A Decent Proposal

[low_key_angel]

Things had been going surprisingly well the past seven days. Better than Gabriel expected, really. Dean, aka David, was comfortable in the hotel room. He used room service without abusing it, made ample use of the hot tub and soft bed, even going out on his own now and then but always returning.

Gabriel breezed in and out when the mood struck him. Enough to spend time with "David" and get to know him, but also giving the kid some space. There had been fantastic sex on the couch, bed, hot tub and even in the shower but not once did Gabriel try and talk him into something he wasn't game for. Because he was more than just a street hooker. Dean was special. He was smarter than he gave himself credit for. Kinder than he wanted to let on.

They were comfortable in bed, Gabriel with his back against the headboard and Dean tucked in against his side, their legs tangled together. A bowl of popcorn lay on the bed as they finished up another movie. The final day of their contracted week together and Gabriel wasn't ready for it to end. He'd grown used to having Dean in his life, watching that slow, sleepy smile in the morning and the way he grumped before having hot coffee and a shower.

So after the credits finished rolling, Gabriel ran his fingertips down Dean's bare arm. "So. I've been thinking. What would you say to another, slightly longer-term deal?"

One that involved an apartment, better clothes and a sense of normality.

.. well. As normal as you get sleeping with an ex-archangel.

Comments

[lostwaywardson]

Dean breathed a deep sigh of relief at the kiss and leaned a little to the side to rest his head on Gabe's shoulder. It had been years since someone called him by his own name. It felt pretty good. Freeing.

He burst into startled laughter wen Gabe asked about furniture. It was such a normal thing to do... something he never thought he would have a reason to do. "I guess we should. Unless you want to end up with a whole lot of carpet burn."

[low_key_angel]

He stroked down his shoulder with a smile. Dean had been honest with him and suddenly he really didn't feel right about lying to him anymore. Damnit. But this wasn't something he could just fess up to in the car.

Tonight. Once the apartment was signed for and they at least had some basic furniture delivered. Dean could still have his fresh start.

"Then furniture shopping it is. We'll see what we can have run over there today. Bed, couch, TV - the essentials."

[lostwaywardson]

"A coffee pot," Dean added helpfully, grinning brightly. It was right at the top of the essentials list.

He shifted up and dropped a kiss on Gabe's cheek. "Thank you," he added, softer. "This is all completely insane, but it's perfect."

[low_key_angel]

"Best, biggest coffee pot we can get our hands on. With a timer so you don't have to fumble with it in the morning." It's a fond tease, but he simply can't resist.

Gabriel smiled at the kiss, slipping an arm around Dean to keep him close a moment longer. "You're worth it kiddo. You really are. Now let's go give the credit card a workout and get your place put together."

[lostwaywardson]

Dean was content to stay close until they reached the furniture shop. In spite of his best intentions to keep the spree under control, shopping with Gabe never managed to stay conservative. Nothing with Gabe tended toward conservative, really.

They picked out all the essentials: the coffee pot, a couch, TV, dresser, kitchen table... the works. Of all of it, Dean's favorite was the big, comfy bed with the pillowy mattress and thick, soft sheets. He'd slept on enough floors to be deeply appreciative of a good bed and this one was one of the best.

He couldn't wait to get everything set up in his first real, honest-to-god home since he was four.

[low_key_angel]

It was a late night, even for them.

But it was worth it, because by midnight, they were sitting in the middle of the living room sharing a late picnic of Chinese takeout and watching the lights in the park. The bed was put together and made, the couch set up and the TV more or less put together. Boxes shoved to the side, Gabriel picked up a fortune cookie and tossed it into Dean's lap.

"So. How does it feel to be a homeowner, kiddo?"

The fortune was a little doctored though. 'By the way you're seeing an archangel' probably isn't the most subtle way to tell him the truth, but it's likely the best opener that won't have Dean panicking and thinking Gabriel is going to pull his new life away from him.

[lostwaywardson]

The day had gone by in something of a blur. It was still kind of impossible for him to believe that this was happening. Last night, he was bracing himself for a return to street living and tonight he was sitting on the floor of a -- of his -- apartment. His home.

All day, he'd expected that, any minute, something would put a brakes on it all. That someone would pop up and yell 'Surprise! just kidding!' But, it never happened.

Now, as he set his Chinese container down and plucked the cookie from his lap, he thought that it might, maybe, just be possible. Maybe.

"Kind of surreal," he answered with an unfamiliar honesty that seemed to be becoming more and more natural around Gabe. "Still seems like a big, awesome dream."

The wrapper crinkled as he opened the fortune cookie and snapped it in half, popping one half into his mouth while he teased the little slip of paper from the other. Huh. Archangel? Weird message for a fortune cookie...

"I think the fortune cookie guy was drunk or something..."

[low_key_angel]

Every day he dropped a little more of his guard and Gabriel found it refreshing - to know that Dean was just as candid and funny as 'David'. A little more vulnerable, a little more broken, but still a damned good kid at heart. So damnit, he just didn't feel right not telling him the truth too. Dean had already seen him let down his guard, he just didn't realize how much.

Now if he could just stuff down a minor well of panic that Dean wouldn't be able to handle it and would want him gone, he'd be peachy.

"Actually he wasn't. It's kind of the truth. I'm an angel."

[lostwaywardson]

Dean wasn't sure how to react. It was hard to tell, sometimes, when Gabe was making a joke. It didn't seem like this was one of those times, though. He looked pretty damn serious.

"Angel? Like a... wings, feathers, harps kind of angel?" His view of what was 'weird' had been skewed for years, but this was left of center even for him.

[low_key_angel]

Well, he hadn't run yet so that was at least a good sign. Gabriel shook his head. "Wings and feathers yes. Harps? No. You've heard me sing in the shower and it's not pretty." Okay, so it wasn't that bad, but there had been a full afternoon of teasing over it.

"My name is really Gabriel, as in the archangel Gabriel. I left Heaven a long time ago, and this is the first time I feel like I've had a home since then." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "You were honest with me so I figured you deserved the same."

[lostwaywardson]

The way Dean saw it, there were two possibilities. Either Gabe was completely nuts -- a fair possibility, considering who the guy was spending his time with and she sheer volume of cash he went though without any apparent concern...

... Or he was actually an angel. Dean knew better than most that there were things in the world that weren't human. Of course, he'd never considered angels before. Well, not since his mom said they were watching over the family. And how well had that worked out?

One way to know for sure, he supposed. "Do I get to see the wings?"

[low_key_angel]

The question gets a completely startled bark of laughter and Gabriel gets to his feet. Practical as ever. "Sure. I think I can manage that much."

They shimmered into view slowly at first, a dark, indistinct blob behind him, gradually sharpening up to form six wings before Gabriel shook them out, letting them mantle around his shoulders like an oversized cloak of bronze and gold-tipped feathers. "You wouldn't believe it, but in this form? They're hell on your back. Too much weight. So I keep 'em out of sight as much as possible."

[lostwaywardson]

Okay... that was so not what he was expecting. Even with what he knew about monsters and the supernatural, he still figured this was some kind of a joke. He'd half-decided to play along -- after all, if the guy's only fault was that he thought he was an angel, how bad could it be? -- when the wings shimmered and started to take form.

Dean sat there with his eyes wide, mouth hanging open as he stared at the feathery wings over his shoulders. "You really..."

He blinked and shook his head, trying to shake off the shock. "I don't understand," he finally managed, more plaintive than he intended. "What could an angel possibly want with a low-rent hooker?"

[low_key_angel]

"Oh Deano." Gabriel's voice is soft and just a little heartbroken as he moved closer to take his hands in his. "You're so much more than that. You always have been. Why do you think I've stuck around this long? Because you're special. Because you look at me and just see.. Gabe. You see me."

He tugged him into his arms, wings following suit to wrap around him, but never hard enough that Dean couldn't pull away if he needed. "We can still have this. Just you and me. I'd like to."

[lostwaywardson]

Dean allowed himself to be pulled to his feet and held close. His arms slipped automatically around Gabe's neck, head resting in the crook of his neck and shoulder. The curious warmth he always felt in Gabe's presence made sense now. He felt it all around him, wrapped in those wings.

After a couple of minutes of deep, calming breaths, Dean turned his head a bit and peeked around. One hand moved to allow his fingertips to ghost very lightly down the edge of one wing.

"I do, too."

[low_key_angel]

He wanted it too. Gabriel slowly wrapped his arms around Dean and just held him close. The tentative brush along his wing draws a slow, pleased shiver and he nosed in for a kiss. "I'm glad Dean. So glad." This could be a haven for both of them. A safe place for Dean and a place where Gabriel could just be Gabe.

"Then I guess we're both home."

[lostwaywardson]

Dean smiled slowly into the kiss and then laughed, a little giddy. His fingers curled around the edge of the wing, marveling at the way the feathers felt against his skin. "Home. I really like the sound of that."

He looked up into Gabe's face and his smile widened. "This is really going to work..."

[low_key_angel]

((ooc: What do you think - call it here or fast forward a bit, maybe a few months until Gabriel surprises him by dropping Sammy at his door?))

[lostwaywardson]

((I'm okay with skipping forward if you are!))

[low_key_angel]

It had been an incredible spring. Amazing, really. Dean had settled into the new apartment and with Gabriel the apartment he'd chosen had gone from a place to live to a home. A real, comfortable, well-cared for home. The furniture was soft and there was plenty of room to flop down with a book, watch a little television, or even listen to music. Gabriel tended to putter in the kitchen, declaring that sometimes it was worth the effort to cook rather than simply manifest up what they wanted to eat.

There was plenty of afternoon sunlight for Gabriel to bask his wings in, and the balcony was ideal for drinking their morning coffee. Long, lazy weekends spent in bed, talking and even laughing at the most ridiculous things possible. (Gabriel couldn't look at a cheese doodle without laughing after the Infamous Cheese Doodle Incident).

It was perfect. It was home. Gabriel had never been happier or more content.

With a lazy stretch, he snapped the book he was reading shut and glanced around, spying Dean on the balcony. Not out of the ordinary. But the troubled expression on his face was and Gabriel slid off the couch to investigate, wandering towards Dean and resting his chin on his shoulder.

"You've got that look again."

[lostwaywardson]

Dean hummed a greeting, leaning back against Gabe and pulling his thought back form far away to here and now. Here and now was a pretty awesome place to be, after all. There wasn't another time in his entire life when he felt so safe, wanted, and happy.

"Which look? I have a bunch." He smiled a little and tipped his head to the side, leaning against Gabe's. "All of them adorable, I might add."

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel snaked an arm around his waist, holding Dean comfortably against him. They were good here. Better than good. But it didn't take poking around in his mind to know that Dean's thoughts were somewhere in the past. He leaned to nuzzle his neck. "Mhm. And let's not forget your wide variety of modest ones."

Local school fliers were scattered over the dining room table - vocational schools, GED courses, a wide variety of choices for Dean and they'd been looking them over together for the past few days. Now that Dean had a safe place to live, he could consider his future.

"So what's on your mind kiddo? Still mulling over what you want to do?"

[lostwaywardson]

"Yeah, partly," Dean answered softly. A lot of his mind was on the past, but his future was gnawing at him, too. At times, he thought there must be something wrong with him. Who got scared of having options? Of course, he'd spent years thinking that the only things he'd ever have, the only thing he could do, was what little he already had and what he already did. There was so much more to choose from, now.

"I guess I'm scared of making the wrong decision."