Ding dong, surprise!

[low_key_angel]

Dean was doing well in school. Amazing, really and Gabriel couldn't be happier for him. They'd gone on vacation for spring break and more than once he'd caught him staring at the cell phone he'd given him. The cell phone with Sam's number programmed into it.

Stubborn kid.

So maybe he needed a little kick in the ass in this particular department.

Thursdays were fairly normal for them. Dean read, they talked and instead of Dean cooking, Gabriel insisted they order in.

.. he just wasn't going to mention the surprise delivery boy. Or the fact that Sam didn't realize he was delivering it.

"Get the door, willya Dean?"

Comments

[lostwaywardson]

Fuck. So much for making sure Sam was safer and better looked after. If he's hunting as much as it sounds, and he'll bet Dad's doing no less, then it's all been for nothing. Dean can't speak for a second, choked by a renewed rush of despair. Fuck.

"I wanted to," he finally manages through a tight throat and tears of his own. "I wanted to all the time. But, it was my fault you got hurt... I was stupid and selfish and not good enough. I was scared I'd get you hurt again."

"I missed you all the time, Sammy. Every minute."

[hunter_returns]

"You're my brother, Dean. That's all I wanted back. Not a guardian," he protests, scrubbing at his own tears. "I thought something was wrong, that you got taken because of me."

"But you're okay. You're really okay." And in a pretty damn nice place. "How.. how did I even get here? A second ago I was trying to get back into the room so I could finish dinner and get back to researching how to take down a vetch without getting pasted."

[lostwaywardson]

"Taking care of you was my job," he whispered, head spinning. How could Sam think he did anything wrong? Dean was the one who screwed up. Royally.

He gave a watery laugh at the question and sat back a little, still not letting go. As long as Sam was going to let him cling, he was damn sure going to do it. "I'll tell you how you got here, but I don't think you'll believe me. Half the time, I'm not sure I believe it's real."

Gabe is hard to explain. Then again, an archangel boyfriend is still a hell of a lot easier to explain than how Dean survived before Gabe. God, he hasn't even thought of how he'll answer if Sam asks...

[low_key_angel]

"We met a couple of years back. Dean was working this crap job at a bar and we struck up a conversation. Since then, Captain Stubborn has let me talk him into going back to school and giving up the crap job life for something a little better," Gabriel supplies smoothly. Not technically a lie, but it's enough that the younger Winchester won't really press for details. "All right kiddos, I'm outta here. Brotherly bonding is a two person party."

A wink at Dean. Yes, you can kill him later. Also, you're welcome.

Sam simply stares as Gabriel walks out the door and turns back to his brother with his mouth still slightly ajar. "He seems.. um. Nice?"

[lostwaywardson]

It's bizarre how often Gabe seems to know exactly what he's thinking. He's sure the angel's not actually peeking into his thoughts. Gabe just knows him that well, because Dean really is torn between murdering him and being unspeakably grateful.

He'll sort that out later. One emotional upheaval at a time.

He grins a little and gives a half shrug at Sam's observation. "Yeah, he is. He's a little on the strange side, but... he's a good guy. Saved my life, pretty much."

[hunter_returns]

Gabriel knows they'll have Words later. But Dean is finally done dithering about whether or not he should call his brother. He can leave them to talk on their own until later that evening.

Sam is still having a hell of a time taking it all in. A nice apartment, a good guy, hell even a pet bird. All that time apart and Dean had a life that was a hell of a lot closer to normal than his. "Dean.. this.. it's incredible. You've got an amazing life here." Better than his, but there is no tinge of bitterness to his voice, just quiet wonder.