Moving On (Destiel)

30: Shelter

It had started raining again by the time they arrived at the Novak's little house. No burning light was to be seen, the road laid dark and gloomy in front of them. Sam looked around like a scared little animal, and Dean squeezed his arm a little to show him that at least he was there. And he always would.

It wasn't Cas who opened the door. A part of Dean had wanted to see the boy, of course, but he was more relieved than anything. He wasn't sure how to even look Cas in the eyes.

"Yeah I don't think it's a good idea for you to come in." Gabriel said immediately, an apologetic expression guiding his words. "He doesn't want to see you right now."

He didn't sound judgmental, but not happy, either. During Dean's and Cas's close "best-friends-phase" Gabriel had taken it upon him to create a love story and built an entire ship around them, but Cas doubtlessly had told him about the previous events. 

Hell, Gabriel may have been the one to pick him up, all cold and wet from the rain, growing sick... or Cas had walked home by himself that night, only to be greeted by a worried brother, who asked him about his cold and wet appearance...

Sam's imagine brought him back to reality. The boy didn't look at him, but he looked inside. Normally, he would have curiously – almost boldly – tried to sneak-peek, but he apparently didn't have the energy. It seemed to have drained from him.

Dean cleared his throat. "Please. Can you take us in? We don't – we don't have a place to sleep tonight. We have nowhere to go."

He sounded pleading against his will and hated for exposing such a weakness to a near stranger. Or just to another person in general. Especially one who had no other goal in life than to make fun out of people.

"We?" It was only now that Gabriel noticed small Sam standing next to his brother, intrigued and almost shy. Gabriel scratched his head. "You must be Sammy then, ain't ya? Heard lots about you."

"Don't call me that," Sam demanded, nothing like the helpless child he had been moments ago. He sounded mildly annoyed.

Gabriel's eyes drafted back and forth between the two brothers. "But Deano calls you that, doesn't he?"

Sam raised his eyebrows at Dean for the nickname, but Dean just shrugged. He had grown to accept the weirdness that Gabriel embodied.

"Yeah, but he's my big brother. That's something else."

"Okay, whatever, Samoose."

Sam frowned and Dean would have laughed if his mouth could have somehow found a way to smile. "Can we... can we stay here, then? Just one night? I'd try and find a place today, but honestly, it's been a long evening and an even longer day, and I'd like to worry about that tomorrow..."

Gabriel eyed Dean for a moment and then Sam. He pressed his lips together for a whole fifteen seconds and then let out a dramatic sigh. "Who could say no to such puppy eyes? Come in, King of failure and la Samoose, I'll always have a bed free for sad lonely travelers."

He gestured for them to come in which they didn't hesitate to do. Dean knew the house pretty well by now, but he didn't want to bluntly just do what he had done so many times before and make himself a home. 

He knew he couldn't, not after today. He had lost any "Best friends can do whatever they want" rights.

"Samoose, you can sleep in my bed, Imma go use the couch."

"What? No – Gabe, you don't have to do this. Sammy and I can share the couch."

Sam nodded in approvement. The last thing they'd want would to be rude and take advantage of their host's good mood.