Work Text:
- Cherry Cola -
It was hot, too freaking hot and Gabriel was so done with this day. It was bordering nine thirty and he was seriously considering closing up early as he hadn’t seen a soul in the last hour. It was finals time, all students were already home with a nose in their books or on their way there, as he knew the library down the street had just closed and were kicking stragglers out. Besides, it was blistering hot outside and the A/C had conked out before lunch, sending his regulars away faster than usual and the not so regulars even quicker, thank God the ice machine hadn’t broken with as many fraps as he had made that day. Of course trying to reason with Naomi over the phone was useless, he’d let her sweat tomorrow though.
He’d just resolved to close when the chime above the door sounded and Gabriel felt his stomach drop, gorgeous sex on a stick just walked through the door and was heading directly toward him.
“Large black.” Damn he was tall, and slightly jittery.
“’Scuse me?” Maybe the kid had ice water for blood and didn’t feel the heat.
“Large black, no sugar, no milk, no foam. Just plain black coffee.” He did know he was in a coffee house, right? No one ordered black, he was going to have to get the other maker started for this. Maybe he could convince the kid into something else, the backpack that looked about to burst spoke different, and tall, dark, and sexy looked on a mission, and honestly like he didn’t really know where he was. The option for tea was shot down and the kid seemed to be coming back to his surrounding but not quite there, Gabriel sighed, what was one more pot really?
“Name?” It was bold on his part really, they didn’t take names, sure they knew the regulars, but that was multiple visits and self-introductions
“Sam.” The god, Gabriel mentally finished for him.
“Three fifty please.” Gabriel smiled brightly, might as well make the best of it. Sam placed his change in the jar and them scowled, must be habit, Gabe couldn’t help his smirk as he started up ol’ Bessy.
It really wasn’t much of a hassle to make a pot of coffee and once it was done he poured Sam’s cup and placed it on the counter for him to retrieve, he shut off Bessy and placed the pot on the warmer, hell he’d even give the kid free refills just to not throw the java away, and started to clean the filters and nozzles on the old machine, secure in the belief no others would ask for regular coffee tonight. He’d just set everything to soak when more customers came in, regulars, no coffee but they’d nearly clear out the sweet case every night, Gabriel filled a box and rang them up, cheerfully sending them on their way when he noticed Sam’s coffee still on the counter. Sam himself was in the corner reading, check that, studying, Gabriel recognized the look of a finals cram session.
“Hey Gorgeous, coffee’s ready.” Did he really just call a complete stranger Gorgeous? And dear lord, the kid was what 17? 18? Okay the age difference might not be huge but he was definitely high school. Gabriel was taking a semester off to save up funds so he could take culinary courses without hearing comments about wasting money. Dad had this weird thing about philosophy, Gabriel had this weird thing about making money and having a carrier. Sam didn’t budge.
“Hey Kiddo, want your coffee?”
The sound of a phone reverbed around the place, slightly freaking Gabriel out, Sam still didn’t move, oh, he was one of those. Cassie did that too, not so bad anymore, but the single digits and early teens were nerve-wracking, college was helping. The phone stopped and Gabriel picked up Sam’s coffee and carried it to the table.
“Here you go Beautiful, anything else I can get for you?” Nothing, kid didn’t flinch or anything, Gabriel was tempted to reach out and touch his hair, it looked so soft.
The entrance of more customers brought him back quickly, he hurried back around the counter, but they just picked up the ridiculously over priced bottled water, commented about the heat outside and lamented the broken A/C in, paid and went on their way. He looked up just as Sam noticed the coffee, he just couldn’t look away, the way he just came back to the world, or at least the coffee in front of him, the way his large hand reached for it, seeming to marvel it’s existence, then he lifted it to his lips, and Christ it should be illegal to look that good while drinking straight coffee, he couldn’t help the phantom bitterness that made him scrunch up his nose, right when that hazel eye turned his way. Damn, but Sam didn’t say anything, just went back to his book and whatever world he was in, with the now added automation of reaching out for his cup, bringing it to his lips, then setting it down in the same spot.
Gabriel went back to cleaning, knowing what he could get away with getting done early and what would have to wait until the doors were locked. He finished Bessy, Naomi would no doubt start her up first thing, the 6am crowd was a bit different than the 10pm crowd. He’d check on Sam between task, calling him Sugar, Honey, Cupcake, Sweetheart, he really had no idea what had gotten into him to make him do that, he was not a nickname person. That ringtone went off again and Gabriel couldn’t help but be amused as the phone went unanswered, he grabbed the pot of black and went out to Sam waiting for him to put the cup down.
“Tell you what Samwich, next time your phone goes off I’m going to answer it, cause it’s probably someone worried about you and they might like to know your whereabouts and safety, okay?”
Sam read.
“Refill?” Gabriel popped the lid off and filled the cup back up, replacing the lid and going back around the counter, putting the pot back on the warmer.
It was eleven thirty when Gabriel locked the door, the last regular looking for their late night sugar fix had just left, and Gabriel stared at Sam in the corner.
“What am I going to do with you Samcake?” That’s when Sam’s phone started ringing again. Still nothing from the lanky young man, so Gabriel went to the source of noise himself, the front pocket of Sam’s book bag was an exceptionally weird place for a phone, but he probably had his reasons.
“Hello, Sam’s phone, he’s checked out right now but should rejoin society in two to three chapters,” he looked over Sam’s shoulder at the rise of Napoleon, “How may I help you?”
“Who the hell is this? Where’s Sam?” The voice on the other end was loud and angry and undercut with fear. Gabriel was immediately remorseful with his own tone.
“Calm down, Sam’s safe, he’s at the coffee shop on 15th, near the library. My name is Gabriel, I’m the assistant manager here, Sam’s reading right now.”
“Oh, okay, good. I’ll be right over.”
“Hold on, who is this?” Gabriel heard the protectiveness in his own voice without trying to figure out where it had come from.
“I’m Sam’s brother, Dean.”
“Oh, okay then, but it’s fine, you don’t have to rush over, I just locked up. Your brother’s got about two more chapters to read and a half cup of coffee left. He hasn’t caused any trouble and it’s going to take about a hour to finish cleaning anyways.” Well that was a lie. “I’ll keep an eye on him okay.”
“No, It okay, I’ll be right over.”
“Listen, it’s fine, everything is fine.” Why was he trying to delay this?
“Put Sam on the phone.”
“Hate to tell you but he’s checked out, and his ringtone is loud and annoying and in no way affected him.”
“Just tap his shoulder, he’ll come back.”
“Touch?”
“Yeah, tap him on the shoulder and hand him the phone.” Dean sounded exasperated, like it wasn’t the first time he had to explain this.
“This happen a lot?”
“Put. Sam. On.”
“Sorry, can’t.”
“What?”
“Well touching without permission isn’t my bag.”
“It’s a tap on the shoulder, it’s not a big deal.”
“For you.”
“You’re not going to do it are you?”
“’Fraid not.”
“And if I come over there right now and break down the door?”
“Shatterproof glass.”
“Right, one hour?”
“If he’s not out of it by then I’ll let you in and you can bring him out.”
“This is weird, you better not try anything.”
“Touching brings him out right?”
“Why are you doing this?”
“I…I have brother, he kinda does this too. He has GPS in his phone though.”
“Sam keeps turning it off.”
“I know a store that might have something you can use.”
“Like a bug?”
“Yeah, I know how little brothers get, they just don’t get that you’re just looking out for them.”
“Tell me about it.” He knew it was rhetorical but he felt he needed to make Dean trust him.
“When Cassie was ten we found him in Finley Park after eleven at night.
“Whoa, was he okay?”
“Yeah, eleven is still early for the super creepy. He was just swinging away, not a care in the world. We started sewing tracking devices into his jackets and shoes.”
“Damn. Okay, one hour. Twelve-thirty.”
“You got it Dean-o, and don’t worry too much. Sam’s safe with me.”
Gabriel hung-up before Dean could say anymore, and placed the phone back where he’d gotten it. He didn’t know why he’d shared that story about Cassie, that was one of the scary ones and would still send shivers up his spine from time to time. But knowing Sam snapped out of it at touch relaxed him a bit, it was at least some defense.
~*~*~*~
It was near twelve-thirty and he was almost done counting the till when he saw Sam starting to stir. He’d saved the last of the coffee, just one more cup really and some sweets just incase Sam wanted anything. Cassie was always hungry when he came back.
Sam was apologizing, Gabriel waved him off and smiled, trying to not drink in the sight of the kid stretching. Then he was cursing and bee lining to the door, worry coming through. He hadn’t intended on saying anything about Dean, but he’s honestly expected the man to show up a half hour ago to collect Sam.
“Nah, Dean’ll be fine, he knows how you get.” That did it, stopped the kid in place, but those narrowed eyes were not a good sign, keep it light, no big deal, like this situation happens every night and it was perfectly normal to answer someone else’s phone and have conversations about them, maybe a joke. While Sam was staring at his phone in disbelief he offered that refill, no reason to not finish up completely now.
“You answered my phone?”
Don’t look him in the eye, oh look, money, that had already been counted twice, should probably count that again. Not a big deal, be perfectly fine with it, he won’t go out with you if he thinks you’re weirded out by it. Wait, what?! Gabriel couldn’t help the smile as he looked back up at Sam, Sam who seemed more embarrassed than angry and was turning a marvelous shade of pink. Sam turned away and went to the door, pushing on it. Gabriel couldn’t help the chuckle, it was just so damn cute a reaction. And just getting cuter by the minute as Sam’s frustration grew. Maybe he’d appease him with food, you didn’t get that tall without eating. Sam ignored him and turned his back. Gabriel put the money in the safe and cleaned up the last of the dishes, offering their contents to Sam before hand, each time met with refusal.
When he was done he noticed Sam zoning out again, not good. Gabriel grabbed his nightly cola out of the cooler and took a water too. Maybe a different touch wouldn’t be too intrusive. He placed the water on the back of Sam’s neck, snapping him right out of his head, good, he smiled and offered Sam the water, taking a sip of the spicy cherry flavoring.
Talk, don’t let him slip, he was suppose to be taking care of him after all. Not letting Cassie stay too long in his head was how he took care of his brother. Talk about Cassie, Sam was leaning on the glass, clearly hot, they could wait outside, wait, did he just call Sam adorable? Cover.
“Mind not smudging the glass Sam-a-lamb?” Yep this was definitely flirting, bad flirting. He cleaned the smudge and slipped into the lie. Yep, definitely flirting, who was he? What was this kid doing to him?
Oh this was perfect, see if Sam would come back, hold out on the name. Sam seemed less frustrated, and yeah, it should really be illegal to look that good while drinking anything, he felt his stomach drop in agreement. That’s when he saw the muscle car pulling up to the curb, if that was the brother best not push it.
Gabriel unlocked the door and turned off the lights, guiding Sam through the door a bit. He quickly locked everything back up and was slightly surprised Sam hadn’t moved too far away. Well maybe on touch was okay, scary brother was right there anyways, he reached up and ruffled that soft hair and just maybe touched his cheek, lightly, quickly.
“See ya tomorrow Kiddo.” And he walked off without looking back. Be strong.
“Yeah, see you tomorrow.” Gabriel nearly skipped the rest of the way to his car, but only nearly. He saw the black car drive away and smiled as he sunk into his seat, taking a few moments to relish his new crush before starting up and heading home himself. He definitely needed air conditioning right about now.
~fin~