Challenge Accepted: College

Chapter 7: Recovery

"I got a job!" Gabriel sang happily as he burst through the front door, Dean frowned looking up from his cheeseburger "Why?" He knew that Gabriel didn't need one, Gabriel closed the door "Because I get to work around cake- duh, it'll be great!"

"You got a job at the bakery?- are you sure you can handle that?"

Gabriel narrowed his eyes, he was still healing emotionally but he could handle a job baking cakes "I think I'll be fine." He smiled, proud of himself "I start next week."

Dean still didn't like the idea and Gabriel noticed this "Oh for the love of- Dean the place is only fifteen minutes away, if you want you can pick me up after school."

"Yes, I will." Dean said with a nod, no matter what he looked after his friends "I'm gonna take a nap." He announced standing from the couch with a yawn, Gabriel frowned "What?- it's only twelve."

Dean shrugged taking his half eaten plate of food to the kitchen "Training has been taking a lot outta me." He put it in the fridge, he looked at Gabriel "You really think this new job is a good idea?"

Gabriel nodded, sighing "It gives me a reason other than Sam to get up in the morning."

"Okay, then I'm happy for you- you gonna tell Sam about this?"

Gabriel shrugged "Probably." He smiled softly, it'd been too long since hd been haoly like the way he was now  "Things have been good between us-like..so good."

"What about you and Cas?"

Dean winced, "We're almost there." Things with Dean and Cas had been better and they were thinking about rekindling there relationship hell they'd even accidentally dropped the L- bomb once over the phone "Night weirdo- don't wake me up unless it's life or death."

"Sweet dreams."

~

Dean was just about to slip into bed when his phone started to ring and he groaned eternally "Dammit Sammy what the hell do you want?"

"Where is Gabe?- he's not answering my calls again."

Dean sighed rubbing his temple in frustration "Calm down he's not ghosting you again, he's just in the shower."

"Oh." Sam said relieved before he paused "..You didn't tell me you broke up with Cas."

"Oh my- we did not 'break up' Sam, we're just taking a break for a little until I'm ready."

"What about Cas?"

"We're fine Sam, I know he's your friend too but really." Dean's lips fell into a thin line, "I'm not trying to hurt him I just want to know that I can whole heartedly be there for him.."

He gawd on his lip "..I broke up with him, Leo- I mean, or I guess we broke up with each other..it was after we found out that we were moving..I didn't want to stall the inevitable." Dean's eyes fell closed for a second "You said that'd I'd never loved anyone before but I loved Leo and when we broke up it hurt a lot so I didn't tell you what happened."

"Dean..I'm sorry-"

"You were sixteen and hurting, I don't blame you Sammy."

"I was a jerk wasn't I?"

Dean shrugged "Bitch is more like it."

"I'm gonna choose to ignore that." Sam sighed "Take care Dean."

"Right back at you."

~

Weeks passed and soon it wasn't gonna be that long until they got to see Sam and Castiel again. Dean was preoccupied with his training- which he was doing pretty well at and Gabriel very much enjoyed his job and his new boss who he thought of as more of a friend so things were really looking up for the both of them.