The moment Sam and Cas are in the car Dean senses something is off. He looks in the rear-view at Sam who had chosen the back so he could sit with Jessica once they picked her up and takes quick note of how stick-straight he's seated and the unevenness of his breaths. "There uh, something you wanna tell me, Sam?" Dean asks because the last time he had seen Sam look this panicked was his sophomore year when he refused to admit to Dean that the football jocks were bullying him because Dean was gay. Sam doesn't look up, not right away, instead opts to stare at the back of Cas's seat before looking up at Dean through his rearview mirror.
"Dean, I'm not straight." Dean's eyes shoot up to his eyebrows and he turns around to fully make eye contact with Sam.
"What?"
"I'm not straight, I mean I'm not gay either. I still like girls it's just, well, I uh, like guys too? Look I didn't want to tell you or anyone for that matter. I've been keeping this from everyone since that awkward thing Andy and I had freshman year and I didn't want to risk having to go through the same things you did in high school because I remember how much that tore you up and I just thought it'd be easier-"
"Sam you know I would've stepped in that school in a second if any kid-"
"Exactly Dean! You're graduated, that could have serious consequences. Plus I'm a senior now. I've got to fight my own battles. This is just one that I decided to avoid." The car falls almost deadly silent for a good couple of minutes. Dean tries to think of what to say next, wondering how carefully he should be treading on the matter.
"Okay, so what exactly brought this on that you decided to mention this now out of all these times?" Dean asks, his brain still whirring slightly. How had he not noticed this from his own brother? The only guy that he had even seen Sam with lately that was even relatively new was- no. With that idea in his mind Dean's eyes go wide. "You didn't, are you two-?" The question falls verbally unasked but when Dean looks up at Cas, Castiel at least has the good-nature to laugh.
"Wrong Novak," he says simply and relief momentarily floods Dean's system before his eyes go wide as he looks back at Sam.
"Nothing happened! I swear! It's just I kind of cornered him to figure out what's wrong with him because it has been driving me insane that he will barely even look at me in the past week and w-we ended up kinda close and um he kind of kissed me?"
"I'm gonna kill him."
"Dean no-"
"I told him-"
"You what?" Dean is slightly shocked by the amount of aggression that is suddenly in Sam's tone. "What did you tell him, Dean?"
"That you were straight! That he needs to get his head out of his ass because this stupid crush he has on you has gone too far. You're three years younger than him!"
"I'm 18, Dean, that doesn't matter! Beyoncé and Jay Z have a 12 year age gap and you still-"
"Okay, Sam point taken!" Dean says, cheeks flushing slightly because he has a reputation to uphold damn it and Castiel does not need to know to what extent Dean keeps up on celebrity gossip. "What about Jess, huh? The girl likes you, Sam," Dean says and Sam sighs.
"I don't know Dean. Look I don't even know if Gabriel's ever going to talk to me again. So for right now, I'm just going to go to the dance, have a decent time, try to get my mind off this whole thing, and uh Dean quick favor?"
"What?"
"Don't kill Gabriel. I mean it isn't like you don't uh…" Sam trails off, eyes flickering toward Cas. Dean clears his throat, suddenly much more uncomfortable.
"Shut up, bitch."
"Jerk."
._.
"You fucked up Gabriel," Dean says over his headset, pressing the buttons on his controller just a bit too hard. He doesn't have to say how. Gabriel assumed that the news would make it to Dean faster than he liked. He had taken advantage of the boy's trust after all, why would he not tell on him to his older brother?
"I know," Gabriel sighs dejectedly. He hadn't meant to, honestly, but he still knows this whole situation is his fault. Not to mention instead of apologizing like a grown-up he barely squeaked out an apology before he slammed the door in the taller man's face. "I'm sorry you're stupid floppy moose of a brother somehow managed to work his way into my brain and set up camp. It was never quite my intention to actually like the kid and then… he just… dude, have you ever seen your brother when he gets all worked up?"
"Yeah, okay, first of all, ew. Second of all Sam likes you too so you better fix this pipsqueak."
"Sam what?" Gabriel freezes because surely Dean was messing with him and honestly what a cruel joke that is. How many times had he told him that Sam was straight? That Gabriel needs to go after someone that was actually capable of liking him back? Hell, right now Sam is off at a dance with a pretty girl while Gabriel is moping around his house like some love-sick teenager and honestly the whole concept that Sam would even like him is just ridiculous.
"He came out to me today. Apparently, Sam is bi and has been hiding it from me for years because he… he didn't want a repeat of when I was in high school. He didn't want to face the bullying and the rumors. He just wanted to be a normal teenager and I don't blame him. So uh, yeah, apparently Sam likes you enough to come out to me. So fix it."
"Oh my god I need to talk to him," Gabriel breathes, his voice barely heard over the mic. There's a long moment's pause in which Gabriel's mind is racing and Dean's still pretending to care about the stupid game they are playing, one in which both of them have died way too many times. Another moment passes as Gabriel grabs the remaining bits of his wits off the ground and tries to glue them back together with a sarcastic remark. "So, when are you gonna make a move on Cassie?"
"Gabriel no, that is not what this conversation is about," Dean huffs, rubbing a hand down the front of his face.
"Come on! I'm sick of the kid pining after you like a lost puppy. I swear every conversation we have is Dean this and Dean that. Not gonna lie he makes me hate you just a little bit."
"Gabriel, you know my history with relationships. I don't want to drag Castiel into that mess. I like him, sure, I'd be surprised if there was a human on this planet that didn't know that secret yet but-"
"Castiel doesn't know that yet, no matter how many times we all tell him. It's killing him a little bit Dean."
"Yeah, well, it'll kill him more when I fuck it up just because I'm being insecure and inevitably hurt him."
"Why does it have to be inevitable, Dean? Just because you couldn't commit to a girl that had a kid? Or the one that was in and out of a psych ward? I get that everyone has their issues but Dean you have a history of dating people who require honest-to-god work to commit to. This is Cas. Sure, Cas is antisocial but he already knows most of your friends, gets along with them fantastically. Hell, he's friends with your brother and still likes you. With Cas it'd just be like skipping a few steps," Gabriel says before his voice falls quiet.
"I couldn't afford to lose him, Gabe," Dean states and with that, the topic is dropped.
._.
The kids all ate at The Roadhouse before making their way to the dance. A dance that, for the first hour, was relatively uneventful. Jess noticed Sam seemed distracted and she was trying her hardest to ensure he had fun, dragging him to the dance floor and spinning them around until they both felt dizzy. Cas remained with Jo and Andy most of the time, only stepping away to grab a water bottle from the snacks table.
"Where's your bitch-boy, Castiel?" Castiel looks up and visibly pales at the two in front of him. "I thought I told you and your faggot tendencies to stay out of my school? Trying to convert the younger Winchester now? Though, from what I've heard it wouldn't be too hard considering his brother. Say, what brings you all the way here? Are you following me now?" Castiel tries to find something, anything to respond with but his mind draws a blank as his anxiety starts to go into overdrive. He feels his hands start to shake as he fights back the memories flashing to the forefront of his mind.
Azazel and Alastair are the younger brothers of Lucifer, one of the seniors on the basketball team that gave Cas a cold shower in the toilet when they suspected that he had a thing for one of their teammates. Not only that but after getting in trouble by the teachers his brothers would not leave Castiel alone. There was no extreme physical violence that occurred between them but the threats and taunting were enough to scar anyone.
"Oh I forgot, this faggot doesn't talk. Probably saving his mouth for his new boyfriend," Azazel chuckles darkly, leaning over to place his face in front of Castiel's, "Probably the only reason he keeps him around. After all, he did show up with Jessica Moore today. Pretty soon he's gonna have some new head to replace you." Castiel feels his face go hot, the words that are stuck in his throat leaving blisters as they begin to burn him. "What, flustered now that you're not protected by big, tall, and stupid? It's okay, I'm sure your boyfriend will come back eventually."
"Leave Sam out of this."
"Oh, it speaks." Alastair laughs at his brother's joke and Castiel feels like his whole body is red-hot. Say what they want to ruin Castiel's self-esteem, but offending his friends and family is something entirely different.
"Sam is my friend and has nothing to do with your issues with me," Castiel says and Alastair grips him tightly by the shoulder, squeezing his too-long nails into his skin until he begins to feel blood being drawn.
"You see, that's where you're wrong Cas. Sam knowingly befriended a fairy, which means he is part of the problem. I see you for what you are though. A lonely, pathetic excuse for a human being that'll be lucky if your life ends with someone finding you dead in a sewage drain," Azazel says, the lights on the dance floor reflecting in his eyes. The yellow lights line up almost perfectly with his irises and Castiel shudders at the empty threat, trying to move away from the fingers continuously pressing more harshly into his shoulder.
"Cas?" Castiel flicks his head over to see Jo standing there, looking between Castiel and the two boys with a wary gaze. Words are once again lost as Castiel tries to find an explanation to the predicament, a way to communicate everything that's happening. Alastair's nails stab into his skin.
"Everything's fine here, darlin'. Just havin' a nice chat with an old friend," Azazel says, grinning up at Jo.
"Yeah, well he doesn't seem to be enjoying this conversation so if you wouldn't mind," Jo moves forward, her arm reaching out to take Cas's when Azazel steps in her way.
"Actually I do, so if you could just give us a minute that'd be great," Azazel doesn't break her gaze and when she tries to go around him he gives her shoulder a light shove. A warning. "Just one minute sugar, that's all I'm asking." Jo looks over at Cas before looking back at Azazel.
"What? You gonna hit a girl?" she says, nearly stepping on his toes as she sizes him up. She's nearly five inches shorter than him but she acts like it's nothing. Azazel opens his mouth to respond when another voice interjects.
"Hey, guys, what's going on here?" Chuck. Kevin is cowering slightly behind him, but behind him none-the-less. Chuck observes the stance of his classmates, two of which play on his football team and he knows for fact are nothing but trouble. Azazel steps back from Jo, breaking out a grin again.
"You guys will stop at nothing to protect this good-for-nothing faggot, will you?"
"You wanna say that again, Mr. Daemon?" Azazel turns around only to meet eyes with Ms. Moseley, the guidance counselor. "You boys are going to go home now and on Monday we're going to have a nice little talk with the principle. Do I make myself clear?"
"Psycho freak," Azazel mutters in response, storming off in the direction of the school doors. Alastair gives Castiel's shoulder a firm shove against the table behind him before storming off after his brother.
"How's your shoulder dear?" Ms. Mosely asks, pulling up a seat beside Castiel to take a look at it. Little streams of blood are staining the white material and she tsks. "We should get that patched up. Come on, then we can call home and notify your brother of the situation."
._.
One very awkward car ride later, Jess returned home for the evening, and both the Winchester and Novak boys are seated in the living room, Castiel the only one talking. Dean is on his immediate left, his hand on his knee as an anchor as Castiel relives the night. "They didn't do anything, not really, I mean Alastair left some nail marks on my shoulder but I'm just glad everyone stepped in when they did. They were from my last school, they moved a couple years ago and I never even questioned where. That guy from my gym class I used to have a thing for was on the basketball team. When teachers found out what happened only one kid got expelled. That kid just so happened to be the elder brother of the two that cornered me tonight."
"Some people are just stuck in the old times, Cas. I'm just happy you found a group of friends that support you."
"Actually back in the 'old times' gay wasn't even an issue. Guys would just bum their stableboy as a hobby and nobody questioned it. True it wasn't like a relationship thing. Honestly, how did we backtrack that?" Gabriel rambles, his brain whirring for answers.
"Gabriel why is it you absorb the weirdest knowledge?" Castiel chuckles, looking at his brother.
"Hey, that's important. Comes in very handy when I'm trying to argue with a bigot."
"Okay, well, I don't know about you guys but personally tonight was a living hell for me and I really just want to get to bed. So goodnight, I love you all, but I am going to go get ready for bed and then sleep until my brain hurts," Castiel says, getting up off the couch.
"It'll be alright, kid. We're all here for you," Dean says, standing up next to Cas. He seems to pause for a moment before pulling him into a hug.
"Thanks, Dean," Castiel responds before heading up the stairs and out of sight.
"Alright, Sam, I'll meet you in the car," Dean says, sending a pointed look at his brother before heading out the door.
And just like that Sam and Gabriel are left alone in the living room, the only noises are the light rumble of the Impala and the sound of the shower turning on upstairs. "I uh- I should probably get going. Don't wanna keep Dean waiting," Sam says, his voice barely above a whisper. Gabriel nods his head, his eyes flicking quickly from Sam's lips to his eyes. He tries to compose himself, tries to ignore the palpable tension in the room and how he suddenly feels unnaturally warm.
"Yeah, 'course. Wouldn't want- mmph!" Gabriel squeaks as Sam pulls him forward by his neck, crashing their lips together almost painfully. Gabriel only freezes for a second before responding, almost as eager as Sam, fingers tangling themselves into his hair. Sam moans against his lips and Gabriel feels like he could die right then and be content. Just as he feels like he might be running out of air Sam pulls back, his chest heaving as he chases after his lost breath. He looks at Gabriel, a slight blush on his cheeks.
"See ya tomorrow," Sam grins, his face red, before rushing out of the house.
._.
Just as Gabriel feels himself about to drift off his phone buzzes. He groans slightly, debating about letting it go until morning before rolling over and picking up the device. Through the near-blinding light, he can barely make out a name. Sam. Gabriel immediately unlocks his phone, squinting to read the message without burning out his pupils.
I hope you weren't expecting an apology from me because that's one thing I'm not sorry about.
Gabriel grins, a bit too wide, and lays back on his pillow as he types back a response.
Awe, Sammich. Don't go getting too friendly or I might just start to think you like me ;).
Gabriel debates the winky face for about a minute too long before pressing send. Honestly, at this point, if Sam didn't realize he liked him that kid deserved a slap to the face.
I hope you're kidding because if I seriously have to spell it out for you I might start to second guess myself.
That text admittedly leaves Gabriel a bit breathless because the words were there, laid out plain as day. There is no other way to interpret that message. Sam Winchester likes Gabriel Novak. God, he feels like a high schooler again.