persistent on waking him up extra early every single day before work just so she can follow him around the house as he gets ready in the morning, scratching his legs, nipping at his ankles, whining for attention while he takes a shower...

"No! How many times have I told you to stop doing that?" He sighed and picked up the dog from his chest, dropping her on the bed beside him, which just made her think he was trying to play. She wagged her tail and pounced back on his chest when he pulled the covers over his face. Gabriel groaned in annoyance, there was no way he was falling back asleep now.

"Cassie! Couldn't you at least give me ten minutes extra sleep before work? I'm going to be sleep deprived and its all your fault." He pushed the covers off and turned off his alarm before it as even able to go off. Just like every morning. He really had no use of the thing when he had an attention whore for a dog. He rolled out of bed and walked tiredly to the bathroom, Cassie jumping at his legs. His routine never changed. Cassie wakes him up, he rolls out of bed before his alarm, takes a shower, brushes his teeth, gets dressed, goes to work. He doesn't even have time for breakfast most the time. He just stops at Starbucks on the way for coffee but that's about it. It didn't help that he didn't sleep much last night. He felt like a teenage girl thinking about her first crush. Except this was ten times worse. He probably looked like hell because he surely felt like it. Today was a double shift again so he'd have to stay to lock up. Yup, he needed the coffee.

Gabriel walked into the Starbucks two blocks away from the shelter, his collar up against the wind and hands shoved into his pockets. Great... Christmas would be here soon and he still only had Cassie to keep him company. As much as family reunions suck, he'd take that any day over being alone. He walked up to the counter and the cashier smiled at him, already expecting him and having his order ready. He's known Ellen since high school and she was one of the only friends he had left that actually stayed and hung around the small town they were all trying to escape from when they were kids. Everyone else got their wish, Gabe and Ellen were left behind. Ellen's story wasn't much different from Gabe's. She had gone to college to be something much greater than a cashier at the local Starbucks, but there was a family emergency and she got stuck with her brother's daughter, Johanna. She never talked much about her brother, just that he was in jail and his bad decisions brought a beautiful and intelligent young girl into her life. Someone to live for, y'know? Gabe wished he had that.

"I don't know whether I should be flattered or-"

"Just take your coffee, Gabe." Ellen said with a smile. Gabriel rolled his eyes and paid her before sitting up on the counter. It was too early for many customers and the workers were used to him being around every morning. His feet hung over the edge of the counter, swingy slowly as he picked up his coffee and took a sip, Ellen already going into her new exciting experience from the night before. That's when he saw him. Of course... Of course Sam would be at the same exact Starbucks he goes to every morning of his life. Gabe froze, legs no longer swinging and coffee cup halfway to his lips. He didn't know why this bothered him so much, but he was hoping he hadn't been seen yet.

"What's up with you?" Ellen asked, cutting off in mid sentence from her story when she saw Gabe's cheeks turn bright red. She was leaning her elbows on the counter, chin resting in her hands, looking up a him confusingly but definitely interested. Great, this was sure going to start something. Always did. But there was no way he could word his way out of it now. Ellen knew him too well for that.

"See that guy in corner over there? Well, I met him yesterday. His name is Sam and... Well, look a him." He said quietly. One of Ellen's favorite things in the world, all the way back from when they were in high school, was always trying to hook Gabe up. Of course, Gabriel never needed her help before, but now he's lost his touch and Sam's utterly gorgeous. Ellen's smile grew to her ears and she playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"He's hot. If you don't make your move soon I get dibs." Gabriel rolled his eyes but his cheeks darkened and he couldn't help the smile from spreading across his face. Ellen noticed the smile and the blush and stepped back a little, covering her mouth and laughing lightly, eyebrows raised humorously. "You really like this guy, huh?" She asked and Gabe couldn't hide the smile this time. Sadly, this was new for Gabe. He's never been in a relationship for more than a week at best, or even wanted one for that matter. Of course Ellen found it weird that Gabe was blushing because he was usually the one who made other people blush. He was always the witty and sarcastic flirt that hooked up with someone for one night after meeting them at the local bar. Not much of a life, he really never put much thought into it before. He had Cassie, a best friend, an apartment, and a steady job. Not saying he was extremely happy, but he wasn't depressed either. He wasn't exactly lonely either, just kind of wanted more company sometimes. Ellen simply winked at him before turning him around by his shoulders and pushing him towards Sam's direction, making sure to cause a scene just like old times... He couldn't say he missed that.

"Hey, Sam!" She shouted, trying to make her voice sound like Gabe's but failing miserably and just laughing it off as Sam looked up from his laptop and smiled humorously. Gabe's cheeks were definitely the color of a lobster now... He turned around and glared at Ellen before picking up his coffee and sliding off the countertop, making his way over to Sam's table. The sun coming through the window made his hair look almost golden and Gabe had to remember to breathe as he sat down awkwardly across from him, Ellen whistling flirtatiously from the counter.

"Your friend?" Sam asked, looking back down at the laptop and typing extremely fast without even looking like he was concentrating too hard on it. It was an older model PC, but it sure looked like it had good use to it as Sam didn't miss a beat in his typing. There was a large sticker of a blue-flamed design on it and Gabe thought it suited Sam pretty well and then questioned why he would think that after only knowing the guy one day. He felt awkward and tried to remember how to talk when he heard Ellen shout from the counter sarcastically. Always the savior... In her own way of course.

"Sadly, yes." She said, answering Sam's prior question to Gabriel. Sam lifted his eyes and smirked at her, shaking his head as his laughed lightly to himself. Damn was his laugh cute. His nose scrunched slightly, dimples cutting into his cheeks, eyes squinted, and a smile so large it could turn a room full of depression happy. Gabe realized that he was staring again and took another sip of his coffee, playing at the paper wrapper nervously and wondering why Sam made him so insecure when he was usually the one calling the shots.

"Didn't expect to see you here." He said casually and Sam looked up from his laptop to take a sip of his coffee, smiling softly.

"Glad you did?" Sam asked playfully, smile warm and eyebrows raised. Gabriel had to look away to keep from blushing. He didn't know how to respond. Be too obvious or play it off? Overly confident of carful?

"Of course." He blurted and cursed himself internally at the bad decision the second the words left his lips. Sam laughed lightly and closed up his laptop, standing up from his seat and picking up his coffee with his other hand.

"So, I'll see you at the shelter, right?" Sam asked as Gabe was taking a sip of his coffee. He set the cup back down on the table and relaxed back in the chair, having to arch his neck back in order to see Sam's face. He wasn't sure if he loved the height difference or hated it. He was sure he'd come to love it with time though... At least, he hoped. Oh the things he- Ellen coughed from the counter and Gabe realized he was staring once again. He really needs to stop doing that before he scares Sam away. Sam was still smiling though, a laugh dancing on his lips as Gabriel blushed deep scarlet.

"Yeah, yeah! Right... The shelter, where I work." Gabriel felt like punching a wall as he started rambling like a brain dead idiot. Either that or a teenage girl. Neither suited him well.

"Damn you're cute." Sam breathed before turning away, waving to Ellen, who was staring at him wordlessly, and walking out the door. Gabe blinked a couple of times to make sure he was awake and watched as a huge smile slowly started to spread across Ellen's face. He walked over to her and jumped up onto the counter, leaving his coffee at the table without thinking. He's always hated the adjective cute, but for some reason he really liked the way Sam said it. Yup, definitely hitting dangerous teenage girl altitudes... He was soon to crash. Hard.

"Looks to me like my dibs isn't gonna be worth anything in a couple days. Maybe even one night. Who knows." Ellen said, winking and pushing into Gabe's shoulder playfully. Gabe smiled and pushed back. It's been so long since they were like this. Now it just seemed like they were back in high school again, gleaming over the new guy. Maybe this Christmas wouldn't be so bad.

Gabe made his way into the shelter, the regular sound of dogs barking and kids dragging their parents around yelling that they wanted the 'cute one'. He may be a tad late... But his boss never really seemed to notice so he quickly snapped his name tag on and slid behind the front desk. There was an agitated family walking up to him, a small boy tugging on his mom's skirt and whining please about a thousand times in a row without stopping for air.Kid's got talent, Gabriel thought, rolling his eyes, This will be delightful... The father was the first one to the counter. Black business suit, nice tie, look of why the hell am I here and not at that eight o' clock meeting plastered on his face along with many wrinkles and gray hair. Most likely caused by stress. The mother was talking on the phone while trying to detach her son's hands from her skirt.

"Sir, how much for the lab puppy? He's right over the in the kennel next Gabriel zoned out once he saw Sam walk in with an old toolbox at his side, he had taken off his thick tan jacket and was wearing a long sleeve plaid shirt, different shades of purple which undoubtably looked extremely nice on him, his sleeves rolled up to reveal his muscular arms even though it was cold as hell outside. Is he dong this on purpose? Gabe wasn't even going to begin about his jeans... Sam winked at Gabe, who smiled but turned back to the tired family in front of him when Sam raised his eyebrows disapprovingly and cocked his head in the direction of the customers.

"-So, the pup?" The guy finished and the color suddenly drained from Gabriel's face. He had totally missed that whole conversation. He heard Sam laugh lightly as he rounded the corner, face apologetic as he turned to face the family.

"Sorry, totally my fault. This one was too busy watching me walk in." Sam said teasingly as he started walking backwards towards the kennels, eyes still on the gray-haired man. Gabriel froze and smiled awkwardly at the family, scanning his mind for any useful thoughts that could help him right about now. That was flirting... That was definitely flirting. The rest of the day went on mostly the same way. He's had families repeat themselves for him about ten different times and each time was when Sam was in the front room, only in a tank top now, working on the lights. He didn't even need a ladder, he could reach just fine. Every time he noticed Gabe staring he'd just make everything much, much, worse. He'd usually just wink at him or occasionally smile one of his absolutely perfect smiles that was contagious to everyone around him. Especially Gabe.

It was finally after-hours and Gabe no longer had to bullshit his way through customers and dog owners. Sam had stayed the whole day, taking off for a lunch break of course, but Gabriel was amazed that he stayed throughout the double shift. He was cleaning up his tools and walking out the door to put them back in his car. Nice car. Real nice. Gabriel tried not to think about him and leaned back in his chair, running a hand anxiously through his hair and sighing. He was going to have to get used to this. Soon. Sam walked back inside, in the middle of pulling on his plaid shirt, shivering slightly.

"Damn it's gotten cold out there." He said as he managed to get the sleeves over his arms, leaving it unbuttoned. Gabe smirked and stood up, walking around his desk to lean against the front. Sam was only a few feet away and it made Gabe want to either run away from everything, suddenly grow a turtle shell, or push him against a wall and kiss him. He was just starting to think the second one was a good idea when Sam grabbed his small waist and brought him into a kiss. Gabe was shocked at first and forgot what to do, but Sam's lips were warm and everything Gabe had imagined them to be as he finally came to his senses and reached up on his toes to curl his arms around the base of Sam's neck, bringing him down closer. Even on his toes he wasn't tall enough, but he smiled against Sam's lips at the thought. It was all over too quickly and Gabe wished he could rewind that moment a thousand times and play it over again a thousand more. But Sam had pulled back, forehead rested against Gabe's, arms still wrapped tightly around his waist and holding his small body against his chest.

"Sorry, gotta run. See you tomorrow?" Gabe was searching Sam's eyes back and forth and still couldn't find any trace that he was lying and would actually stay the night. But Gabe didn't feel like pushing him, he'd just end up losing him like he always ended up losing everyone else. He had to be careful with Sam. It wasn't because he was tall, or because he was gorgeous, or because his lips felt so great against Gabe's. It was because of the way he smiled, the way he laughed and the way he talked. It was every small aspect about him that Gabe has been able to pick up in the past two days of just being around him. He'd never met anyone so happy, so light spirited, so nice. Gabe never has any luck with the nice guys. Ever. He is too witty for that. Well he was.

"Of course." Gabe breathed before Sam kissed him once more and pulled away for good, leaving Gabe to roll back onto the balls of his feet and lean against the front desk like he always does, hands in his pockets and legs slightly more wobbly than before. Sam smiled at him, moving his long hair out of his eyes before saying goodbye and walking into the cold. Gabe watched him until he was in the Chevy Impala and driving away. He stood there in shock for a while, still able to feel Sam's lips on his and wondering how the hell this happened, before gathering his stuff and locking up just like he does every night. He always had the same boring routine, everyday of his boring and unimportant life. Nothing ever changed, nothing ever happened. Now something was. Sam was. And maybe he finally had something here. Finally had some kind of change. He couldn't help hoping.