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The first time Sam goes to the museum, it's to see the ancient tome that's on display there. He and Dean have been digging through websites, library books, and dad's journal for days, but nothing seems to fit, and Sam hopes something in the tome, which was discovered locally, will match the strange events. He leaves Dean to his well-deserved evening off at one of the local bars and wanders into the museum. He's still got two hours before it closes, and that should be plenty of time.
Until, that is, a short, gorgeous guide with a nametag that says "Gabriel" offers him a tour, and he accepts, and the two get distracted talking about the Boston Tea Party in the room full of colonial artifacts. The conversation somehow drifts from there to stupid anecdotes about working in the museum, which Gabriel loves dearly and hopes to one day own, and then to their personal lives, and before Sam knows it, the place has to close down for the night and he hasn't seen the book at all.
Sam swears to himself he'll come back tomorrow to look at what he came for and counts this as his night off. Dean doesn't come back to the motel room until late and Sam pretends to sleep so he doesn't have to mention that he didn't find anything, and instead only saw the way the guide's eyes lit up when Sam returned his enthusiasm. And the dimples in his smile- Sam was more than aware of those.
~~~
Sam returns mid-morning the next day, and Gabriel waives the admission fee "since I kept you yesterday". There are copies of several pages on display, and Sam begins jotting as much info as he can down into a notebook.
"Now that," Gabriel meanders into the room, making Sam jump and drop his pencil as he instinctively reaches for the gun tucked in his belt, "that looks tedious." The guide gestures to Sam's rather unorganized note-taking. "Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you."
"No, it's fine." Sam relaxes, remembers the pencil, and scrambles to pick it back up, flustered. "And it is. Tedious, I mean." Talk, Winchester, what is wrong with you? "I was just... really interested in... this. I have a research project I'm working on, about local legends across the country."
"You know, I could print you off a copy of each of those display pages." His gaze flickers to the tome for a few seconds, then returns to Sam. "If you want."
"Could you?" Sam asks a little too eagerly, face lighting up.
"Sure," Gabriel answers, then tilts his head a little as he continues: "I'll let you in on a little secret. Zachariah? The owner? He really doesn't care what I do around here, pretty much unless I steal something." He makes this face, like he's trying to imagine something he could do that could get him in trouble and failing.
"You're a life saver." Sam rushes, reaching out to brush his hand against the guide's bare arm briefly.
Gabriel breaks eye contact then, to look down at his feet. "It's just my job, kiddo." As a general rule, he doesn't like being called 'kid', but that's usually because he's hearing it from older hunters who think he can't handle whatever it is he's trying to do. But here, it's almost like a nickname.
"Yeah, and it was your job to chat with me last night."
The guide looks back up. "I'm a sucker for people who actually wanna talk about all this," he gestures around the room, then starts towards the door. "Oh." Gabriel turns on his heel gracefully and walks out backwards as he finishes: "And dimples. I'm a sucker for dimples too."
Sam's still standing there blushing when he returns with the display page copies, reaches up to give him a quick touch on the shoulder, and dashes back off to greet the newcomers milling around the entryway.
~~
The third time Sam steps foot in the museum is specifically to see Gabriel, but he swears it's for case related reasons. He and Dean have pored through the copies for what feels like hours. While quite a few things in the text seem to fit, there aren't any conclusive answers, and they both just want this case to be finished. As Dean throws one of the pages down in frustration, watching it flutter to the motel floor, Sam mumbles to himself that maybe Gabriel knows what else is in this stupid tome.
"Gabriel?"
"Oh, the- uh- tour guide, at the museum. He ran me off these copies. Maybe he has access to more of the book?"
"...Didn't you say the tour guide was, uh. chatting you up?"
Sam looks up from his papers guiltily, because he had mentioned that, and forgotten it. "Yeah?"
"And the guide. Is a dude?"
"Yeah." Sam purposefully looks back at another copy lying on the bed, trying to be casual. "His name is Gabriel."
Dean looks more taken aback than anything else. "You're okay with that?"
Sam is more than okay with that. But he hadn't mentioned it, because he hasn't exactly come out to Dean yet, and he's not even sure what he is yet. He usually leans more towards women, but there are definitely certain guys that get him hot and bothered, and mr. gorgeous dimpled museum guide is one of them. "Yeah. It's cool, Dean," he says nonchalantly, still looking at his spread of papers.
Dean gives him a raised eyebrow when he goes back to the museum late when he thinks not many other people will be there, but otherwise says nothing more about it- which is good, because this is genuinely case-related. He swears this to himself multiple times. Even if it wasn't, Sam's sat by a myriad of times and watched Dean pursue some girl mid-case, and, a couple times, vacated the motel room for said girl and Dean to get between the sheets. Dean can forgive him for spending a little time flirting.
"I gotta say," Gabriel grins from where he's perched on the front desk rather than behind it, "you don't get a lot of regulars in a museum, but I'm starting to get behind the idea if it means you in here repeatedly." Sam ducks his head, sheepish but happy that Gabriel's still in. "What brings you back again?"
"I actually was hoping to talk to you."
It might have been the last rays of the sunset outside, but Sam swears he can see the guy's face light up, despite attempts to appear casual. "That so?"
"You ran me off those display page copies before, which was great, by the way, but... I was wondering if there was any way I could see some of the other pages?"
Gabriel's smile falters for a split second. "Oh." But then it's back, just a little less excited. "I'm afraid there's not much I can do about that, kiddo. That thing's off limits to just about everyone. Pretty sure Zachariah- this place's owner- would take it home and sleep with it under his pillow if he could."
Sam can't stop an undignified snort. "What, does he-"
He didn't quite know if it's appropriate to finish that comment, but Gabriel decides to finish it for him. "Get off to it?" he leans forward and raises his eyebrows suggestively. "Probably."
The quick laugh they share is more about the sheer ridiculousness of having made that joke than the joke itself, and it feels good. Sam finally pulls himself together. "But really though- he's that into history?"
"Well, he is, but that tome is something else. Ever since it was donated, he's been protective, and even I haven't been allowed to see most of it. So I can't really tell you much. A lot of it's not English either, so you'd have to see it yourself for it to really make sense." Gabriel shrugs. "Sorry I couldn't help you out."
"No, it's okay, there's nothing you could do." Sam reassures, stepping awkwardly closer to the counter. "And I kind of did come back to talk to you." Okay, so he came on case-related reasons, but that's certainly not why he's staying. He's only a foot or so from the edge of the front desk where Gabriel's perched, and the guide leans towards him as he speaks.
"About...?" He frowns a little.
"I never caught the end of that story you were telling. The one about the calendar and the phone call."
"I'm pretty sure I told you exactly how that one went down." Gabriel is starting to piece together what's brought Sam back a third time, and his breath quickens.
"I must have missed it." Sam licks his lips. "I was... distracted."
"By what?" Gabriel's inched forward to the edge of the counter by now.
Sam's gaze flickers down to his mouth. "Dimples." he breathes,
There's a moment- as they both move closer, heads tilting- when the only thought in Sam's head is that he's about to have an absolutely breathtaking kiss.
That moment is abruptly shattered by Sam's (stupid fucking LOUD ILL-TIMED FUCKING ASSBRICK) phone going off. "Sorry, sorry, I need to-" Sam rushes out, flustered, and Gabriel nods understandingly as he flips the (fucking worthless COCKBLOCKING) device open. "Dean? Is this important?" he hisses quietly.
"No?"
Sam sighs and bitchfaces at no one in particular, then replies in a tone oozing sarcasm: "Good to know."
"Geez, dude. I was just calling to let you know I'm making a pizza and beer run. It's actually quality pizza and it's a town over, so I might not be back for a bit. That's all."
"Wonderful."
"I'm sorry for interrupting your research boner or whatever. See you in a bit." Dean hangs up and Sam's almost glad, because he's pretty sure nothing he can say to Dean right now won't sound sarcastic and bitchy.
Gabriel's slid down from the counter now, glancing at his watch. "I better lock up," he says quietly,
"Yeah. Thanks again." Sam starts for the door, crestfallen, and glances back to see that Gabriel's disappeared into the backroom. "Have a nice night?" he calls, but there's no answer. Sam slowly pushes through the door, ignoring the cheery tinkle, and starts trudging back towards the motel. Dean better be bringing some seriously quality pizza.
~~~
Sam isn't moping, he's just lying on the bed with his pants off and his face in the overly soft motel pillow, awaiting the arrival of pizza so he can eat his disappointments- which is not moping. He hasn't actually kissed a guy since before Jess, and he kinda misses it- stubble and wider hands and a mouth closer to his own height. That last one's not really applicable to this guy, but he'd had dimples, and a pretty fantastic ass, and a sort of easy quickness in his movements that Sam found fascinating.
So yes, he's moping, lying there in the warm glow of the bedside lamp and thinking about how good just one kiss would have felt. But no, Sam Winchester can't have nice things, he thinks, just a tad bitterly. Sam Winchester can't even have mediocre things. When Dean shows up with pizza, he's going to have to blame this mood swing on research going no where.
There's a jingle of keys and then a knock- Dean deciding it was easier to make him get the door than juggle pizza and beer. Sam draws one more breath and then lets it noisily out his mouth as he strides to the door.
"So get thi-" It's not Dean and pizza. It's Gabriel, with his hands held behind his back and a nervous smile.
"This is not as creepy as it looks."
"How did you even-" Sam's trying to overcome surprise and remembering that he's wearing his goddamn space boxers at the same time- "find us? I'm not creeped out, I'm just impressed."
"Hell of a story." Gabriel sort of gestures with his head and a dramatic eye roll. "You mentioned that you were in a motel, and this one's walking distance, so I put those together and found this place. Figured your brother's beloved classic car would be parked close, so I checked the rooms next to the red beauty out there."
"That's, uh, not Dean's car."
"Exactly what the people in rooms three through five told me. Do you know how hard it is to explain why you're standing on a stranger's motel doorstep in a museum uniform? Hard as dicks, that's how." Sam grins as Gabriel considers for a moment. "I could have phrased that better."
"Do you wanna-" Sam gestures into the motel room- "come in or something?" It's not the smoothest thing he's ever done, welcoming a guy he met yesterday into his hotel room without any pants on, but...
Gabriel shifts a little, ducking his head. "Actually, I just dropped by to lend you..." he makes a big show of bringing his hands out from behind his back, and- "this." He's holding the tome. The tome, the one that had gotten him into all this to begin with. The tome that no one is even supposed to touch let alone take from the fucking museum good god Gabriel had brought him THIS.
Sam's jaw drops as Gabriel rushes on- "You're just gonna get a quick look-through, and tomorrow morning it goes right back. No one sees, no one knows. I trust you to be good to it, so don't let me down here, history boy." His eyes lock with Sam's as he slowly holds out the book towards Sam who takes it just as slowly.
And slowly, gently, puts it down on the counter by the door, the awe on his face replaced by sheer want. Because Gabriel? He's fucking amazing.
Gabriel breaks eye contact for a second to watch him put the tome down, head tilting a little in confusion, but then Sam takes a step closer and he remembers exactly why he was glad the aforementioned brother wasn't around. Sam seems to have forgotten that they're standing in an open doorway, so Gabriel takes the initiative and pushes Sam gently backwards a few steps as he stretches upwards to make some long-awaited mouth to mouth contact. The motel door swings shut as they kiss eagerly, fumbling and brushing noses at first but then figuring out exactly what they're doing, height difference and all.
Sam is passionate and almost rough, getting his teeth and tongue involved right away, but Gabriel gradually takes the lead and makes him slow down. timing the lazy brushes of his teeth over Sam's lower lip with the gentle tugs on his hair. Sam's really game for that, too. Gabriel's clearly experienced, and Sam's content to let him do as he pleases. Finally Gabriel pulls back for a breath, and Sam uses the pause to tug him towards the bed, intending to sit so he's not so damn tall, but Gabriel clearly wasn't expecting it, because he stumbles down towards the bed right along with him.
They're both cracking up- that breathy, intimate sort of laughter that only seems to happen when he's got someone he really likes close and something that should be awkward happens but neither of them care because they're too caught up in each other's lips. "You're really great, you know that?" Sam chuckles as he rolls to his side so the other is next to him instead of awkwardly crushing him. He doesn't know if he means great with kissing or great as a person, but both are entirely applicable.
"I'm aware," Gabriel breathes, ducking his head a little as though savoring the complement. From this angle, though, something else catches his eye- Sam's lack of pants. "But I gotta ask, big guy-" he eases both arms around his partner's waist and slides lower to get his hands on Sam's ass- "are these because your ass is out of this world?" Gabriel would appreciate the space boxers.
"No-oo," Sam draws out, savoring the feeling of Gabe's hands working back upwards, under his shirt this time. "They're because this way-" he shimmies a little closer to brush his teeth against the guide's earlobe- "I get a lot of space, where I need it." Gabriel tries to give an appreciative "Ooh" at what Sam's implying, he really does, but he's cracking up again.
"See, it's funny!" Sam grins, pulling his head back to look Gabriel in the eyes. "Dean didn't think it was funny."
There's a hungry glint in the golden eyes now, despite the laughing smile. "Big brother's jealous he doesn't need the space where you do."
Sam blushes beautifully, shifting his hips so the two of them are pressed up against each other as much as possible, and then dives back in wholeheartedly. Gabriel's a frenzy of eagerly gripping hands across his back and rolling hips and hot, sweet breath as he opens up Sam's mouth with his tongue, and Sam can barely concentrate on the task at hand- mussing Gabriel's hair, fistful by golden fistful.
At this point he's finding it very frustrating, how clothed Gabriel is- especially when one denim-wrapped leg hitches itself over his hip-, but looking back, he's incredibly pleased that Dean walked in on them as they were, instead of as naked as they could have been a few minutes later.
"Dude!" Sam and Gabriel very nearly thump heads as they roll apart to sit bolt upright and look at a very pissed Dean, standing in the doorway with the promised pizza. Sam tugs his shirt down in an effort to do something about his lack of pants, but their reddened lips and Gabriel's sex hair are really completing the guilty look.
"You wanna put a sock on the door or somethin' next time?" Dean's a fucking prick who obviously has no intention of leaving, because he sets the beer on the counter, scooting the tome casually to the side.
Gabriel finally stands up, straightening his history museum shirt but leaving the hair as is. "I realize ruining your little brother's innocence isn't the best way to meet-" Sam makes a face and Gabriel shoots him a smirking glance- "but I'm Gabriel." He holds out a hand that Dean looks at in disdain.
"I don't know where that's been."
Sam sighs noisily and Gabriel decides it's time he cleared out and left them to their awkward pizza. He turns back to Sam; says softly, "Hey, just bring me that-" he nods towards the tome- "outside the museum tomorrow at eight thirty. This has been fun, space boy." There's a little regret in his smile as he strides out of the motel, letting the door fall shut behind him.
Dean slowly turns to look at his little brother, face a mixture of "I told you so" and "Sammy's got a boyfriend".
"Shut up." Sam mutters, picking his jeans off the floor.
~~~
The tome proves incredibly helpful, and Sam takes some detailed notes. He also realizes with a jolt of horror that the monster taking out the people on the outskirts of town is definitely Zachariah, the museum owner. It's not that Sam feels bad about killing him- Gabriel had described the dude as a total dick and there are several dead locals to attest to his viciousness- he's just wary about what could happen if a monster like this discovers that Gabriel's loaned out the tome. Dean sets off to stake him right away and end the killings while Sam returns the tome, as promised.
And if he and Gabriel exchange a sweet, chaste kiss good morning on the museum's doorstep- well, Dean doesn't need to know.