At first Sam frowned, stepping out to see no one there and took a few more steps when he saw the shadow looming across the front garden. A short man was peering around the house, standing on the tips of his toes to look over the fence.
"Can I help you?" Sam asked, tucking his hair behind his ear and squinted gently as the sun almost blinded him. The stranger turned, taking a few steps towards Sam till he was finally close enough for Sam to take in his features.
"Uhh yeah this is Novaks right?" The golden haired stranger asked. He was small, skin kissed with sun and his eyes a similar warm brown. He oozed of bronze and a few lifestyle, stubbly jaw and a green almost hippy looking shirt on.
"Uncle Gabe!" Claire's voice rang out and the girl pushed past Sam. The man laughed richly, opening his arms out to the girl who hugged him in return. Claire was only a kid still but the man – Gabe – seemed to only be a couple inches taller than her at most. "Sam this is Gabe. Uncle Gabe this is Sam." Sam came down the last couple of steps to stand on even floor with the man.
"Oh Dean's brother right?"
"You've met Dean?" Sam asked curiously, wondering why his brother never mentioned this estranged man.
"Briefly but – I think I pissed him off a lot." He laughed again, finally letting the girl with a ruffle of her long blonde hair. "Yeah apparently calling him a pretty boy did not work in my favor." He smirked and Sam couldn't help but snort. "Well he does make a pretty little house wife for my younger brother." Claire snorted before climbing back up the steps and inside. "Guess this is where I take over the babysitting right?" He gave Sam a small clap on the upper arm since that seemed to be the highest he could reach.
"Guess so. I'll just get my bag and go then." The two went back in the steps and inside. "Claire says you live in France?" Sam asked curiously, the man seemed too much of a free spirit to be related to Michael – who was a stick in the mud, and Cas who – was not that much different really.
"Um yeah. Lived out there for a couple years and do backpacking. Thinking of moving back here for the summer though but – I dunno guess we'll see."
"Wow you seem pretty impulsive." Sam huffed, not meaning offense but – how many people were there who ran around the world like they were in their young twenties? Not many that Sam could think of.
"Nothing wrong with impulsive I say. Can't have too many Cas's runnin about. I learnt French in school I might as well say I've had the chance to use it."
"Touche." Sam returned, not making way to the door despite bag in hand. "And how bout Latin has that come in to favour for you?" It was no lie that the Novaks were a pretty nutty and religious family. The names were enough to go by – but Castiel had often told them how they knew Latin. Sam knew it but only through a college course and a general interest. Gabe laughed softly at his question.
"You know our family. Hope Cas has been saying nice things about me." He winked, helping himself to sit where Claire once occupied.
"Truth be told, I've never heard of you till today." He smirked but noticed that the amusement did not carry on to Gabes face. "I should get going." Sam cleared his throat and busied himself with his bag now.
"Alright. Well nice meeting you, I see what Dean was bragging about now."
"Excuse me?" Sam asked with a small frown, it was no lie that Dean bragged about Sam. But hearing it come from a practical stranger was nothing he wanted to get used to.
"Hot shot lawyer."
"And you got that from a briefcase and a flashy suit?"
"All I need to know." Gabriel quirked with a smirk, a glint of mischief in his eye. "Although I will admit you're a lot better looking than he led me to believe." Sam scoffed in disbelief. "What you don't agree?"
"It's not every day a brother-in-law flirts with you." He smirked and Gabriel shrugged.
"Just enjoying the view. Don't worry I ain't proposing, not yet anyway."
"Goodbye Gabriel." Sam was shaking his head, a small smirk on his lips as he offered his hand to the man. Gabe hesitated before taking it and shaking softly.
"Call me Gabe, Handsome."
"Not a chance." Once more the blonde was laughing as Sam made his way to the door, ignoring the warm blush on his skin as he got in his car and began to return home. Once back he fed Duke, his collie and took him for a walk. Dean called when he got back like he always did and they arranged for breakfast the next morning. It was a nice routine for the boys, even though they had their own lives and for Dean – his own family, they were still brothers. They talked for about half an hour before finally Sam said goodnight and headed off to bed. He fell asleep pretty quick, not thinking much of anything as he finally drifted off, Duke occupying the space beside him.
