I am so sorry. Things got hectic, between finals, Christmas and relatives. Fortunately mine aren't as crazy as Gabriel's but still…
Anyway, here's an AU. I hope this makes up for things.
New Years and New Starts
Sam stood at the back of the room, watching his brother fit right into the party. Of course it was Dean's party, that he was throwing with his boyfriend Cas.
Sam hadn't pegged serious, solemn, and quiet Castiel as a party type, but he seemed to be enjoying himself, smiling next to Dean.
Sam almost spilled his drink when someone bumped into him, and he decided the kitchen would be a safer place to hide. Dean probably wouldn't notice he wasn't in the middle of things, and Sam could just lie later.
He slipped through the bodies into the kitchen, the noise still reached him, but it was muffled.
Sam poured himself a glass of water, leaning his hip against the counter.
He was swallowing when a short man, not that most people were tall next to Sam, but this guy was shorter than most, walked in. He headed for the fridge, opening the freezer.
Sam cleared his throat, making him lean back.
"Oh, hey."
"What are you doing?"
"Looking for chocolate icecream." He smirked, "my brother won't mind."
Sam paused, "you're Cas's brother?"
"You know my little bro?"
Sam stared at him, given he probably was two inches shorter than Cas, "yeah. He's dating my brother."
Cas's brother looked him over, "you're certainly better looking."
Sam hesitated, before responding, "don't tell him that." He hadn't been expecting him to flirt, and wasn't even sure he was.
Cas's brother laughed, and offered his hand, "I'm Gabriel."
"Sam." He had to set his drink down and step forward to shake hands. Gabriel's hand was warm, firm but not to tight.
Gabriel grinned at him, shutting the door, "so, you're Dean's little brother?"
"Well, Cas is yours."
Gabriel dipped his head, "true," he glanced up, eyes crinkled slightly as he smiled, "you've got quite a bit of wit. I like that." He winked after that, Sam held back a smile.
"Is that your best pick up line?"
Gabriel leaned against the counter, "that bad?"
"I've heard better."
He got a brilliant flash of teeth in reply, "well fine. Plus, I got the hint. So, you seen the lastest StarKid musical?"
Sam blinked at the conversation shift, but nodded, "of course!"
He and Gabriel quoted it for awhile before the topic shifted to college. Sam was surprised to learn Gabriel was a business major.
"I plan to open a candy store. Got the sweet tooth, just need the know how. What about you?"
Sam paused, "I was studying law."
"Was?"
Sam hunched his shoulders, "I… I'm not so fond of it anymore."
Gabriel adjusted himself slightly, "that's fine. I had a friend who went from vet to chemistry teacher."
Sam shrugged, "but law school's expensive."
His companion shrugged, "all the more reason to drop out. If you don't think it's what you want, why waste the money? Anyway, what else would you like to be?"
Sam shrugged, "that's just it. I don't know."
Gabriel smiled reassuringly at him, "you'll figure it out, that's what college is for. Well that and partying but that doesn't seem to be your thing."
"What makes you say that?"
"You're hiding in here."
"I was not hiding!"
Gabriel laughed, "sure you weren't, Kiddo."
"I'm not that much younger than you."
"Oh, really?"
"I'm almost nineteen."
"Twenty-two."
Sam blinked, "oh." That made Castiel just a year younger, "well still."
"I can drink."
"I can vote."
Gabriel chuckled, "well at least I have a ride home."
"How do you know I won't just ditch you on the side of the road?"
"You're too nice of a guy." Gabriel stated firmly, as if he knew it was a fact.
Sam stared at him for a moment, before looking down, blushing slightly.
"Oh, did you realize I implied we'd be going to my place?"
Sam looked up to glare, though he was grateful Gabriel had broken the tension.
"My place is fine you know."
"Why, would you like to compare?" Gabriel winked in a way that widened his smirk.
Sam raised his eyebrow, "since you can't buy me a drink you could at least buy me dinner first."
"I could buy you a drink! Is lemonade good?"
Sam scoffed, "aren't you romantic?"
"Would you like to find out?" Gabriel was grinning at him, eyebrows raised.
Sam's response was cut off by someone entering, "there you are."
"Dean?" Sam turned around to face his brother, he hadn't expected him to come looking for him.
His brother glanced around him, "Gabriel?"
"Hey Dean-o!" Gabriel smiled, but it was different from how he'd been smiling during his conversation with Sam.
Dean looked over at Sam, "two hours to midnight. You staying?"
Sam glanced at Gabriel for a moment, "I think so."
"I am. The only other party I was invited to has proably already been crashed. By the cops."
Sam stared at him, Gabriel grinned, "fun friends. Though I don't want to be in prision at midnight."
"Okay. I'll let Cas know." Dean backed out, eyeing Sam oddly.
Sam wondered at his brother, until Gabriel spoke.
"So, have you ever been arrested?"
Sam spluttered, turning back to him, "no!" He narrowed his eyes, "you?"
Gabriel smirked, Sam shook his head. No wonder Dean had looked at him funny.
He did have a story about how Dean got arrested, which had been a good cover up for Sam sneaking back in after going out star gazing.
Gabriel stopped chuckling, "you like star gazing?"
Sam looked down, figuring Gabriel would tease him like Dean.
"Come on!"
Sam found himself dragged outside on the balcony, shivering in the cold. "Gabriel!"
"Trust me a little." He pointed up, Sam could see him from the light from the window.
He looked up and gasped, "wow!"
"I only know Orion, but I do like to look." Gabriel commented, sliding in next to Sam, pressing against him, one hand in his pocket, "it's relaxing."
Sam nodded, his breath billowing around his face.
He and Gabriel looked in silence for awhile. He actually didn't mind the feeling of Gabriel's hand brushing against his, until Gabriel grabbed his.
"You got cold fast." He commented, his hand felt hot in Sam's grip.
Sam was tempted to let go, but held on anyway, "maybe you're just hot."
"Thank you!" Gabriel winked, "now let's go back in. Before Dean accuses me of trying to give you pneumonia."
"He wouldn't!"
"Oh, he doesn't like me. I interrupted his and Cas's movie night and he's never forgiven me."
He held the door open for Sam, who murmured a thank you to him.
He and Gabriel gravitated back to their spots by the sink.
"I may not like your brother, but he's good to my brother." He glanced at Sam, "he's not going to hurt Cas is he?"
"I hope not. This is the happiest I've seen him."
Gabriel chuckled, "almost make you want to gag right?"
"Sometimes." Sam admitted, "but I'm glad he's happy. He used to take care of me, when Dad was busy."
"I was always closest to Castiel because he was the only one of my siblings that didn't turn out as a pretentious jerk."
"Does that include you?"
He expected Gabriel to laugh it off, but he got a serious answer, "sometimes. More than I'd like."
Sam was quiet, then offered, "Dean mocks me for trying to talk to him about this stuff, calls me a girl."
"I have an ex that would kick him in the nuts for that." Gabriel chuckled, "after she did a different ex would slap him."
"Why would she only slap him?"
"He would probably find it more fitting." Gabriel glanced at Sam, who paused a moment.
"Dean would probably be offended it was only a slap. Though that's not exactly fair to Cas. Crippling his boyfriend."
Gabriel laughed, nudging Sam with his shoulder, "fair enough."
Sam turned his head as the music turned up, "are they trying to get the cops called?"
"Hey, we're innocent!" Gabriel grinned, and chuckled, "funny. This is one of my favorite songs."
"Really?"
"Yes. Care to dance?"
Sam shook his head, "no, I… I can't dance." He moved his arms to emphasize his point, he was all limbs.
Gabriel chuckled, "what, got two left feet?"
"Might as well. I'd probably step on you."
"I'm not that short!"
Sam chuckled, "I wouldn't know."
Gabriel paused, stared at him a moment then laughed, "here I thought you didn't want to flirt."
"It's almost ten-thirty. I get suggestable."
Gabriel lifted both eyebrows, leaning forward, "damn, now I'm getting ideas."
Sam smirked back at him, "care to share?"
Gabriel made a noise in the back of his throat, "well…" he shoved his hands in his pockets and paused, brow furrowing. He pulled out a bag and snorted.
"Forgot that was there."
Sam stared at the clear bag, "glitter?"
"I was going to dump it on Dean, well as best as I could." Gabriel smirked, "one last prank of the year."
Sam shook his head, "he'd kill you."
"Try anyway." Gabriel corrected mildly, "but that's half the fun."
The thought of his brother covered in glitter was enough to make Sam grin, "well, are you going to or not?"
Gabriel glanced up at him, "given Dean's reaction was actually going to run out afterwards."
"Oh."
Gabriel pulled out a marker, Sam stared at him, "what do you have in your pockets?"
"All kinds of things." Gabriel grabbed his hand and wrote down a series of numbers, "there. Call me for a good time."
"Why do I think this number and that statement is written on a bathroom wall somewhere?"
Gabriel shrugged, "probably is." He signaled to Sam, who crouched slightly to hear what Gabriel wanted to whisper.
"Since I won't be here at midnight, have this early."
Sam stiffened as Gabriel kissed him, before kissing back, using the unmarked hand to grab Gabriel's jacket.
Gabriel was very skilled, Sam had to say, so he almost whimpered when Gabriel pulled back.
"Call me." He winked and sprinted to the party. Less than a minute later, while Sam was putting Gabriel's number in his phone he heard Dean's indignant cry, and laughed.
Happy New Year!