How (thanks to Gabriel) Dean and Castiel raised each other (and Sam)

Chapter 18- The Age of Consent

AN: Continues from last chapter. For those keeping track, Sam is 21, Dean is 24. Gabriel and Castiel are older than the concept of time.

The third thing Sam did when he came back from Hell was pray.

The first thing he did was roll over and watch Dean wake up. It was easily one of the top five greatest moments of his life, even though he’d watched Dean wake up nearly every morning from time out of memory. Sam had always been the early riser of the two and had spent many an impatient hour waiting for Dean to start stirring enough that he wouldn’t feel guilty shaking him awake.

This was different. This was Dean’s limp body animated at last, green eyes rocketing open and a deep natural breath ending in annoyed coughs until Castiel fumbled the ventilator out.

“Hey, Sammy.” Dean rasped.

“Hey, yourself.” Sam hugged him, ignoring all protests against what was essentially snuggling.

The second thing Sam did was retreat to the staff bathroom upstairs to give Castiel and Dean some much needed privacy. Also, he had to throw up. It had been easy to stomach Hell when he was for all intents and purposes without a stomach. Reembodied it was as if he had to catch up with the nausea.

When he had finished, he washed his face and stared at himself in the mirror until he could stop shaking. When he was ready, Sam went out into the shop. The sun was setting outside, painting the wood floors a mellow orange. He settled himself in the worn chair behind the counter, closed his eyes and prayed,

Gabriel, who art most likely in a paradise of your own making trying to forget the name Winchester, I just want to say thank you. By the way, we’ve made it back safely. Though you probably know that since I doubt you would’ve left our pathetic human shells unattended. Guess that means you ran off as soon as we came back, huh? Well, we wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for you. You should have seen Cas with all your mojo humming through him. He was awesome in the original sense of the word. And Dean-

“Your prayers are worse than those farm weather radio stations.” Gabriel popped into existence right beside Sam. “Couldn’t you write in your diary or something?”

“Hey.” Sam smiled at him.

“Hello.” Gabriel said slowly.

“How was your day?” Sam asked brightly.

“...what?”

“No, no.” Sam corrected. “You’re supposed to say ‘fine’ and then say ‘how was yours?’ and then I can tell you all about stabbing a stick insect demon to death. And then you ask if I’m hungry, I say sort of and you take me out to dinner.”

“Why would I do any of that?” Gabriel asked, frowning.

“To be fair that presupposes that I did this when you showed up.” Sam stood up and took a step toward Gabriel, who took a step backward. “Stand still.”

Sam reached for Gabriel’s shoulders, sliding his hands over them. Gabriel ran warm, heat tingling through Sam’s palms. He leaned down and brushed his lips over Gabriel’s in the faintest of kisses,

“Hey.” He repeated, all intimacy and heat.

“What do you want from me?” Gabriel stared up at him, eyes narrowing. “What did they do to you down there?”

“Nothing and...nothing? I don’t think. Castiel did something.” Sam smiled faintly. “But I’ve wanted to kiss you for months. You’re not exactly approachable though or you know, consistently interested. But hey, I just pulled my brother’s soul out from under the combined armies of Heaven and Hell. I figured I might as well use all the extra hubris for something just for me.”