big man in town | sabriel

17 | new job

sam.

having my arms tied behind my back with no sexual connotation was certainly a new experience for me. i might've been able to take those guys down, but it was too much effort. i knew that gabe had to be here somewhere.

and sure enough, there he was. he looked very angry. furious, even. but i knew that he wouldn't hurt me.

instead of replying to my sarcastic remark, gabe simply ordered his guards to untie me. a brief flash of confusion crossed both of their faces but they obeyed without a word. i noticed another very scrawny guy standing behind gabe watching the situation unfold with mild surprise in his expression. i was trying to avoid my boyfriend's heated gaze.

once my arms were free i still sat there, not knowing what to do.

"you two," gabriel said, addressed his guards. "call meg and chuck in. this was a massive breach of security. we need everyone to work as often as they can until i figure this out." he paused to sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose, like he was getting a headache. "you'll all be getting paid overtime."

"yes mr. novak." replied one as the other said "yes sir." they both went back outside and gabe turned around and looked at the scrawny man in surprise, like he forgot that he was standing there.

"thank you for bringing the situation to my attention, garth. you can go back to work now. and you better make sure that no one else hears a word about this. not even castiel or anna."

garth replied with a huge grin on his face, "of course sir. it won't be a problem at all. you can count on me to—"

"save the sucking up for when you ask me for a raise." gabe cut him off. "go on now."

garth simply nodded, the grin never leaving his face. as soon as he made his exit, gabriel turned his attention to me. i was processing that whatever this was, castiel and anna were here as well.

"follow me to my office." he said in a low voice. thankfully, most of the rage seemed to have dissipated. now he just looked... tired. i got up wordlessly and followed him. nervousness took root in my gut.

when we entered the office, the first thing i noticed was my painting. the one he bought from me the first day we really met. it stood out against the drab gray walls. despite the circumstances, it brought a small smile to my face.

i shut the door behind me and stood awkwardly. i felt like an elementary school kid that got sent to the principal's office. gabe stood with his back towards me as he took a deep breath in and out. he slowly turned to face me.

"let me see your wrists." he said as he held out his hands. i displayed my arms, palms facing up. he gently rubbed over the skin where the rope had been tied snugly. "a little red, but it'll go away in a few minutes."

"yeah, i wasn't tied up for long." i replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

he looked up at me and held my gaze for a long moment with an unreadable expression in his eyes. after about thirty seconds he shook his head and suddenly turned around and walked toward his desk. he reached over to the drawer before pulling out a half smoked joint, as well as a lighter from his pocket. he lit it up and took a puff before exhaling and rolling his head as if he were stretching his neck.

"you could've been hurt." he said simply. i was awkwardly shifting my weight back and forth on each foot. "someone could've followed you here and hurt other people."

"yeah but, gabe, none of that happened." i pointed out.

"you don't know that." he retorted. "i don't think you realize what you've done. i trusted you. i told you over and over again that my work life was something that i didn't want you involved in." he looked hurt and my immediate instinct was just to make it better.

"gabriel, i want to love all of you. this is a part of who you are."

he shook his head again. "you endangered everyone here. even my own kin. especially yourself. do you realize that if garth didn't come get me when he did, you'd be in serious pain right now? god, just the thought of my guys laying a hand on you just..." he balled up his fist and then unclenched it on an exhale of smoke.

"then let me fix it. i can help." i replied desperately, feeling guilty about the trouble i caused.

he let out a short, bitter laugh. "you don't know what you're asking right now. you don't even know what this is." he took another hit off his joint.

frustration surged through me. "only because you won't tell me! what did you expect me to do? did you think i would really just sit by while you went out to this mysterious job every day and never get curious? i'm not a housewife gabriel, and i never will be."

he seemed surprised at my outburst. he put out his joint and after a few seconds of deliberation, opened up his arms. "come here."

i walked toward him and melted into his embrace. i buried my face in his neck and gripped the back of his shirt as he wrapped his hands lazily around my waist.

he started speaking in that soft voice he uses when it's just us. "everything about what i do is illegal. we import drugs and weapons from other countries and sell them here in the states. it took me a long time to build up this organization and it could all be torn down in a second. it's dangerous, a gang tries to rob us at least twice a month, if we're lucky." he pulled back a little bit and reached a hand up to caress my face. "this kind of stuff wasn't meant for people like you. you're so precious. if anything hurt you, i don't know what i would do. something stupid, probably."

"bullshit gabe. i can fight if i have to. i just proved it by manhandling those goons of yours back there." i smiled and he let out a soft chuckle. i noticed that he had dark circles under his eyes. "i don't even have to do any dirty work."

his eyes widened like he just realized something crucial. he gently nudged my waist with his hand and i stepped back. gabe immediately whipped around to his opened laptop, leaning over the desk and clicking around. i scratched my head in confusion. he stepped back and gestured to the laptop and a calculator sitting next to it.

"can you crunch these numbers?" he asked me with a hopeful twinkle in his eyes. i moved to inspect what was on the screen.

"yeah, totally. shouldn't be too hard." i did the math and stood back so he could check it. he did and nodded his head in thought.

"could you do that like, all the time?"

i shrugged. "sure. i've always been pretty good at math."

gabriel tilted his head for a few seconds like he was weighing a decision. "then the job is yours." he said with a goofy smile.

i narrowed my eyes at him. "what's the catch?"

"there is no catch, sam. whether i like it or not, you found out about this place. that makes you involved. and i'd rather you be involved right here, in my office, doing the stuff i hate to do than you be involved alone at your shitty apartment where we'd both sit all day wondering if the other is safe." he spoke matter-of-factly, like he had the most practical idea in the world.

"so... you're not mad at me for all of this?"
i asked hesitantly as i noticed his eyes were reddening around the edges.

"sam, what's done is done. there's no taking it back; there's no starting over. i don't blame you for what you did today. it would be hypocritical of me to, because god knows i would've done the same damn thing."

i approached him cautiously for another hug and he went for it, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist and laying his head on my chest. i could tell something was definitely bothering him, but i had to let it be for now. things had worked out in a way.

it was all just a lot to take in all at once.