Okay before we start this chapter, I just wanted to share this song with you all because it is freaking amazing! Well, I love it anyway 😂
Alrighty, back to your scheduled content. (Also in case you couldn't tell, this is a filler chapter of sorts and I couldn't think of a good title)
Sam had taken a seat in the desk chair, his eyes almost a dark hazel as he studied Gabe. His expression was... quiet. His eyes looked as though they belonged to someone much older than Sam. He looked like a boy who had seen something so terrible, it had chipped away at his soul until all that was left was the silence. A darkness that lingered behind his eyes.
Gabriel wanted to ask Sam so many things, a million questions filling his head as he searched for the right words to say.
"So, you're back then?" He finally asks lamely, playing with the hem of his shirt. Sam, this older and world worn Sam, seemed like a stranger. He didn't know how to talk to the boy who had once been his best friend. But, he supposed, time changes people. Some more than others.
Sam just nods, his hair falling across his eyes. He brushes the strands aside, looking at Gabe as though he wanted to say something. He didn't, of course.
"I didn't see you at school today," Gabriel says, trying to think of something less cringy to say.
He could practically feel the awkward air between them grow thicker. The years between now and their childhood friendship grew more apparent, it was as if they didn't know each other... Gabriel brightens up, a brilliant idea coming to him.
They were strangers now, and how did strangers become friends? He just needed to get to know the boy again.
"Want a lollipop?" Gabriel asks, grabbing one out from his pocket.
Sam stared at him blankly for a moment, before frowning in confusion at he looked at the lollipop in Gabriel's hand. Finally, he slowly reached out for it, still looking highly confused.
"That lollipop marks the start of our new friendship," Gabriel declares, because obviously it was normal to do such things. "I would tell you my name, but that seems a tad ridiculous considering we already technically know each other."
You're weird. Sam types this out, showing Gabe.
"And you love it... wait is that something I can say to a new friend? Ah who cares, I'll see you at school tomorrow Sammy!" Gabe didn't need to look at his watch to know that it was well past midnight.
Sam was still just staring at him, shaking his head ever so slightly while a slight smile emerged on his face.
~~~~
It was very late by the time Gabriel finally got home, most of the house was dark as he walked up the front path.
He silently slips inside, quietly shutting the door behind him. The living room lamp was on, illuminating a sleeping Chuck on the couch. Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief, at least he wouldn't have to put up with Chuck's disappointment in Gabriel's general.... well everything.
Taking the stairs two at a time, Gabriel passes Alfie's room, glancing in at all of Alfies certificates and science fair awards that decorated his side of the room. Aflie himself was passed out asleep on his bed, still fully clothed and his tablet sitting on the bed next to him.
Chewing his lip, Gabriel hesitates at the door before quietly tiptoeing towards the sleeping boy. Sure enough, faint music played from the fallen headphones connected to the tablet, Alfie's music mixing app up on the screen. That was Alfie's hobby, mixing beats and tracks together. Gabriel had to admit, the boy was pretty good at it. Yet another thing he was better than the rest of the siblings at.
Watching his sleeping baby brother, Gabriel can't help but smile softly. It was crazy to think of how he had grown and changed so much over the years. Going from a tiny, defenseless baby to a strong willed 11-year-old. Yet another reminder of the constant passing of time.
Leaving his brother to sleep, Gabriel heads to his room (no longer did he have to share with Lucifer, his parents had swapped Lucifer for Castiel after the whole snake incident). It was rare that Gabriel got the room to himself, Castiel was usually always in there at night, typing away on his laptop.
Now, the room was strangely quiet as Gabriel silently got changed and crawled into bed. He lay in the dim room, staring up at the ceiling as his thoughts began to run their nightly marathon. Tonight, all he could think about was Sam. Oh chuck that had been so awkward, and he had just made it worse. Going on like an idiot about starting from the start, he groaned and pulled the blankets over his head.
Sam must think he was an idiot. Maybe he was, chasing after a friendship that was now in the past.
The door swings open, breaking his train of thought. Peeking out from under his covers, Gabriel watched as a tired looking Castiel curled up on his own bed. It was silent for a moment, and for a moment it seemed as though Castiel had already fallen asleep. Then he heard it, the soft sob coming from his younger brother.
Gabriel closes his eyes, feeling close to crying himself. It hurt, knowing his brother was hurting, and not being able to help him.
Climbing out of bed, Gabe quietly pads across to Castiel's bed and sits next to him. He couldn't do anything more than sit there, offering some comfort to his brother. Neither of them speak, Castiel curled up on his side and Gabriel squeezing his hand.
He must have fallen asleep there, because next thing Gabriel knows, he's waking up to his alarm ringing loudly through the quiet morning air. Castiel was still asleep next to him, his black hair fluffy and messy. He looked years younger in sleep, a rare look of peace on his face.
Gabriel hurried to grab his stuff and run to the bathroom, determined to beat Lucifer there. He heard Castiel grumbling quietly as he left the room, but other than that the house was silent. It wouldn't be long before the others got up and were fighting over the two bathrooms.
While he waited for the shower water to heat up, he took a moment to look at himself in the mirror. He was... nervous. That surprised him because no one ever made Gabe nervous, not even rival dancers at competitions. But the prospect of spending time with Sam did make him nervous. He didn't want to mess this up. He frowned at his pale, scrawny reflection. He knew that someone like Sam would never see him as more than a friend. Perfect, tall Sammy with his hazel eyes and long hair... Was Sam straight? Or gay? Or something else? Gabriel needed to find out. Not because he already had a massive crush on the moose, jeez, just so he... knew.
Shouting came from outside the door, already the morning battles had begun. Hurrying to have his shower, Gabriel dressed and left the bathroom. Castiel and Lucifer were wrestling to get through the door, which was honestly just amusing to watch. Shaking his head, Gabriel smooths a nervous hand through his hair in an attempt to flatten it out a bit.
After many fights over bathroom time, breakfast and who had stolen Lucifer's soccer ball, the Novaks were finally climbing into Balthazar's car and speeding towards school.
Balthazar pulls up out front of the school, turning to glare at the teenagers in the back. "Now please, for the love of Chuck, don't get into any trouble."
"Us? Never." Gabriel grabs his bag and scrambles out of the car.
"I don't think I've ever seen you excited to go to school." Lucifer says as he followed Gabe. "Are you okay?""
Gabriel rolled his eyes, already scanning the parking lot for a certain Impala. "Shut up."
Lucifer sighed. "Such rudeness, you should respect your older brother."
"Respect this," Gabriel pulled the finger at his brother, grinning as he watched Dean pull up in a nearby park. "See you after."
Sam was standing by the impala, looking more than uncomfortable as other students walked past laughing and talking. He tugged at his flannel shirt and looked like he wished he was anywhere but there.
"Heya Sammy!" Gabriel bounced up to the awkward moose, making sure to smile brightly. "You look excited for school."
Sam gives him a long look, before bitch facing him. Gabriel simply smiles, but that gnawing nervousness had settled back in his stomach. What if Sam didn't like him now? Found him too annoying or something?
Do you still dance? Sam types out.
"Yeah, I just did some comps on the weekend actually!" Gabriel, as always, was more than happy to talk about dancing. Dancing was his safe topic, something he could go on forever about. "There was this one jump that I was always struggling to land, but I managed to get it right on stage, it was amazing."
Sam was smiling softly, listening.
"You should have seen Lucifer's face, the bastard had been betting that I wouldn't be able to stick the landing." Gabriel chuckled at the memory. "Then as revenge for me laughing at him, he filled my pillow and bed with rainbow confetti."
Sam laughed. It was quiet, barely there, but just the soft sound of it had Gabe smiling wider than ever.
"What are you smiling about, fag?" Bartholomew, one of the worst people to ever exist, came up to them then. Followed closely by his friends Zachariah and Uriel.
"None of your business, asshat."
Bart just chuckles. "Well well, that's a tad rude." He frowns at Sam. "Who's this, your boyfriend?" He sneers.
"N..no." Gabriel swallowed, what if they started picking on Sam? It would be his fault.
"Aw, poor little Gabe." Uriel smirks, "are you nervous?"
"Of you? Unlikely." Gabriel tried to sound brave, but a traitorous waver of fear entered his voice.
"You know if you keep talking to us like that, we might have to teach you another lesson you gay little shit." Bart stepped forward. "And you wouldn't like that, would you?"
"Why don't you take your bullshit and leave?" Gabriel snapped. He was so goddamn sick of these boys and their threats.
Bart shook his head slowly. "You'll regret that."
Zachariah laughed, shoving Gabriel as they walked away. "See you later, cousin." Uriel just smirked. Then they were gone, laughing and talking loudly as they faded into the crowd.
It was quiet for a moment, Gabriel rubbed his sore arm, avoiding Sam's face. What if Sam decided he didn't want to be friends with him anymore? That he drew too much attention, or maybe because Sam didn't want to be thought of as gay too if he wasn't.
He had half expected Sam to walk away, so when the moose's hand had hesitantly reached out and touched Gabriel's arm, his heart jolted in surprise. Chewing his lip, Gabriel looked up to see Sam frowning at him.
Are you okay?
Gabriel nodded, smiling despite himself. "Yeah, he's just... that's whatever."
Sam's brows creased, and he continued to type out a new message. They were dicks, don't listen to him.
Gabriel decided now was a good a time as anytime to tell his friend. "Well, I mean, I am... gay." He stood there in silence, watching Sam's expression.
And that means you have to just let that dick pick on you?
"You don't care?"
Sam shook his head, rolling his eyes and smiling. I'm your friend, besides I could never judge you for that.
Gabe smiles back. That's when, much to his surprise, Sam pulled him in for a hug. Gabe hesitates, before hugging his much taller friend back tightly. He closed his eyes, his chest aching. He hadn't had someone accept him like this outside of his family since... well ever. Once people at school had found out, he was either bullied or became even more of an outcast than he had been. It wasn't fair, why should he be bullied for being gay? The worst thing was that it was really only the one group of dicks who did it, everyone else was just too weak to stand up for him.
Sam Winchester was his best friend, and he was just glad time hadn't truly destroyed that. The one good thing he had. The one true person, outside of his family, who he could trust. He didn't care if Sam was gay or not, he was just glad he was his friend.