Hey! Thanks for reading. If you're new, welcome! If you've been following, hope you enjoy this new chapter! Sorry you have to wait long... Been busy Senior year.
"... And so they're going to the beach. Tomorrow." Sam mumbled, looking at Gabe and shrugging. "And I mean, I'll just be there. There'll be Charlie too but it's not like I talk to her."
Gabe nodded his head, eyes closed. "Tomorrow huh. I mean, it'll be cool. It was supposed to be Cas and I only working but I guess I can let it slide. Everyone else is busy. Or... Something."
Sam blinked, and he had to admit, his heart sank a little when he heard that Gabe was supposed to work. There goes having someone to talk to. "Um... I was going to invite you... But never mind..."
"Sorry kiddo. If I could I would. But I'm the only one in shop."
"No... No it's okay Gabe. Really."
Anna's head popped out of the back, picking up on the conversation and walking out. "Gabe, go ahead." She said to her brother, wiping her hands with a towel and shrugging. "You deserve it. Really. Go ahead, just close the bakery tomorrow."
"Are you sure?" Gabriel responded, turning his attention to his sister. "I don't want to like.. You know."
"Gabriel you're not being a burden please. You've been here almost everyday for the past month. Take a day off. My pleasure to give you one."
"Anna-"
"-Gabriel Novak, take a day off or I will lock the door to the bakery. Even though you want to work, you need to have fun." Anna said, grinning innocently at Gabriel, as Sam and Gabe both looked at her, eyes wide open in surprise at her sudden aggressiveness.
"Okay. Okay! I'll go." Gabriel huffed, looking away from Anna, and Sam sat there with an expanding grin on his face. Even though he couldn't stand Cas and Dean together, at least Gabriel was going to be there.
And when he got up the next morning, that's the first thing he thought about, grinning to himself during breakfast as Dean walked in with a yawn. "Somebody's cheery. Wow Sammy I've really never seen you this... Giddy before."
"So?" Sam asked, blinking over at his brother. "Really, so?"
"Nothing. It's just nice to see you so happy." Dean responded, turned towards the cupboard getting something to eat. "You're not this way often." And as he came back to the table he rustled Sam's hair as he passed, Sam leaning in to the touch of Dean's hand. He was happy already, this just made the sun shine brighter.
That is until they piled into the car. Cas took over the front, and Sam was jammed in the back between Gabriel and Charlie. Not that he didn't like the two, but he really just wanted to be next to his brother, and besides Dean there wasn't anyone be for him to look at in that certain way. Gabe took many glances over at Sam, not saying anything to him but reading his instability and constantly elbowing him even though he got no response from the younger boy next to him who was staring out the window.
Everybody got out of the car, and as Charlie, Dean and Cas walked excited to the beach, Gabriel walked slower to stay at the pace of the Sam, who seemed to be sulking slightly.
"Hey, what's up?" He finally got out to ask, as Sam looked at him like he had two heads. "You look... As if you're sulking."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Gabriel I'm fine. So if you excuse..." He trailed off, looking up to see Dean laugh and splash Cas, who was grinning and getting ready to splash back.
"... So you say you're not." Gabriel mentioned, getting Sam's attention again, him glaring. "Alright, I won't let you talk about it. Loosen up." And with no response he muttered "... Please?"
"Can't you just let me sulk?" Sam snapped back, but then sighing and shaking his head. "I'm sorry Gabriel, I didn't mean-" he got to, as Gabriel already had started to drag him to the water. "-what are you doing."
"What does it look like I'm doing. Im dragging your ass to the water." Gabriel responded with a huff. "I didn't let Anna force me here for nothing."
"Okay... Okay fine." Sam huffed, swatting at Gabriel. "But I have legs. Let me walk. Please."
Gabriel paused to think but then responding, "No. I'm entitled to drag you. Come on." As Sam rolled his eyes and looked over, getting a weird look from Charlie who was watching the two as she was sitting to the side and reading Harry Potter. He shook his head and closed his eyes, until his feet hit the ice cold water and opened his eyes to getting splashed in the face.
"Hey..." He sputtered, glaring at Gabe. "That was not fair. I wasn't ready."
"Then get ready, because I'm not gonna stop till there's a smile on your face." Gabriel ensured, splashing a whole bunch of water back at Sam, to which Sam retaliated.
"You're annoying. You know that?"
"I know Sam. That's what makes me interesting." Gabe returned, and eventually succeeded in his goal of getting Sam to smile again.
Once Sam got tired of the water, he got up and plopped next to Charlie on a towel, since all their stuff was over there and he had no motivation to move to another place. He laid back into the silence and closed his eyes, sprawled out on the towel and enjoying the silence. Until...
"Are you two dating?"
"What?" His eyes shot open, and Sam looked over to Charlie, who was staring back at him, thumb in her book.
"Are you two dating." She repeated, not moving her eyes from Sam as she put down her book.
"N-no!" Sam sputtered out, half freaking out, but blushing because he was so flustered by the question. "We're not, I swear. He's nothing but a friend."
Charlie's eyes narrowed. "Uh huh..." She muttered, going back to her book. As she did Sam piped up, sitting upright. "Are Dean and Cas... Dating?"
"Nah. Just friends. Dean's the first person Cas has liked in a long time and..." Charlie trailed off before adding, "I think Cas likes him like that. It's just good to see him close to anyone but you know, the rest of the Novaks."
"... Right."
"Doesn't Dean tell you anything?"
"... Not with relationships. I'd rather not know. It's... Complicated." Sam mentioned, realizing that Charlie tuned out and had her nose buried in her book. He sighed, watching Dean and Cas again, with the words 'I think Cas likes him like that." In his head for the time until dinner, with his attention to Gabe to get his mind off things.
For dinner they all sat in a circle, the five of them huddled around a box of pizza they ordered, all quickly taking pieces and putting it in their mouths, so there was no time for the food to get cold.
"So... What are we doing after this?" Charlie questioned, clearing her throat after she swallowed. "I mean, I'm open to anything but remember, I have a curfew."
"Movie?" Dean perked up. "If it's okay with you all. We could go to my place. Then I can drive you all home?"
"Sounds good to me." Cas responded, as Gabriel shook his head.
"I think I'm gonna go home, if that's okay." Gabe said lightly. "I'm a bit tired from earlier. Been a while since I've gone out with people."
Sam looked over to Gabe and huffed a bit in disappointment. He didn't want to be alone with his brother and the new friends that he barely knew. "... Gabe can I talk to you?" He mentioned softly.
Reading Sam's uneasiness, Gabe nodded. "Hey guys hang on a second." He mentioned, getting up and pulling on Sam's arm. "We'll be back."
"Okay." Dean said, and all three pairs of eyes watched the two walk away.
"Are you okay?" Gabe questioned softly, once they got a safe distance away from everyone else and the conversation was turned away from them.
"Yeah... Fine." Sam started out lying, but quickly switching to "No, not really."
"What's wrong?"
"I... I don't want to be stuck with all them without you." Sam admitted. "I mean... I like them but..."
"No Sam. All day, you've been in this mood. What-"
"-it's... It's nothing." Sam finished, turning to walk away. "Never mind Gabe."
"Hey- I'm not done with you." Gabriel snapped, catching Sam's arm. "You won't tell me? Okay. Spend the night?" He suggested, cocking his head.
"What?"
"My house. Spend the night. You said you can't handle them alone right? Come on Sam. It's the only other option, because I'm not riding to your house and waiting, hey, beats going there with people you won't be able to handle."
"Really? You'll let me come over?"
Gabriel chuckled. "Of course. I told you at the bakery, you're always welcome. Can even spend the night of you don't wanna come home."
"... Right. I guess I'll do that." Sam smiled. "Thanks Gabe. I owe you."
"Kiddo, you don't owe me anything." Gabriel grinned, rustling Sam's hair as he turned and walked back to the group. "Just helping a friend."
"We ready?" Dean questioned, when everybody was back in the circle.
"Readier than ever." Gabe responded, as everyone got up. "Oh uh, Sam's gonna hang out with me more. My house."
That caused Charlie to whisper something to Cas as he chuckled after she did. "Yeah that's fine." Dean said, Sam sighed in relief.
They all walked to the car, following the other closely, without a single beat of silence between all of them, and when they piled into the car the conversations continued until they reached the house of the Novaks.
"Hoppin out!" Gabriel responded, stepping out of the car, Sam following behind.
"Sam be safe." Dean lectured, "don't do anything I wouldn't do an- how are you getting home?"
"Tomorrow morning. Gabe will bring me. Kay? Bye!" Sam said back quickly, slamming the door as all other eyes looked out in confusion.
"That a bit suspicious to you?" Charlie asked as the two that left approached the huge door.
"Pretty much." Cas snickered.
Dean pulled out of the driveway as the two started coming up with theories. "Be quiet you two. Stop assuming." He huffed, even though he was suspicious like the two companions, and Gabe and Sam walked into the huge door.
