Sam

Sam was rudely awakened from his nap on the couch - his legs hanging off at awkward angles from one armrest - by a banging on his door. He had a moment of confusion as he roused himself from sleep. After his finals, he decided to catch up on some sleep while Mary napped. Oh right. Dean. He looked around his apartment, toys scattered everywhere across the floor. Crap. Sam had intended to pick up a little bit; he didn't need Dean thinking he was some sort of slob. For all of the grease and grime Dean got covered in on a daily basis at the garage, he was a closet neat-freak. His apartment was always immaculate, like, eat-off-the-floors type of clean. Well, too late to clean now. Sam swung his legs off the couch and opened the door.

"Sammy!" Dean boomed as he swaggered in. He cast an eye around the apartment. "Not bad! I'd say this might even be a bit better than your old place!" He dropped his duffle bag and pulled Sam into a hug. "I've missed you, little bro."

Sam resisted the urge to tell Dean that he was not, in fact, little. Instead, he tightened the hug and said, "I've missed you too, Dean." It felt good to have his big brother here. Reassuring and safe. Dean had always looked out for Sam, and it was nice to be able to let his guard down a bit and let Dean watch out for him - not that Sam would ever admit to it.

Wailing started from the bedroom. "Looks like we woke Mary up," Sam said with a half smile. He went to pick her up out of her crib. She blinked blearily at him, one side of her face red with lines from where she slept with her cheek smushed into the mattress. "Yeah, I know, it sucks to be woken up in the middle of a nap, doesn't it?" Sam said softly. "Uncle Dean is here. Wanna say hi?" Sam carried her out to the living room. Immediately, Dean took her from Sam and scooped her up.

"How's my favorite little tyke? You've gotten big! Got some of your dear ol' dad's genes, huh?"

Mary looked at Dean somewhat blankly, as if trying to place where she knew him from. Evidently she remembered, because she gave a toothy smile.

"That's my girl," Dean returned her grin and began to tickle her sides. Mary shrieked with laughter and squirmed until Dean put her down.

"Hey, you guys eat yet?" Dean asked, "I can take you out somewhere. My treat. We can take a stroll downtown too. I gotta stretch my legs after being in Baby for two days." Dean stretched with his arms over his head for effect.

"Free food for the poor college student? You won't hear any complaints from me." Sam chuckled as he grabbed his wallet and Mary's diaper bag. "I have to drop Mary off with Jess first, ok?"

After moving Mary's carseat to the Impala (Dean said there was no way they were riding in Sam's RAV4 when he had Baby as an option), dropping of Mary at Jess's dorm, and finally finding parking, they were walking downtown. It was Saturday, but there actually weren't that many students out walking - most of them had shipped out for home the moment their exams were finished.

Dean whistled as he walked with his hands in his pockets of his jacket. Several college-age girls ogled him, and he gave them a charming (if a bit wolfish) smile.

Sam rolled his eyes. "I can't take you anywhere, you know that?"

"C'mon Sammy, lighten up! You gotta get some action sometime, right?"

Sam stayed silent, his stomach twisting uncomfortably. He never understood how Dean could feel comfortable sharing his body with a stranger. Even just imagining someone he didn't know intimately touching him made Sam tense with revulsion.

Dean didn't seem perturbed by Sam's lack of response, however. "Hey, you feeling like sushi? Burgers? One of your girly salads?"

"Doesn't matter," Sam shoved his unpleasant thoughts of one-night-stands aside.

Sam was vaguely aware that they were approaching Expressoself! and couldn't help but feel a twinge of longing.

As if reading his mind, Dean said, "Hey, coffee here good? I could use some. I ended up driving through most of the night."

Sam nodded weakly and made some affirmative noise. He sometimes felt caught up in the whirlwind that was Dean: unstoppable, single-minded energy and charisma that just dragged along anyone caught in its path. And so he found himself following Dean in, anxiety rising in his chest, although he wasn't sure why. You're just going to get a coffee for Dean. No big deal. What Sam didn't want to admit to himself was that he didn't want to have to discuss his friendship with Gabriel. Dean would somehow prize out of him the story of how they met, and then he'd compare it to a romcom, and Sam would never hear the end of the teasing of how gay he was. Am I gay? Sam wondered. Stupid question. Obviously not. I was with Jess. But… something about insisting he was straight, like Dean liked to proclaim every chance he got, somehow felt wrong. And somewhere in the midst of Sam's undefined sexuality was Gabriel.

At this point, Sam felt like he was going to have a panic attack if he so much as saw Gabriel. Maybe he's not working today. But Sam soon saw that fortune was not on his side.

As soon as he and Dean stepped into the doorway, Gabriel's eyes met his. Gabriel positively beamed. He couldn't do much else, as he was taking a customer's order - there was a line ahead of Sam and Dean - but just that smile was enough to prompt one from Sam in return and kindle a warm feeling in his chest.

All he had to do was keep himself separate from Dean and Gabriel to avoid any awkward conversations. "Hey, I'll go find us a table," Sam tried for a casual tone.

"Cool," Dean said absently, looking at the menu.

Sam stalked to a table in the corner of the café as inconspicuously as a six-foot-four man can. He sat and waited for Dean to return with his coffee, staring at the tablecloth.

Dean soon flopped into the chair opposite him. "Dude. The barista was giving me, like, some really intense, creepy look."

Sam's raised his gaze from the intriguing tablecloth pattern and looked toward the counter. Gabriel met his eyes and raised one eyebrow. Sam smiled weakly before focusing on Dean.

"Don't worry about it," He tried to sound nonchalant. He wished he had gotten his own coffee, or had brought a newspaper, or something, because now he had nothing to do but stare at either Dean, Gabriel, or the tablecloth. He opted for a fourth choice, looking out the window at passerby, while Dean slurped his coffee across from him.

"Sam. Now he's making goo-goo eyes at you."

Sam shrugged casually, as if guys making goo-goo eyes at him was a common occurrence.

"Sam!" Dean hissed. Sam pretended not to hear him, instead traced a finger through the condensation his breath had formed on the window.

"Oi! You leave any fingerprints on that, you're cleaning it, Samsquatch!"

Sam jumped, nearly falling out of his chair, and windmilled his arms like a startled bird for a moment while he regained his balance. Gabriel snickered.

"Gabe," he wheezed, once he had his feet solidly on the floor again.

"You're not going to go into cardiac arrest, are you? Here, have a scone. It'll make you feel better," Gabriel winked as he placed the dessert in front of Sam.

"Thanks," Sam smiled, even as his heart raced. He was just waiting for Dean to -

"So, you guys know each other?" Dean raised his eyebrows in question. Here we go….

"Sure thing, Gigantor over here just can't stay away from my baking," Gabriel winked again. "He's my favorite taste-tester."

Dean continued to stare at Gabriel incredulously, eyebrows raising impossibly higher. "Taste tester?"

"Sure thing. Why, jealous? You want some sugar too?" Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows salaciously. Sam stifled a groan.

Dean scoffed. "Dude, we don't swing that way."

"Dean," Sam warned.

Gabriel shrugged. "Your loss, big boy."

Sam swallowed a giggle at Dean's affronted look. "Do you always let him harass you like this?" He asked Sam. "Like, I know you're going through a dry spell right now, but seriously?"

Sam could sense Gabriel stiffen beside him.

"Dean, shut up." Sam knew he sounded like a petulant child, but he couldn't believe how tactless his brother was being.

"What? I'm your big brother, it's my job to look out for you. And if that means dragging you out of your apartment and - ahem - introducing you to some lovely ladies at the bar, then that's what I'll do."

Sam could see Gabriel slowly retreating, but still likely within earshot.

"I don't want to hook up with some girl, Dean!" He all but growled.

"Oh, but pudgy, horny baristas are ok?"

"Dean, stop." Sam barely raised his voice, but he hoped there was power behind it, even as he felt the blush creeping up his cheeks and his hands start to sweat. Damn psychosomatic reactions.

He knew Dean noticed. His mouth gaped open slightly. "Oh, no, Sammy… really?"

Sam wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Just because you broke up with Jess doesn't mean you need to go gay! I mean, I know this is a liberal area and all - "

Sam stared his brother down. "I think you should take a walk, Dean," he said coldly.

Dean raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Sorry, Sammy." He had the decency to look somewhat apologetic. And without another word he rose and walked out the door.

Sam slumped down in his chair, tension leaving his body. He wanted to bury his head in his hands, but he couldn't look distraught in front of Gabriel's customers. Gabriel, who was now nowhere to be seen. Sam waited a few minutes to make sure he didn't run into Dean, then left, his emotions roiling in his gut, the foremost one being guilt at not being able to apologize to Gabriel.