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On Gabriel’s third evening in his new apartment, a tall, gorgeous man holding a still-warm-from-the-oven pie turned up on his doorstep.
“Hey. I hope you like apricot?” He paused, shifted his weight to his other foot. “Oh, sorry, I’m Sam Winchester, I live downstairs. Just wanted to welcome you to the building.”
“Nice to meet you,” Gabriel shook Sam’s free hand, trying his damnedest not to stare at how absolutely stunning his new neighbor was. “You didn’t have to bring anything.”
“Just wanted an excuse to introduce myself, actually,” Sam admitted.
Gabriel swung the door open wider. “Come on in. I have butter pecan ice cream if you wanna help me eat this à la mode.”
They talked for three hours and Gabriel’s box-filled apartment felt like home for the first time.
Gabriel had moved across town to be closer to the park. He’d thought maybe, seeing it out his window, he’d be inspired to get out and get some more fucking exercise. A week had passed since he’s moved in and all he’d done was eat every remaining slice of Sam’s pie. This was an exception, he told himself.
Sam showed up with chocolate chip cheesecake a week later, because “you said the pie was the best thing you’d had in months, so…” He never finished the sentence, but it didn’t matter, because Gabriel invited him in and they talked until midnight and ate half the cheesecake. Also an exception.
Sam turned up on his doorstep a few days later, on Saturday morning, with a tray of muffins and the sheepish confession that he’d made way too many and needed to share. Gabriel protested, but Sam insisted that he liked baking, and Gabriel liked what he made, so sharing was perfect. Gabriel didn’t have the heart to turn him away, both because of how good he is at cooking, and because no one could resist those puppy eyes. He had yet to go to the park.
Perhaps a dozen or so more instances passed before Gabriel finally snapped. “You gotta stop doing this!”
Sam stood there, a plate of cupcakes in his hands, head tilted like a confused puppy, and Gabriel sighed and waves him inside anyway.
“It’s not that I don’t love your food or your company, it’s just…” Gabriel closed the door and floundered for the words. Sam wouldn’t get it.
Sam couldn’t have any idea how it felt to be the chubby one in the family, teased about his baby face long into his teen years and hiding behind younger cousins in every photo. Sam without a doubt took off his shirt at the beach instead of mumbling something about burning easily. Sam didn’t have a whole drawer full of pants that don’t quite fit yet. Sam didn’t have to feel guilty when he ate the sweet things he loved.
Sam hadn’t moved across town just to stare out at a park he’s never visited because somehow it felt hopeless to even step outside and try. “I don’t want to look like this forever,” Gabriel mumbled miserably.
Sam cocked his head a little, like he was trying to process it. “Why not?”
There was no out. Gabriel scuffed his bare feet against the tile floor of the entryway and finally said as casually as he could, “I just want to look good, okay? For once.” I want to be good enough for someone like you.
Gabriel's eyes were locked on the floor, but he heard Sam slowly set the cupcakes down on the entryway table next to half unpacked boxes. “I have a confession.”
“Yeah?”
“I haven’t actually been baking too much.”
“I know, Sam,” Gabriel assured. “I know you were just sharing to be nice-”
“That’s not it,” Sam cut him off. “I’ve been making things to bring to you because I didn’t know how else to ask you to spend time with me. I like just sitting around here with you and talking about whatever.”
Sam paused, but Gabriel didn’t have a single thing to say.
“I like you,” Sam added finally. Gabriel jerked his gaze upwards in surprise as Sam continued, “And yeah, before you ask, that means I like you just how you are. Maybe some asshole in the past told you to lose weight and look good, but they’re dead wrong, okay? I- I think you’re stunning.”
Well. Holy shit. This was definitely a twist. Gabriel blinked stupidly at Sam, totally out of his league Sam, and tried to figure out exactly what he could say to that.
“I, um, I’ve really said too much,” Sam mumbled, turning for the door. “I’ll leave you alone for a while.”
“I like you too!” Gabriel finally sputtered out. “I didn’t think you’d be interested.”
Sam turned back and grinned, happiness overcoming his shyness. “I’d really like to go out with you sometime. Hell, even a walk in the park would be, um, a walk in the park. There’s a great one right next door, have you been yet?”
“Not yet. I’d love for you to show me.”
“We could go now,” Sam offered.
Gabriel nodded thoughtfully. It was funny, how things worked out. He finally had the reason to step outside, and it was entirely different than what he’d imagined it being, but it still came down to Sam. “Cupcakes first, though. Those look way too good to pass up.”
Sam beamed. Their first kiss tasted like cream cheese frosting.