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Cas leaned back comfortably on the couch with a liberating sigh, hands outstretched on the backrest.With two beer bottles in hand, Dean stopped moving and took this picture deep. Castiel smiled. When was the last time he saw this handsome angel smile? Had he ever seen him smile?"What is? Do you wanna drink both, or will you give me one?"Although Cas could still not gain anything from these weird-tasting molecules, he accepted it because it seemed to make Dean happy."It suits you," the dark blonde hunter grinned and sat down next to him, "You should smile more often.""We now have every reason to do so."Happily, the angel closed his eyes. Michael was defeated, he had his Dean back, and the two were officially together.Gabriel flew back and forth between heaven and earth, now and then checking in on things and Lucifer ...It would certainly take some time, but the former devil was gradually becoming even someone to hang out with and have a reasonable conversation with. Everything was fine –– almost. "Sam?"The tall man stopped dead in the middle of the room. His plan to disappear quietly and secretly probably came to nothing. With an annoyed grumble, he turned to his brother."Where're you going?""Just over to the bar.""Damned! I thought we talked about this? That lousy bastard ain't the right company for you!"Louder than necessary, Dean put his bottle on the table and angrily approached his younger brother."And it was just so nice …" Cas murmured to himself and got up to follow his hunter. "I can probably decide for myself; I'm not a child anymore!"Castiel sat down at the kitchen table and looked alternately from one to the other.Sam had a crush on Lucifer, believing he would've automatically changed his nature. The condition the ex-angel was allowed to live on was to give up his powers. Through screams, whining, and begging, he finally got God to have mercy and let him have his wings.But Lucifer hadn't become a new person. Still looking out for his own advantage, this little hunter couldn't do anything about it either. On the contrary –– he enjoyed life; wine, women, and song. And what he liked most was that Sam was still his obedient slave puppet....Every time –– and this was the third time he'd caught him with someone else, Sam swore it was the last time. But again and again, the hunter succumbed to the charm of the dark blond man. The problem was that Lu's wings were heavenly and rendered him weak-willed. The same discussion kept revolving around just this one topic for a few days, and it always ended the same way. The door slammed, and Dean snorted angrily as the two men looked after Sam."Son of a bitch! Now that idiot has no grace but still influences my brother!"Shaking his head, the older hunter sat at the table and buried his head in his hands. He was at his wit's end. What should he do to bring Sam to his senses?"Nothing at all. He is no longer a child," the angel replied calmly."Great, are you on his side now?""Of course not. But …""You winged bastards are all the same!" With his mouth half-open, Cas stared after the man who jumped up abruptly, sat on the couch pouting, and took a big gulp. But that wasn't fair either! After all, the family couldn't be chosen, and he'd never been a fan of Lucifer. But Sam couldn't be locked up either."Dean ...""Oh, shut up. I don't wanna hear anything!"The hunter had just been annoyed, but he got up to check when nothing more was heard."Great ... Cas? I didn't mean it; please come back!"...The angel hadn't disappeared, just made himself invisible.On the one hand, it was fun; on the other, it was better to avoid Dean until he'd calmed down again. With a smirk, he watched his boyfriend keep calling, getting up and walking around with his head buried in his hands."Damn, I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you!"With a sigh, the dark blond man sat down on the chair Cas had been sitting on until a few minutes ago, only to jump up again the next moment as if stung by the tarantula."Son of a bitch!"The black-haired angel burst out laughing and looked at the man, who just grinned at him with a head shake."How often have I told you not to fucking do that?!"He pulled Castiel to his feet and pinned him against the wall with a growl of promise. It would've been easy for the angel to toss that human across the room with just a blink, but he was enjoying letting Dean take control."I think we're even," he smirked through two kisses, but the hunter shook his head and winked."We're far from even." Gabriel kicked open the door of the small bar and looked at his brother, who was flirting heavily again."Why am I actually helping you?" the smaller angel murmured with an eye roll.The crate of beer landed on the counter with a bang.Lucifer whispered something in the girl's ear and then sauntered over to him."Because you love me, brother," the tall man grinned with a pat on the back.Gabe accused his brother of killing him with a disdainful snort and called him an ass."Oh, come on. It's been so long. Are you still holding grudges?""Have you shown her your wings yet?" Gabe muttered, nodding at the girl and being asked if he was jealous.On whom? The most obnoxious guy in the universe?Morosely Gabriel put the bottles in the drinks drawer while Lucifer gave him a warning look. Had he still had his grace, he could've exploded that pesky angel with a snap of his fingers."Just be glad daddy let you keep your beloved wings!""I've changed," the ex-angel replied in a lovely voice, resulting in a sarcastic snort from Gabriel. Asshole stayed asshole ... The girl slid her phone number over the counter with a wink and received a kiss on the hand and a seductive look from Lucifer before disappearing."What about Sam? You're fucking your way through world history. The boy has feelings for you!""Oh, Sammy ... I like him. A great alternative ... next to the women."Lucifer sat on the counter and watched as Gabriel did the work. It was a great feeling that Sam was still chasing after him like a dog. In the past, the hunter had to be forced; now, he did it voluntarily."You're playing with his feelings, Lu!""...""Sounds like you're in love with him."Lucifer waggled his eyebrows. Shaking his head, the smaller man said no, feeling the heat on his face.As if on cue, the younger hunter came through the door, tossed them both a smile and since Gabe knew he was red as a tomato, he retreated to the small kitchen as quickly as possible. "Whether I'm in love with Sam ..." he murmured under his breath, pacing up and down, "... what nonsense!"But it wasn't such nonsense.Yes, he loved that young human, but he didn't stand a chance against his brother.Besides, Sam only saw him as a friend. A friend to pour his heart out to when Lucifer, whose gift was to manipulate people with his wit, charm, and good looks, once again used him as a pawn.Gabe's self-esteem had suffered immense damage when he was imprisoned and tortured by Asmodeus for seven years. Back then, when he was persuaded that he was to blame for everything and was worth nothing. When his grace was stolen bit by bit and thus had inflicted considerable damage to his wings … they became dull and lost their luster. But despite everything, they didn't fall out. "Damn it!"With a growl, he bent down and picked up some feathers.That had been the case for a few days, but he couldn't make sense of it.That was frigging embarrassing for him. And ask someone? Lucifer would laugh at him; that devilish face was practically in front of his eyes. Cas? His brother was in love with Dean, and if the hunter found out about it, he'd also crack stupid jokes.The Bookworm? Sam would pity him, which would be even worse.Ask in heaven? He'd instead bite his tongue off. He was the last archangel to have an obligation to keep heaven running since his father had disappeared once again. For this reason, Gabe preferred to be the angel on earth –– the trust in his feathered brothers and sisters was missing.Gabriel knew a lot of people. But no one he could talk to. With a deep sigh, he sat at the table, scratched his back, and more feathers fell to the ground."Dad?"At the same time, the angel also knew this was an equally lunatic idea because the last time God was seen, he'd taken Lucifer's grace and left with the words to be gone again. When getting up, he had to hold on to the table for a moment. Somehow he felt weak. Since when could angels get sick? All attempts to concentrate on healing himself failed. Maybe some rest would help. Gabriel decided to lie down a bit because that had already solved many problems. Arriving at the door, he paused and looked through the large porthole. With an unobstructed view of the bar area, he noticed that Sam and Lucifer were kissing, and their hands were in places he'd rather not have seen."No decency. Someone could walk in anytime," he mumbled, pissed off.As if his brother had heard these thoughts, Gabe could see him going to the door and locking it the next moment, only to immediately turn back to the object of his desire.Gabriel would've done better to turn around and go out the back door. But an unseen force compelled him to stand right there and watch. The two were too caught up in what they were doing to notice anything.And then something huge, white, blocked the view –– wings.That bastard had drawn his trump card....Gabe had never done this before. Their father used to persuade them that this was something sacred and that only the people meant for one another were allowed to see them. He never had the feeling that he was meant for anyone.But Lucifer had never kept to rules."Braggart!" Gabriel snorted. Part of him was jealous at the moment, not only of Lucifer having fun with Sam but instead of his wings. Sighing, the angel looked at his own."If this continues, I'll soon look like a plucked chicken."Something had to be done. The only question was, what ...? Immediately after arriving in the bunker, Gabriel withdrew to the library. Since neither Cas, Dean, nor anyone else seemed to be there, he thought he'd be undisturbed."Gabriel?"
Oh, come on!
Hectically he hid a book behind his back when Cas suddenly stood in front of him with a frown."What're you doing there?""Um ... reading?""You?"Gabe carelessly tossed the book in the corner with the others, but it was too late."Anatomy of angels ..." the younger angel murmured, leafing through the pages curiously before looking his brother up and down, "Is something wrong?"..."Where's Dean?""Shopping."With a sigh, Gabe dropped into the chair. This loosened more feathers, which Cas carefully picked up with a questioning look."You're losing your feathers.""Huh!" The archangel shouted in horror and jumped up, but Castiel couldn't be fooled since he'd been watching this for some time."Are you molting?""Then at least new ones would grow back.""Stress?""Nah. The job in the bar ain't exhausting.""Trouble?""No more than usual.""Lovesick?""As if that would affect my wings. And no.""You're lucky that only I can see that; otherwise, Dean would give you a vacuum cleaner. The whole way is paved with your plumage."
As if I could do anything about it!
Cas continued leafing through the book, picked up another one, and shrugged helplessly. He would've loved to help Gabe and laid his hand on him even though they both knew Castiel wasn't strong enough to heal an archangel. After some thought, Cas had an idea...This person mightn't heal him but could stop the process eventually.But after Gabriel found out it was a witch, he first gave his brother a sermon that these figures weren't to be trusted. After some persuasion, however, he agreed to do so because there was no other choice."Not a word to Dean, or I'll kill you."Those warning words had stuck. After a wink, Cas put his index finger on Gabe's forehead, and they were both gone with a flap of his wings. "Good lord! How about knocking? There’s also something called cell phones!"Dressed only in a towel, Rowena suddenly found herself facing two angels."We need your help."Castiel briefly explained what it was about. But that didn't seem to impress the red-haired witch. The brush with the red nail polish ran over her fingernails with complete peace of mind."You winged haloes can do everything else. Why do you come to me?""Because you owe us a favor. You're not innocent of Charlie's death!" Cas grumbled, and his eyes flashed briefly."That old thing again ..."Rowena sat in the chair with an eye roll, crossed her legs, and looked at the two angels in turn."Could you ... dress?"In contrast to Gabriel, who only countered with a shrug, Castiel was uncomfortable in this situation."I like your friend," the redhead laughed as she went next door.Armed with a few books, the three sat at the small, round table a few moments later and pondered."I can't tell you what's causing it, but I have something to slow it down. You have to find out why for yourself."Cas then flew off to get the ingredients for the spell while Gabriel was being examined curiously."So you're an archangel …" With a murmur, he was studied head to foot as she rounded him.The two didn't have much time for small talk because when the younger angel returned with the ingredients, Rowena had already laid out some candles and utensils and was ready to go.Although Gabriel didn't feel changed after the ceremony, he hoped the spell hadn't missed its effect.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
A few days passed, and the angel was pleased to discover that although a few feathers fell out, it seemed to have worked. Gabe otherwise followed the advice. He skipped that with a healthy diet but avoided Lucifer as much as possible. And the advice to himself wasn't to overthink about Sam.Until that one incident that should change everything ... "Gabe?"Sam entered the kitchen, saw his friend sitting at the table with a lollipop, and sat next to him.The angel looked up from the magazine with a questioning look."... and then he kisses that bitch in front of my eyes ...!"
Even when he's angry, he's beautiful
The shoulder-length, brown hair hung in wild strands over his face, the fawn-colored eyes, his large hands, which Gabriel would've liked to feel on his body..."... tell me, are you even listening to me?""Of course, Sammy."The smaller angel could only stare at those lips, between which a bright red, wet tongue protruded now and then. He heard the hunter say something but could only vaguely determine what it was. Maybe he didn't even want to think about it because it was always about the same thing.
How much longer are you gonna let yourself be fooled?
"You know my opinion about Lu.""… but his wings are so magnificent; so white, so pure," Sam gushed before his voice sounded desperate again, "Damn Gabe, say something about that! Why is he doing this to me?""...""Sam!" Gabriel shouted angrily and jumped up, his eyes sparkling, "For how much longer? Lu is just playing with you, don't you see? You deserve something better! I'm always just the doormat who has to listen to all your problems. But it's okay, just ignore my feelings!""You ..."Stunned and with his mouth open, he stared at his friend, but Gabriel was on the move and couldn't be stopped."It's enough for me; I don't want it anymore, I ... Sam, I ..."..."Your wings ... I can see your wings ..."Through Gabriel's outburst of anger, his wings had manifested. The archangel stopped mid-speech and blushed to the roots of his hair. That wasn't intentional. Well aware of the condition his wings were in, he turned away. The dark-blonde angel was ashamed; that's not how Sam should see him.If he could, he'd have flown away. If he could, he would've sunk into a hole in the ground. But the strength was gone. Gabriel was dizzy and close to tears with anger and desperation because Sam didn't say anything more. The only option was to flee, so he stormed out of the bunker in a hurry. Sam could only stare after him, unable to move.
Gold
That was the only word that went through his head. After a few moments, the young man recovered enough control to consider what'd happened in the past few minutes.Suddenly he felt so small, and shame took over. Gabriel was right about everything. Where did he get the gall to burden him with all that junk? That angel was his best friend, someone he could talk to about anything.Was that over now? Was everything broken just because he acted like a fucking teenager in love?He could see Gabriel's face in his mind. Every time they talked, laughed, or just sat next to each other, there was sparkle and shine in those golden eyes. That was gone. Gabe's eyes had been cold as ice, angry and desperate for the past few moments. Suddenly Sam wondered what was so great about Lucifer. The sex wasn't bad, but otherwise, the ex-angel was and remained a bloody bastard … the evil that poisoned everything just by his emergence.Even if Gabriel had no hymns of praise for his brother, he'd never said a bad word in Sam's presence and after everything had been done to him.The hunter sighed. An awful feeling spread through his gut. He didn't deserve Gabriel and wondered why the little angel was still there, standing by him when he was only used as a suggestion box...Sam liked to be near Gabriel. He felt comfortable with him, safe. They had both experienced quite the same thing, and these experiences had brought them closer together. Of course, the two also had initial difficulties, considering what the former trickster had allowed himself to do with the two brothers ...But it was nothing compared to what Lucifer had done.Sam had always wanted something that his brother had with Cas. Had he decided by his stubbornness for the wrong angel? One of the large golden feathers was picked up from the floor with a smirk. He'd seen Gabriel's wings! Why had he seen his wings?Dreamily, his eyes closed as the scent of honey suddenly filled the room. Suddenly his expression stiffened.Why did these wings look so rundown? Only then did he notice at last ten golden feathers more on the floor. He wondered why he could see them but didn't know the answer. He carefully picked them up, closing his eyes and smelling.He had to look for Gabriel and tell him how sorry he was. Gabriel stumbled deeper and deeper into the forest with quick steps until he collapsed on a large stone from exhaustion. The coming tears couldn't be stopped.The most important thing for an angel was the wings. Like in Hansel and Gretel, the whole way back was paved with them. Sobbing in desperation, Gabriel clasped his hands over his tear-streaked face and buried his head in his lap.He didn't know what to do anymore and felt weaker by the minute. Did he have to die now?"Dad!" he cried in a tear-choked voice and looked up at the sky –– for minutes, an eternity … but no answer followed."Cas?!" Again and again, he shouted desperately...."Gabriel!"Barely five seconds later, the black-haired angel knelt and tried to soothe his brother. Under all the sobbing, nothing was to be understood, but Castiel could also see that the spell's effect was wearing off. He felt so helpless.Two wing beats later, and the two stood in front of the bunker because Rowena had made her apartment angel-proof in the meantime. "But first, you see if Dean or Sam ain't there either!"When the two angels unnoticed disappeared into one of the many rooms, Cas grabbed the phone."Well, look at that. It wasn't that hard to make a phone call ..." Rowena replied sarcastically."Listen. Gabriel feels miserable. You have to repeat the spell. Come to the bunker. Back entrance."The witch hesitated for a moment. She wasn't interested in the hunters at all. But after being assured that they'd be alone ..."But that will cost you a little. Not you, but the handsome one."The smaller of the two angels grabbed the phone. Of course, he'd do anything. He just needed more time.After the ceremony was performed the second time, Cas heard his boyfriend calling."It's okay," the redhead smiled, "I'll stay here. He'll be fine again in an hour."Castiel wasn't comfortable with the thought of leaving his brother alone with the witch, but the dark blonde angel nodded encouragingly.From minute to minute, Gabriel was getting better, and that's why he wanted to fetch something to drink in the kitchen when suddenly someone pressed against him from behind."What shall we two cuties do now?""Leave me alone!""You owe me a favor. You either do it voluntarily, or you don't. I have my methods.""If you think I'll do what I think you're thinking, then you're thinking wrong.""I think something is thinking completely differently," she smiled and unabashedly reached between his legs, after which Gabe dropped the glass, startled.Before he could react, he heard Rowena say something, and the next moment his brain stopped. Meanwhile, Sam, too, was in the woods, constantly calling for his friend, looking around, and almost lost hope of finding him when his gaze fell on a golden feather lying on the ground."My God, Gabe," he sighed, picking it up carefully, and as he tried to straighten it up, he saw the next one, and then another, and his heart grew heavier and heavier.Continuing forward, Sam collected the trail of feathers and finally stood in front of a mountain of feathers –– the trail ended. Close to tears, his heart clenched. Despondent, he crouched on the rock where Gabriel had been sitting until recently, icy shivers crawling up his spine.Gabriel's desperation, tears, and fear in this place were clearly felt. The bouquet of feathers rustled in his trembling hands. The smaller angel was so important to him. The hunter wouldn't bear to lose this wonderful angel. He hated himself for getting involved with Lucifer when his luck was within reach....The realization came suddenly, but not surprisingly –– he loved Gabriel, had always loved him. He could laugh and cry with the sassy angel, didn't have to pretend, was understood, and could confide in him everything that wasn't always possible with his brother. Gabriel had always been there, and the hunter owed him this help. When angels lost feathers, it had to be for a reason.Full of energy and good intentions, Sam made his way back. In the meantime, Cas had also reached Dean. Not great on the one hand, as he'd have preferred to stay with his brother, but so the hunter couldn't mess things up."I'll be right there, my angel," the hunter whispered when Cas wanted to pull him by the hand into his room and broke away to go in the other direction, "I'll get something to drink."At the same moment, Sam came down the big stairs and nodded to the two. He actually wanted to disappear into the vast library to do some research, but suddenly his brother yelled from the kitchen..."Son of a bitch!"Of course, that not only caught the attention of Sam and Cas but also of Gabriel and Rowena.Exactly at that moment, it clicked again, and Gabriel's thoughts were free again.No words were needed, for the five faces spoke volumes.Dean was amazed. He liked what he saw but didn't think it was great that this had to happen in his home. Cas was very uncomfortable with this situation, and his gaze dropped to the ground."Boys ... see you."Rowena smirked, winked at Gabe, and quickly left.Gabriel became aware of what he'd done and blushed, stammered something unintelligible, and Sam ...The young man was shocked and hurt, and after a moment of immobility, he turned with a shake of his head to went into his room."Shut your mouth; it's draughty!" Gabe hissed at Dean before smoothing his messy hair and wiping the lipstick off his neck. "Sam?"A few moments later, Gabriel knocked guiltily on the door.Although …Did he have to have a guilty conscience? Sam had a crush on Lucifer, after all."Come in!""It ... that wasn't what it looked like," the angel stammered nervously, shifting from one foot to the other."No?""It wasn't voluntary. She has …""Save it!"Those words came out more scathingly than intended because Sam was the last person allowed to blame Gabe just because he found out after an infinitely long time that he had feelings for the angel after weeks of making out with Lucifer."I'm sorry," Gabriel replied, sadly looking down.Sam patted the mattress and asked him to sit down."Did you bring me flowers?"With a nervous chuckle to break the oppressive silence, he gestured towards the bouquet of feathers on the bedside table. Now the stupid witch was forgotten, but this problem was much worse. When asked what was wrong, the angel could only shrug."…""Show me your wings."Gabe shook his head. He was too ashamed of it."Please, Gabriel, I wanna help you." The archangel wrestled with himself. He'd never shown his wings to a human, and what'd happened a few hours ago had been a stupid accident. And now in this state ... On the other hand, he couldn't imagine anyone he'd want to show them to except Sam. He'd loved the young hunter for so long.It took a long time, and it cost so much to overcome. But looking into those warm eyes and the encouraging smile as Sam stroked his arm, he couldn't help but nod with a deep sigh.Two tears rolled down his cheeks, his heartbeat pounding in his head when getting up. His eyes closed, and he didn't open them anymore. In no case did he want to see Sam's pitying look. The familiar roar sounded and ... silence. Sam was practically shocked a few moments later when suddenly two golden, powerful, majestic wings protruded from Gabe's back and slowly spread, taking up almost the entire room with their enormous span.It was terrible. No feathers came off, but there were so many gaps that it was impossible to fly. But what was there was beautiful.Sam took a deep breath, got up, and walked around as best he could.His hands wanted to stretch out but didn't dare; he didn't know how his friend would've reacted either....Gabriel still had his eyes shut tightly until a hand under his chin forced him to open them. His heart was beating so loud he was afraid Sam would hear it."You’re beautiful."It was just a whisper, but it meant so much."Yes?" Gabe asked with a released sob as more tears rolled down his cheeks, which Sam carefully wiped away. With a stutter, the angel related the role Rowena had played.Relief was written all over Sam's face. Of course, he believed this story. Still, he couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to touch those wings. He had to touch those wings. An invisible force told him he couldn't die without doing it."M-may I touch your wings?"Gabriel was also overwhelmed with this question, not knowing how he'd react to it. But if he'd allow anyone, it was Sam. The hunter held out his hand in awe, letting the long, smooth, golden feathers slide through his fingers, feeling the softness move like velvet on his fingers.Gabriel held his breath and slowly let it out again when he felt these gentle touches that caused goosebumps on his body. Of course, the angels took care of each other and groomed their wings, but that was nothing compared to this.The young hunter had never felt anything like this before. He had also seen Lucifer's wings, but surprisingly, there was no need to touch them that way. His heart skipped a beat as he realized what was happening.He touched the wings of an angel –– of his angel. Not the vessel, but the angel ... the purest thing there was. The fact Sam, who'd fallen for the devil and screwed up so much, was allowed to do so made his eyes water....The smaller angel didn't dare to move, just breathing very shallowly and enjoying the pleasant, warm feeling that flowed through his body."Thanks for your trust," Sam whispered, looking deep into Gabe's amber eyes, and a relieved smile escaped both of them.Fearing rejection, none dared to take the first step when their eyes locked for a brief moment. "Okay," Sam mumbled sheepishly, pulling back, heart pounding, "Shall we go to the library and see what we need to fix your wings? In any case, these should be washed and cared for.""You don't hafta do this, Sam," Gabriel replied with a throat clearing. He didn't want to be a burden. Somehow he'd manage it on his own."But I want to. Gabe, I care about you and need to make things right. Please lemme help you."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The day after that, both found themselves in the bathroom. Sam had asked Cas to go away with Dean for two days. All utensils were ready, and Sam could hardly wait to feel Gabriel's wings under his fingers again."Are you sure you wanna do this, Sam? That will definitely take a long time.""Naturally. Just the two of us and no one there to bother us."The hunter smiled and nodded towards a chair.A challenging look and hesitantly, the angel let its wings appear....Gabriel was proud of his wings, but he had no idea what they triggered in a human, and since his tall friend hadn't said anything for what felt like an eternity, he asked uncertainly."Do you really like them?"Like? Shit, that was incredible and impressive. There weren't enough words to describe what was going through his mind, but it was somewhat reassuring because the archangel could finally pick up a few scraps of thought.But only a few because it took an incredible amount of energy in his current condition. Sam just nodded silently. His trembling fingers gently stroked the wing, daring to slide through the feathers carefully.Immediately Gabriel reacted to the touch by sucking in a sharp breath, after which the hand was withdrawn in shock."Did I hurt you?""No ..." the angel stammered, looking over his shoulder, "It ... it's just that they're very sensitive ..."So that exactly was what was repeated. This time Sam was able to elicit a suppressed moan from his friend. He wasn't unfamiliar with that kind of moan –– it certainly didn't hurt....The feathers tickled his chin, and Sam would've liked to take his shirt off to feel those soft feathers against his skin that had a life of their own. But they weren't here for that.First, the hunter set about loosening the loose feathers. Gabriel had to admit it tugged a bit, and each time he winced."You okay?" Sam asked, worried, trying to be as careful as possible."Everything okay."With a worried expression, Sam looked at the mountain of feathers on the floor. That hurt. Gabriel knew it had to be, but silent tears ran down his face. It wasn't the physical pain; it was the emotional one. He'd always been so incredibly proud of his wings. His father had made them golden, as did his eyes and always affectionately called him gold boy.When all the loose feathers were removed, which must have taken about three hours, Sam took a bowl of warm water, a washcloth, and a soft brush. Feather after feather was washed carefully and lovingly.Gabriel watched him in the mirror and fell in love even more, but he worriedly asked as Sam wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Wanna take a break?""No," Sam answered with a smirk and continued. The feathers fluffed up again and again as if they were happy. It was hard work but also an awesome one.After two more hours, he was finished and proudly looked at his work. Luckily he was that big but gladly accepted sore muscles afterward. Even if the two didn't talk much, something was in the air. Gabriel was so grateful that his friend took on this tremendous work to help him. Of course, he hadn't been a child of sadness before the horrible seven years in hell either. His ability as a trickster allowed him all possible and impossible scenarios. Life on earth was a game for him. The people he dealt with mainly were just puppets to him. There had never been anyone who really had meant anything to him.And then along came Sam, who was gorgeous to look at, but more importantly, Gabe had fallen in love with this fighting spirit and sense of family.The two met on the wrong foot, but after the experiences the two went through, the hunter and the archangel became friends. It had clicked for Gabriel long ago, and his love for Sam was also why he survived hell. And then, before the two could get any closer, there was his dumbass brother, Lucifer, who'd charmed Sam. Helping Gabriel was a matter of the heart for the young man.Admittedly ...Partly he had a guilty conscience. But not only. It took a long time, but now he was aware that this angel meant more to him and he regretted not having figured that out sooner ... before Lucifer. There was a greater power, which became more evident with every feather he held between his fingers. Full of drive, Sam mixed the various utensils for the care and healing of the wings and looked in the mirror, directly at Gabriel's face –– now with a slight red shimmer. His eyes had that sparkle again that Sam liked so much.The mixture was applied carefully and gently, and the shudder running through Gabriel's body every time could be felt under his fingers.Another look in the mirror showed the relaxed angel with closed eyes, breathing quickened.Sam shared these feelings. No ... it aroused him to see his friend like this. And the fact that he could trigger those feelings made him braver. Again and again, his fingers buried themselves in the silky soft, warm feathers, massaged, caressed, and groping their way forward.He'd never touched anything more beautiful, charming. The angel tried to place these sensations. He knew the feeling of arousal.But Sam didn't touch any part of the human vessel ... just his wings, stimulating his true form –– his grace. A ragged sigh escaped him from time to time, and when he looked in the mirror, their eyes met. The fire blazed in both of them."Sam ..." Gabe whispered, "... please don't stop."That was the very last thing on the hunter's mind. To feel and see how the feathers fluffed up with every touch had something magical and incredibly erotic. The young man never wanted to stop feeling that."Fuck!"With both hands tightly held onto the stool, the angel moaned as Sam massaged that spot on his back where the wings met the flesh.That was no longer enough for the young hunter. He wanted to hear Gabriel scream with pleasure and see his whole body tremble with ecstasy.The angel bit his lip in desperation. It was becoming increasingly difficult to control what was happening to him. One firework after the other exploded, and he could feel how close he was."Sam!"The angel jumped up, and in a flash, the wings disappeared. Panting, he grabbed the sink and swallowed. He didn't want it that way. Not without telling the hunter how he felt. Not without knowing that his friend felt the same way. Not just having a brief climax only to then faint with longing and desire....Sam took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, feeling he was hard. He would've succumbed to his feelings without being touched had he continued. From the bathtub's edge, he looked at Gabe, who stared back in confusion."If you wait for an apology now, you can wait a long time," the young man grinned wickedly.Gabe sat down next to his friend with an amused snort before the two looked at each other, giggling. "It took a long time, but I realized something."Sam gathered all his courage, took Gabriel's hands, looked him deep in the eye, and began to speak softly, "You’re incredibly important to me, and I'm sorry for being such a complete jerk lately. I got lost in a thing and used you as a trash can. Please forgive me.""...""Oh, forgotten and done," the angel replied calmly, but his heart was beating threefold as he squeezed Sam's hand, "I ...""I love you, Gabriel."The two shyly smiled at each other. Did Sam really say he loved him? Him –– Gabriel ... the loser. The one who'd always disappointed everyone?Suddenly a brief shudder went through him. The archangel frowned, and Sam had question marks in his eyes as well. It was clear it wasn't coming from his vessel as his grace flashed for a moment."What was that?""Dunno … but it can't have been that important either. Where were we?""You were about to kiss me," Sam smirked, turning closer to him."Oh yeah?"The angel frowned but then leaned in with a smirk and whispered against his lips, "I love you too, Sam Winchester." "We should move on."Gabriel nodded, stood up, and let his wings appear.Stunned, Sam stared. That must have been a frigging miracle mix.Every feather was in its place. The golden wings were thick and fluttered as they were experimentally moved up and down. They glowed and sparkled, as did the man standing in the middle.Sam had never seen anything more adorable, impressive, captivating, and amazing, and he felt small … so small. He lowered his teary eyes in awe. Only too well did he know that these mighty beings could reduce entire cities to rubble with a single flap of their wings...."Sammy, that was you. Angel can only fall in love once in their life. And the right partner has the power to heal them. Thank you.""And you didn't tell me that earlier because ...?""...""One day, our father said something like that, but I wasn't really listening. I think you had to find out for yourself."Gabriel's grace welled up again, and he felt more vital than ever. He stepped towards the hunter with a smile, wrapped the soft wings around his body, and pulled him closer."Where're all the feathers?"Gabriel followed his gaze to the floor and answered with a shrug."Angel-hazardous waste?" Sam stared at the floor, somewhat embarrassed but buried his hands in the mighty wings again after a few moments of hesitation. He couldn't get enough of them, rubbing his face against the soft feathers and sucking in the smell. It smelled of comfort and love ... mixed with a hint of honey.Gabriel's eyes closed, and he felt a little dizzy, but that was from another weakness. His hands closed on Sam's neck as he pulled him closer.When their lips touched, the hunter automatically grabbed more spirited, feeling his legs might give way at any moment.This strength radiating from the angel made him sigh happily and contentedly. It was different than with Lucifer because that was love. "Where does the music come from?"With a smirk, Gabriel explained it would be the same in the movies when the lovers kissed.Both knew that they belonged to each other. The heat gripped them, and Sam breathlessly parted because the disadvantage of being human was that one needed oxygen. "Sam," Gabe breathed, squeezing even closer to his friend, letting him feel his arousal.Suddenly, uncertainty and a thousand thoughts shot through Sam's head. Maybe he got involved with Lucifer because that soul was just as corrupt as his. But Gabriel? He was so pure, so beautiful. What if he poisoned him with his essence?"You're not a toy to me, Sam. I've loved you since the day you saw the light of day. Nothing you've done or will ever do could change that."Gabe couldn't resist poking around in Sam's mind again, and the young man was glad he had.Happily sighing, he hugged his smaller boyfriend even tighter and vowed never to let go of his angel.