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Being a bodyguard was enough of a pain in the ass when the prince you were meant to be guarding was the kind who stayed put and did what he was supposed to. Gabriel was terrible about sneaking out, telling one bodyguard he was going to be with another and telling the other the opposite, just plain telling his bodyguards that if they tried to follow him where he was going, he’d have them killed on trumped up charges, or whatever else it took him to get out on his own.
Dean had been a bodyguard for Prince Gabriel long enough to know when to call the bluff and when Gabriel was deathly serious. Because of that judgment, Gabriel trusted him, gave him privileges beyond the standard for his bodyguards – and most importantly, never lied to him or snuck out on him. He wasn’t forthcoming either, but he’d give Dean the courtesy of telling him “I’m headed out. Don’t follow.”
Dean wasn’t about to tell anyone that it wasn’t judgment that drove him to let Gabriel go. It was the chance to sneak out himself. It gave him a chance to go see his brother, and then to go out on the town and meet up with his friend Loki. That was clearly not his real name, but Loki was a fun guy who never got them into trouble he couldn’t get them out of either through talking or fighting, and he had a nose for fun.
After Gabriel’s wife, Princess Kali, walked out on the family claiming she was actually needed at home and not to expect her back, it seemed like Gabriel was going out every single night. Tonight was the one year anniversary, and Dean hadn’t even waited for Gabriel to call him in. He handed the prince the bag he always carried when he left. “Go on. Get the hell out of here. Go find whatever it is you’re after.”
Gabriel took the bag, but he didn’t leave immediately. “Come with me,” he said instead.
“Your Highness, I…” Dean couldn’t refuse, could he? But accepting meant giving up his shot to see Sam and Loki tonight, and Loki had promised something big.
Gabriel sensed his hesitation. “That was a request, not an order, dude. If you’ve got other plans because you knew I’d be going out tonight, go have fun. If you change your mind after having your talk with your brother, check the Stormy Stag. I’ll be hanging out there for at least part of the night, anyway, and I’d love to see you.”
Dean was still torn about what to do when he left Sam, heading into town. Sam had passed along a rumor he’d heard from his boss – that Gabriel was said to be getting unbecomingly fond of a bodyguard in his employ, and had even told his father to forget about matching him up with some marriage of alliance if his prospective partner couldn’t handle him having a man on the side. Dean hoped he wasn’t being too horribly cocky to believe that it was him, that Gabriel’s flirting with him actually meant something.
With Gabriel asking him to come along tonight of all nights… but on the other hand, there was Loki. Loki who had something big planned for tonight, and hell if Dean wasn’t mostly in love with him already. If Gabriel wanted him, Dean was not enough fool to say no, but he’d just have to hope that either Gabriel wouldn’t find out about Loki or he’d be okay with sharing.
The choice of which of the two to meet up with tonight got a lot easier when he got to the tree where Loki left a token indicating where to meet him and Dean found a toy stag. Both of his potential companions were at the same tavern. This was going to be an interesting night.
At the Stag, Dean looked around. He didn’t see Gabriel anywhere, but there was Loki, mask and all, in the middle of a crowd. “Dean! My man! Come on over here, I already got you a drink!”
That made up Dean’s mind, at least as far as tonight went. Loki was here, Gabriel wasn’t, if Gabriel showed up things might get interesting but why worry about contingencies? Dean dropped into the seat Gabriel waved him to and picked up the ale in front of it. “Good to see you, Loki. Good day?”
“Yeah, even better now.” Loki swung forward. “Would you be willing to go somewhere with me? Just the two of us?”
“Make up your mind, are you buying me a drink or taking me somewhere?” Dean teased, taking a quaff of ale.
Loki smirked. “Well, I bought you one drink, yes. Am I getting you another round, or will you go somewhere with me when you finish that one?”
“Which way’s more likely to get me the something big you promised me tonight?”
Loki’s smirk grew. “Oh, good, you remembered! It’ll be bigger if you let me take you somewhere, but you’ll get it here anyway.”
“Let’s go then.” Dean drained the rest of his ale, leading Loki to raise an eyebrow but finish off his own drink and remove the girl from his lap.
“Sorry, ladies, but Loki’s got a prior commitment tonight.” The girls pouted, but Loki just grabbed Dean’s hand and hauled him outside. He didn’t stop until they’d reached the edge of town, where Loki picked up a bag. A very familiar bag. Dean stared at it.
“Is that…”
“Not yet. Not here.” Loki grabbed his hand again, leading him into the woods. Once they’d reached a clearing, Loki pulled a hidden rope, causing a ladder to drop. He climbed up, indicating for Dean to follow, and the two of them reached a treehouse. Loki turned to Dean, dropping the bag. “Yes. Yes, it is exactly what you think it is.” He took off his mask, rolling it up to put in the bag. Inside, Dean could see the clothes Gabriel had been wearing that afternoon. “I’m sure you have questions.”
“So this is the something big you wanted to tell me? You’re actually my boss?” Dean had so many questions, but right now, that was the one that seemed most important. That would tell him just how much disappointment he was in for.
“Nah, there’s no way I was unmasking in the tavern, and I said you’d still get it if we stayed there. It’s just that now you know exactly what’s going on when I do this.” Gabriel walked up to him, standing close and reaching up. “Dean, not long after Kali left, your brother and I had a nice long conversation. Not sure why Sam cared so much about my broken heart, but he told me to keep an open mind, that love was all around me and when I was ready, it would find me again. At the time, I thought he was so full of shit, but turns out that big brain of his isn’t just for remembering tiny details from boring books. I kept an open mind, and it got to where everywhere I looked, I saw you. Protecting me, letting me go when it was what I needed, I tested you a couple times to make sure you weren’t just pretending to let me go because you’d figured out I was Loki and you knew you’d find me and be able to look after me anyway.”
“Nope. I had no clue until just now,” Dean admitted.
“I know. That’s why we’re here.” Gabriel’s fingers twisted into Dean’s hair. “Things with Gabriel might be complicated, but I wanted you to know before I asked on Loki’s behalf. Will you be my lover? Not asking for anything exclusive here, I’ve told Dad to make sure that if he marries me off to make sure she knows I’m not giving up my lover, but what do you say? You and me?”
“I say quit fucking around with stupid questions and explanations and kiss me, you fool.” Gabriel didn’t waste any time.