Title: Wine, Archangels and Song
By: Orithain and Rina
Pairing: Gabriel/Dean
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimers: No infringement is intended.
Notes: Written before the end of season 5, so we chose to believe that Lucifer could be defeated without Sam ending up in the hole.
Summary: Post averted apocalypse, Sam's off being domestic, Dean's hunting, and Gabriel's bored.

***

The bar was worn, the door catching on ill-oiled hinges and the neon signs in the window buzzing and snapping in counterpart to the music pumping out of the jukebox.

The patronage was sparse, none of the dozen or so people looking up from their drinks when the door screamed as it was pulled open, air scented with fir and moss rolling in, momentarily freshening the close interior.

The newcomer settled on a worn barstool, leaning elbows clad in faded canvas on the bar and glancing around before turning to the man sitting two stools down and focusing on his own beer. "So," the newcomer asked, sounding amused at something, "anything good here?"

Dean jerked around so hard he actually overbalanced and half fell off his barstool. "You’re dead!"

Gabriel looked down at himself, then over at Dean again and grinned. "Not so much."

"What the fuck? How... where?" Dean sputtered.

After motioning for a pair of beers, Gabriel turned toward Dean and smirked. "What was Lucifer’s sin?" he asked.

Dean stared at him, then decided to play along. "Pride?"

"Exactly. Taught me everything I knew, my ass."

Dean started to laugh. "You conned the devil?"

"Got it in one, Dean," Gabriel snickered. "That left me free to do a little behind the scenes work and let you guys take all the glory."

Dean stopped with his beer halfway to his mouth, an arrested expression on his face. "I thought some stuff was suspiciously easy, but I couldn’t figure out the con."

"Watching you try to figure it out was funny."

"You really are a twisted fuck, aren’t you?" Dean snorted, amused.

"Must have been down here too long," Gabriel answered with a grin before he drained his beer and signaled for another. "Besides, I’ve heard you like twisted fucks."

"Geez, watch it there, Gabe; that almost sounded like you were flirting with me."

"Only almost?"

Gabriel had timed it perfectly so that Dean choked on his beer, spitting it across the scarred bar, earning him a sour look from the bartender.

"You may want to swallow that next time," Gabriel observed.

Dean glared. "Gee, thanks for the advice, Gabe. You must really be hard up if you’re resorting to sexual innuendo."

"I thought that was your favorite kind of banter; just trying to speak the local lingo."

"You might want to try the redhead at the end of the bar. She doesn’t look too picky."

"Speaking of that, why aren’t you over there with her?" Gabriel grinned. "I would have thought she was just your type—breathing."

"After everything that went down, I just want some time away from everyone. You may have noticed the lack of Sam," Dean pointed out.

Gabriel gave an exaggerated look around before focusing on Dean again. "No Sam, interesting."

"We’re not Siamese twins, you know."

The archangel’s brown eyes focused on something far away, and he gave a fond smile. "The stories I could tell you about Siamese twins... But anyway, Sammy’s settled down, and you’re off on your own. Having fun?"

For a moment, Dean thought about asking for the details, but he shook his head. "Right now, I’m just enjoying the lack of a looming apocalypse."

"Understandable. You guys did a good job getting Luci back in his hole." Gabriel toasted Dean with his bottle.

Dean raised his bottle in return. "Never thought we’d all get out alive."

"First time you and Sam can say that in a few years."

A bitter laugh escaped Dean. "Yeah, we’ve both died much too much, not even counting your interference."

"I never counted on mine sticking," Gabriel shrugged. "And like you said, you both survived; should have bet on that, you’d be rich now—or maybe it was all some kind of plan..."

"Don’t!" Dean exclaimed angrily. "As far as I’m concerned, the devil’s locked up and God is dead, and there are no freaking plans."

Gabriel simply smirked and drank his beer, waiting for Dean to do the same before he spoke. "I’ve always said no plan is a good plan."

"Yeah, I’ve noticed that about you, that and your fondness for TV," Dean added with a smirk.

"Hey," Gabriel protested, "I gave you guys a good theme song!"

Dean glared. "I didn’t want a theme song!"

"At least I didn’t make you dress in drag."

"You damn near left Sam a falsetto."

Gabriel snickered.

"Don’t you have other people in the world to pick on? Hey, why aren’t you hooking up with Kali? For a destructive deity, she was pretty hot."

"In more ways than one, but she’s a little ticked about the whole almost ending the world thing so," Gabriel shrugged. "On to bigger and better things."

"What the hell’s bigger than the Destroyer?" Dean wanted to know.

"You’d be surprised."

"I guess so since I’d have said she was the top of the food chain, aside from you archs, that is."

Gabriel arched a single eyebrow at that comment. "Not really, the major players weren’t at that little meeting—read up on your creation mythology, Dean."

"Really?" Dean looked honestly surprised. "I thought Kali the Destroyer was about as destructive as it got in the Hindu pantheon." He thought about that for a moment. "I might have got that from a movie though," he admitted with a slight smile.

"She’s not just the Destroyer, Dean," Gabriel chided, "she’s the goddess of time and change."

"They didn’t mention it in the movie."

"Read a book."

"Why bother? I have you to correct me." Dean smirked at him.

Gabriel studied him for a long moment, then leaned over and poked Dean in the forehead before sitting back and smirking.

"What the hell was that for?" Dean exclaimed.

"The more you know, the further you’ll go."

"And what does jabbing me in the head have to do with that?"

"What? You’d rather I jabbed you in the ass?" Gabriel asked, widening his eyes in mock innocence.

Dean paused, regarding the archangel curiously. "You know, you keep flirting and I’m going to start to think you mean it."

"Who’s to say I don’t?"

Dean stared at him, left speechless. He gestured with one hand, though what it was supposed to mean was anyone’s guess.

"Despite everything I can do, I can’t read minds, and I don’t speak flapping fingers," Gabriel commented before tossing a piece of popcorn from the bowl that had appeared at his elbow into his mouth.

Dean took a deep breath, immediately followed by chugging the rest of his beer. "Okay, straight out, are you messing with me, or are you actually putting the moves on me?"

In answer, Gabriel lifted two fingers on the same hand into the air.

"I think I need another drink," Dean muttered. But he didn’t say no, and he didn’t leave.

"Barkeep, another round." Gabriel twisted on his stool and leaned an elbow against the bar. "Drink up," he suggested once the beers arrived in front of them. "Or do you need something stronger?"

"Tempting as that is, I think I need to be sober for this conversation," Dean said, turning on his stool to face Gabriel directly. "And for the record, if this is some Trickster trick, I will find a way to send your angelic ass to Hell."

"You know, you’re seriously hot when you’re threatening me."

"Oh fuck it!" Dean leaned forward and kissed Gabriel, the archangel giving a purr of pleasure as his mouth opened beneath Dean’s and his fingers clenched in Dean’s shirt, holding him into the kiss.

"Hey! None of that perverted shit in my bar!" the bartender growled.

Dean stared into the brown eyes so close to his own. "Maybe someplace else would be better for this?"

"My ride or yours?" Gabriel murmured, glancing to the side where the bartender suddenly found himself unable to remember what he had been saying.

"Just make sure my car’s safe and get us out of here."

Gabriel met Dean’s gaze again as he raised his free hand and snapped his fingers, relocating them to outside Dean’s motel room with the Impala parked safely next to them. "This safe enough for you?" he asked.

"Can’t get much better," Dean agreed, eyeing Gabriel. "So, uh, seriously?"

"Shall I be plainer? You. Me. Bed. Or wall. Or floor. Whatever works," Gabriel answered, stepping closer and cupping a hand over Dean’s groin.

"Yeah, okay, that’s pretty clear." Dean fisted his hands in Gabriel’s shirt and yanked him forward so Dean could kiss him, hard and hungry. Strong fingers kneaded Dean’s crotch as they ate at each others’ mouths.

"Inside or it’s going to be on the hood of your car," Gabriel growled, lifting his free hand, which suddenly held the key to the room.

"Maybe some other time, not in the middle of a parking lot," Dean mumbled, crowding up against Gabriel as they moved the few feet to the door.

"So cute and innocent." The door opened without benefit of the key, and the pair tumbled into the room.

"I am not innocent!" Dean sounded revolted by the very idea.

"In relation to me you are," Gabriel countered.

"So do something about it," Dean challenged.

Gabriel’s eyebrows rose, and his lips thinned into a predatory smile. "Oh, you have no idea what you’re asking," he said before snapping his fingers and causing their clothes to vanish. A glance at the sagging mattress of the queen-sized bed garnered another snap to replace the bed with a sturdier-looking king, and a final snap updated the furnishings to something more modern than the 1950s.

"Nice seduction scene you have going here," Dean said, though his eyes had widened slightly at Gabriel’s expression.

"Would you rather I put you face down on the mattress with your ass lubed and ready?"

Dean took an involuntary step back but then held his ground. "It wasn’t a complaint."

"Hey, who am I to know if you like it fast and dirty," Gabriel shrugged.

"Maybe later. I’d rather be able to walk when we’re done."

Gabriel chuckled at that and took a step forward, looking pleased when Dean didn’t retreat. "Oh, you’ll be able to walk, promise."

"Then we can do it again." Dean grinned and moved closer as well, sliding his arms around Gabriel’s waist.

"Mmm, good thinking." Gabriel’s hands settled on Dean’s ass, and he kneaded the muscled globes, his fingertips brushing the crack between them, making a shiver run down Dean’s spine. He pressed closer, his burgeoning erection rubbing against Gabriel’s thigh.

"Niiice." Gabriel’s voice was rough against Dean’s ear before he nipped at the lobe, his tongue soothing the small hurt.

Dean moaned softly, and his hips jerked against Gabriel, his fingers digging into the hard muscles of the archangel’s back. Gabriel’s hands moved on Dean’s ass, one finger brushing against the tight hole, friction dragging at the digit until a sudden slickness eased its path inward. Gasping, Dean rocked back against the finger, biting his lip at the sensations.

"Convenient," he panted.

"Easy," Gabriel countered, nipping Dean’s jaw and pressing closer so his finger could slide in deeper.

"M-me or you?" Dean asked breathlessly, clenching down on the invading finger before relaxing again with a soft moan.

"Both. So... bed, wall or floor?"

"Bed sounds good for this time," Dean managed to gasp out despite the finger stroking deep inside him.

"Then bed it is." Gabriel eased his finger loose from Dean’s body and, resting both hands on his hips, eased him back toward the bed. Allowing himself to be steered, Dean walked backward, his arms still around Gabriel to keep the angel close, their bodies sliding against each other before Gabriel tumbled them both to the bed, pinning Dean down as he rocked against him.

Gasping, Dean thrust up against Gabe, his legs spreading to allow them to get even closer. "’S good."

"’S gonna be even better soon," Gabriel promised, dipping his head to mouth his way along Dean’s collarbone.

"I think I finally found some angelic attention that I like."

Gabriel smirked and let Dean feel the edge of his teeth before he sat up, running his hands down the broad chest beneath him, pausing with them on Dean’s hips, his thumbs inscribing small circles in the hollows there.

Dean looked up at him, one hand moving to rest on Gabriel’s thigh. "What?"

"Aren’t I allowed to look?" Gabriel asked innocently, watching Dean’s cock twitch under his gaze and a single drop of clear liquid ooze from the tip.

His lips curving into a faint smile, Dean watched Gabriel watch him. "I hope you plan to more than look."

"Do I look like an ascetic to you?" Gabriel asked before leaning in and licking the droplet away.

Dean laughed, the sound morphing into a soft moan of pleasure. "Monks had no idea what they were missing."

Gabriel waggled his eyebrows as he looked up at Dean along the length of his body. "Some of them weren’t missing anything at all."

"So much for holy ascetics," Dean chuckled, raising a hand to bury his fingers in Gabriel’s hair. "Care to show me what they weren’t missing?"

"It would be my pleasure," Gabriel purred, "and yours too." That said, he took the length of Dean’s cock into his mouth at the same time he pushed a slick finger into his ass.

Dean let out a wordless cry, momentarily frozen as the dual sensations overwhelmed him, and Gabriel urged him on with hands and mouth, his body arching in response to the noises Dean was making.

"So good," Dean panted, sounding almost surprised, before he cried out once more as Gabriel stroked that spot inside him again before pulling back to drag his tongue over the head over Dean’s cock.

"It’s going to be even better soon," he promised, and Dean nodded, but a hint of uncertainty showed in the depths of his eyes.

"Dean." Gabriel paused and looked up at him. "I’m not going to hurt you."

"I know that or we wouldn’t be here. It’s just that, er, well, I’ve never actually done this before."

"Oh really?" The Trickster’s familiar smirk appeared on Gabriel’s face for a second before it was wiped away by a friendlier grin. "Well then, I’m honored, and I promise, I’ll be gentle with you." Sandy eyebrows waggled as Gabriel crooked his fingers again, making Dean writhe beneath him.

After he caught his breath, Dean retorted, "I’m not made of glass, Gabe."

"You also said you wanted to be able to walk tomorrow."

"I’m starting to think walking’s overrated," Dean panted, squirming and groaning at the sensation.

"And they say Sammy’s the smart one," Gabriel chuckled, drawing his fingers back and passing them over his cock, leaving it slick with lubricant. A waggle of his eyebrows, and Gabriel was pushing into Dean’s body, pressing a hand to each knee to open him even further to the possession.

"I have my moments," Dean got out, feeling the pain of Gabriel pushing inside him, but it was overwhelmed by the incredible pleasure. "So do you."

"I’d say this was one of them," Gabriel pointed out as he continued to press inward, "and I won’t even make a crack about a virgin sacrifice."

Dean snorted a half-laugh. "It’s a good thing you’re actually as good as you think you are."

"You ain’t seen nothing yet," Gabriel grinned before beginning to move, each thrust rubbing against Dean’s prostate and pressing his cock between them.

"L-looking forward to it," Dean gasped, beginning to move to meet Gabriel’s rhythm.

"I do like an agreeable man—at certain times," Gabriel grinned before slanting his mouth over Dean’s and kissing him as they moved together, slowly increasing the strength and pace of his thrusts as Dean relaxed into them.

"Don’t get used to it," Dean laughed breathlessly even as he hitched his legs up around Gabriel’s waist and gasped at the increased depth Gabe got on his next thrust.

"I’d worry about possession if it became permanent," Gabriel grinned before beginning to move faster.

Dean rolled his eyes, but he was beyond replying verbally, his back arching. His hands ran over Gabriel’s back and down to his ass, cupping the flexing muscles as Gabriel drove into him, constantly rubbing against his prostate, his hands tangled in Dean’s short hair as they rocked together. Dean could only hang on and ride the pleasure, his eyes falling half closed despite his efforts to keep them open to watch Gabriel.

"Dean," Gabriel waited until hazy green eyes sharpened and focused on him before he reached between them, stroking Dean’s cock as he drove inward.

Dean cried out, his body spasming as he came, clenching down on the cock filling him as his come spilled over Gabriel’s hand, slicking his next strokes.

"Oh yeah," Gabriel gasped, riding out Dean’s shudders before driving into him a final time as he, too, came.

"Why the hell did we wait so long to do this?" Dean finally asked, his arms still looped around Gabriel’s waist as he lay under the angel, a smile on his face.

Gabriel snorted. "Because you and Sam were too busy trying to kill me?" he offered. "Granted I killed you a few times too."

"Gee, sounds like a recipe for romance to me," Dean chuckled.

"Romance?" Gabriel asked, his upper lip curling.

"What, you’re not going to make an honest man of me now that you’ve had your way with me?"

"Are you saying you want to wear a white dress?" Gabriel asked, a devious expression settling with far too much ease on his features.

"I don’t really have the legs for it," Dean mused.

"A long skirt would cover those..."

"Careful there, Gabe, a person might think you were asking me to marry you."

"Careful there, Dean, a person might think you were hinting at a marriage and been there, done that, oh, about half a hundred times or so."

Dean gawked up at him. "You got married? I thought that was a big no-no for angels? The whole nephilim thing and all?"

Gabriel chuckled and patted Dean on the head before rolling to his back and stretching. "Marriage doesn’t have to equal children, Dean," he said paternally.

Dean turned to his side so he could look at Gabriel, his eyebrows raised. "So why bother getting married? It doesn’t really seem like your thing.

"Oh, and for the record if you pat me on the head again, I’ll bite your hand off," he added with a saccharine smile.

"The handmaidens liked it," Gabriel shrugged, not seeming alarmed by Dean’s threat.

"You had handmaidens? Dude!" Dean grinned at him, clearly enjoying the mental image.

"Handmaidens, handymen, you name it, I’ve had it—or them, however you want to phrase it."

"And does anyone ever have you?"

Gabriel was silent for a time, seeming to consider the question. "If they’re brave enough to ask the question, they have."

Dean smiled slowly. "Good. That’ll be something to look forward to then."

***

"You need gas."

Dean bit back a yelp, and his hands clenched on the steering wheel as he jerked slightly. "Damnit, what is with you guys? Are you trying make me have an accident?"

"Little tense there, Dean," Gabriel chuckled. "And watching you jump is funny."

"So glad to amuse you." Dean glared at him for a moment before reluctantly smiling. "Not that I’m objecting, but what are you doing here?"

"What? I can’t check up on my new handyman?" Gabriel asked innocently as he lounged in the passenger seat and rested his arm across the back of the seat.

"So I’m a handyman, am I?" Dean shot a quick glance at him before turning his attention back to the road. "Just one of the crowd, huh?"

Gabriel looked around the car then back at Dean. "I didn’t see a crowd in here, did you?"

"True enough, and it’s not as if I could drag you here if you didn’t want to be," Dean mused. "Pretty hard to stalk an angel."

"Wait a minute; are you saying that you were jealous?"

"That would be crazy."

Gabriel’s smile widened, and he slapped his thigh with his free hand. "You were!"

"Don’t let it go to your head."

"But why?"

"I’m so screwed," Dean groaned.

"Not right now; you’re driving, and I don’t want to have to put you and the car together again," Gabriel pointed out. "So, where are you off to?"

"Crete, Ohio," Dean answered. "There have been a few killings there, all by different women who attacked their dates."

"Dinner wasn’t good enough for them?"

"Considering that the ones who managed to actually kill their boyfriends or husbands started eating them, I’d have to say not."

Gabriel considered that, before nodding. "Sounds like a case; how long till we get there?"

Dean stared at him for a moment before self-preservation forced him to look back at the road. "We?"

"You know, plural personal pronoun? The nominative plural of I?"

Dean looked bewildered for a moment before obviously deciding to ignore it. "Why do you, the freaking archangel Gabriel, want to ride along on a hunt?"

"It’s fun?" Gabriel offered.

"You have a very weird idea of fun."

"That’s not what you said last night."

"Now that was fun." Dean glanced speculatively at Gabriel. "So, can you, you know, help?"

Gabriel mused over that question before shrugging. "Within reason. Don’t want to draw down too much attention on myself, you know?"

"Did you run away from home again?" Dean asked in disbelief.

"No," Gabriel sighed. "There are just a few… restrictions I have to work under now." The last was added in a grumble.

Dean’s eyebrows rose. "Restrictions?"

"Not when it comes to the small stuff but I’m not going to be able to be your monster roaster."

"Would’ve been nice, but I’ve managed fine without divine intervention till now," Dean pointed out with a shrug.

"Raised from Hell," Gabriel coughed, and Dean glared.

"Fine, so I’d be dead without Cas, but I also managed to hunt for years before that. On my own even."

"Didn’t say you hadn’t," Gabriel pointed out. "You did pretty damn well, too."

"My point exactly. So... can you take care of yourself without using the angel mojo?"

"No, I’ll need you to push me around in a stroller—of course I can take care of myself!"

"Hey, I was just askin’." Dean kept his eyes on the road, but his smirk was all for Gabriel, the archangel watching him narrowly before he snapped his fingers, and Dean was suddenly driving a pink Volkswagen Beetle with fuzzy rainbows hanging from the rearview mirror.

Dean stomped on the brakes, swerving to the side of the road, barely coming to a halt before he turned on Gabriel. "You don’t ever mess with the car!" he yelled. "Fix it now!"

"I told you that you were hot when you were threatening me," Gabriel chuckled before nodding, and suddenly they were in the Impala again.

Dean continued to glare at him for a moment longer before finally relaxing back in his seat. "Leave the car alone, and I’ll be happy to threaten you whenever you like. I think it’s pretty much a given."

"Which is why I like you."

"So you like the bad boys, huh? Why am I not surprised?"

"Dean, think about where I was created; is that even a reasonable question?"

"Considering you’re an angel, most people would expect you to like choir boys."

"They get boring after a few millennia."

"You know millennia-old choir boys? Damn!"

Gabriel snickered. "You keep things lively, Winchester."

"It’s my special skill."

"Hrmm and I thought that was something else..."

Dean grinned. "Well, yeah, that too."

"So..." Gabriel looked out the windshield at the countryside around them, "How long until we get there?"

Dean shrugged. "Three, four hours probably. You planning to stick around the whole way?"

"Unless you want me to get us there faster..."

"Without leaving the car behind?" Dean asked suspiciously.

Gabriel just looked at him, and Dean looked stubborn. "I’m not going anywhere without the Impala."

"I know that; you’re OCD with this thing," Gabriel snorted, and between one blink and the next they were travelling on an entirely different road.

"Huh, interesting. So where exactly are we now?"

"Crete, Ohio."

"You’re pretty convenient to have around. So, know where there’s a cheap motel around here?"

"Right there," Gabriel answered, pointing toward a sign that read ‘Twelve Oaks Motel’ on the right side of the road. "Doesn’t look like there have been twelve oaks here for a while."

"As long as there’s nothing freaky, that’s fine by me." Dean turned into the parking lot and pulled up outside the management office. "Gimme a minute to get a room, and I’ll be right back," he said, reaching for the door handle.

"Get the suite with the good bed," Gabriel commented before grinning, "or don’t; it’ll be that anyway."

Dean paused, looking over his shoulder at Gabriel and slowly smiled. "Don’t forget we have a job to do too."

"Would I ever lead you into temptation? That’s the other brother."

"You’re a whole ‘nother kind of temptation," Dean muttered as he went inside, plastering on a smile for the bored teenage girl flipping through a magazine behind the counter.

"Hi there, my friend and I need a room for a few nights."

"How many?" she asked, snapping her bubblegum before she looked up at him, and suddenly Dean had her full attention.

"Let’s say for a week; my plans are flexible." He gave her another smile.

"I am too," she hinted broadly, leaning over the counter to flash the opening of her blouse.

"Now you’re just trying to get me in trouble," Dean said with a slight chuckle, letting a hand rest on hers on the counter. "You make it very tempting, but I really do have work to do. Maybe another time."

She turned her hand under his and tickled his palm with her fingertips as she shook her long blonde hair back from her face. "Maybe. My name’s Terri, and I’m off on Wednesday and Friday if you have some free time then."

"You’ll be the first one to know if I do," Dean promised. "But right now, it’s been a long drive, and I really need some shut-eye," he hinted broadly.

"All right." She reluctantly drew her hand back, fished a key from the pegboard behind the desk and handed it over. "Hope you sleep well."

"With you to dream of, I’m sure I will." Dean flashed her another smile before disappearing through the door. He slid into the car and drove around the back of the motel to pull up outside of room six. "Home sweet home, such as it is."

"So," Gabriel asked, getting out of the car and leaning his arms on the roof, "what was her name? My vote is for something that ends with an ‘I’."

Dean chuckled. "It’s Terri, and I’d guess you’re right about the spelling. Does that mean I should call you Gabbi?"

"Do it and you’re going to find yourself unable to talk for a month."

"Geez, angels really have no sense of humor." Dean opened the door and walked in, leaving it open for Gabriel to follow him.

"We do when there’s a joke involved," Gabriel called after him, shutting the car door and following Dean into the room, the dead duck décor changing to a simple rustic interior as he entered.

Dean looked around and grinned. "Where have you been all my life? You could have saved me from a lot of bleeding eyeballs."

"So glad I have a use." Gabriel chuckled as he pulled a beer from the mini-fridge in the corner, handing it to Dean before taking one for himself.

"Oh, I can think of one or two more," Dean assured him, raising the bottle in a toast before taking a drink.

"That few?"

"You haven’t shown me everything you can do yet."

Gabriel’s smile changed to a leer, and he drained his beer. "For me to do that, we wouldn’t leave this room for, oh, at least a few decades."

"That sounds... interesting." Dean grinned. "But one of us is human, so that might be problematic."

"You don’t trust me to keep you healthy?"

The beer bottle stopped halfway to Dean’s mouth, and he stared at the archangel. "Are you saying you can make me immortal?"

"Why would you want me to do that?" Gabriel laughed.

"Well, I wouldn’t, but I hope you’re not telling me you have a thing for senior citizens."

"You do realize how old I am, don’t you?"

"You do realize that humans get grey, wrinkly, and creaky when they get older, don’t you?"

"And you would know, wouldn’t you? Don’t worry, with me around, you wouldn’t need any little blue pill."

"I have no idea whether to be grateful or horrified," Dean laughed, "but I hope you can do something about the weird stomach crap. I like my burgers."

Gabriel glanced at his once again full beer bottle again and took a drink, dropping back into a recliner that appeared behind him and kicking his feet up. "What part of keep you healthy don’t you understand? Is dementia setting in already, or have you been hit in the head one too many times?"

Dean eyed him. "You’re a jackass, but I kinda like you despite that."

"Aww, and you’re too cute for words."

"Save that thought. We have work to do, or at least I do, and since you’re here, you can help."

"Work. Ugh." Gabriel made a disgusted face. "Fine, just what is it you need me to do?"

"I won’t know that till I find out what we’re dealing with here. But for now, how do you feel about impersonating an FBI agent?"

"Mulder or Scully?"

"We’re both way too tall to be Scully, and neither of us has the legs for it. You can be Krycek."

"Mmm, even more kinky—you can even bring out the cuffs so long as you don’t try to cut off my arm." Gabriel slowly climbed to his feet, suddenly dressed in a pristine navy suit, brilliantly white shirt and sedate navy and yellow striped tie though still wearing his white tennis shoes.

"You clean up pretty good," Dean observed. "Just don’t forget to change your shoes before we meet anyone. Oh, and don’t worry about the arm; I like what you do with both hands much too much." He gave Gabriel a quick grin while stripping down to his boxers so he could change into a dress shirt and suit.

"I can’t be an eccentric FBI agent?" Gabriel asked, making a lightning quick move forward so that he could grope Dean’s ass when the other man bent over to step into his pants.

"Behave!" Dean tried to glare over his shoulder, but the tent in his boxers made it less than daunting. "And I’m pretty sure the FBI has a dress code that doesn’t include athletic shoes. If we ever need to impersonate a Time Lord, you can wear them them."

Gabriel snorted out a laugh at that and gave Dean’s ass a final pat before stepping back away from him, still plainly ogling him. "So who are we going to talk to, Agent Hot-ass?"

"We’ll see if we can get in to see the women, and then we’ll go on to the guys who survived date night."

"If?" Gabriel asked, his eyebrows arcing upward.

"So that falls into things you can do? That’ll make it easier."

"And you know I’m all for the easy."

"I’m not sure, but I think maybe I should be insulted." Dean tucked the white shirt into his black suit trousers and then slid the tie on, glancing at Gabriel in the mirror as he knotted it.

"If you want, I’ll be the easy one when you decide we can take a break from working," Gabriel offered.

"Oh hell, you’re making me want to skip the work entirely!" Dean half groaned, stepping back to prevent himself from reaching for Gabriel.

"Not that I wouldn’t mind, but if another date gets snacked on, you’re going to feel guilty."

"Which is why we’re going to go figure this out, and then once we’re done, we can celebrate."

"I’ll bring the streamers and champagne," Gabriel promised as they headed out of the room and climbed into the Impala, "and the lube."

"Definitely useful," Dean said with a soft chuckle. "So just how long are you planning on sticking around, anyhow?"

Gabriel shrugged in answer to the question. "Dunno."

"I guess I’d better not get boring then."

"Dean, I really don’t think that you could ever get boring."

"Aw shucks, you’re going to make me blush."

"Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, Winchester," Gabriel snorted, making Dean laugh.

"What, you don’t think I’m a shy and blushing sweet young thing?"

Gabriel collapsed into the corner of the seat and the door, laughing hysterically, opening one eye to look at Dean, who was suddenly dressed in a blue and white Alice in Wonderland style dress.

"Gabe!" Dean roared, the car swerving slightly as he jumped.

"That’s not shy and innocent for you?" Gabriel snickered. "I don’t know, you do have the legs for a dress..."

"No, I do not, and if I spend too much time like this, I might start to act virginal!" Dean threatened.

"Mmm, deflowering virgins is one of my favorite things—as you well know," Gabriel leered before sighing and waving away the dress when Dean glowered at him.

"How the hell are you an angel?" Dean asked in honest bemusement. "If there are others like you, man, did organized religion get it wrong!"

"You have met other angels, right?" Gabriel asked.

"Yeah, and except for you and Cas, they all had sticks up their asses. And even Cas is nothing like you. Did they break the mold when they made you?" Dean asked, sounding amused.

"I’ve been down here a long time," Gabriel reminded him with a wry look. "In the beginning I was mostly like the others. Once I left, I made myself change—adapt or die, right?"

"You adapted pretty well. Despite everything, you’re mostly okay, Gabe."

"Appreciate that." Gabriel glanced around at the buildings they were driving past and nodded as they pulled up in front of the sheriff’s office.

"Try to be nice," Dean cautioned. "We need information from the local cops, and I’d rather not get arrested again."

"Yes, dear," Gabriel said as they headed toward the door and inside to be faced with a florid-faced, buzz-cut, beefy deputy who looked at them narrowly.

"Can I help you gentlemen?"

"Agents Elliott and Allen, FBI," Dean said, flipping open his ID briefly while Gabriel did the same beside him. Fortunately, Gabriel had spent a lot of time on Earth, so unlike Castiel, he didn’t fumble the badge or show it upside down. "We’re here about the recent date attacks."

"We’d like to speak to the sheriff, then see the attackers," Gabriel added smoothly.

"Sheriff’s out right now. You all are welcome to wait."

"In that case, we’ll start by questioning the attackers while we wait for the sheriff to get back," Dean replied pleasantly, leaving no room for argument.

"You want ‘em one at a time, or are you splittin’ up?"

"We’ll split up," Dean replied.

***

"The two I talked to didn’t remember anything about the attacks," Dean reported to Gabriel once they were back in the Impala and on their way to the hospital to speak to the survivors, the sheriff still not having returned to the station. "The last thing either of them claimed to remember was having dinner, and I think they were telling the truth."

"Mine said the same, and they were telling the truth, so yours probably were as well," Gabriel nodded. "There was nothing supernatural about them at the moment that I could detect; that doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything before though. If I could see one right after an attack, I’d know."

Dean groaned. "You had to say it, didn’t you? You’ve practically guaranteed that at least one of us is going to be attacked while we’re here."

"Like that wasn’t going to happen anyway, and are you saying that you want me to throw myself heroically between you and any marauding female?"

"If she’s trying to rend me limb from limb, yes!"

"Got it," Gabriel replied, giving a snappy salute, "I’ll heroically prevent any rending, but not any other marauding."

"Hey, threesomes are fun," Dean informed him with a smirk.

"Not as much fun as orgies."

"I’ve never been to one of those that wasn’t heading in a very bad direction."

"I’ll see if I can rustle us one up some time if you want," Gabriel offered easily.

"Maybe some other time. I’m finding an angel challenging enough on his own."

"Some other time then; I’ll keep you busy until then—promise."

Dean couldn’t hold back a chuckle at the very earnest vow... accompanied by a very salacious grin. "I never doubted it for a second. Are you sure you were never a god of debauchery?"

"That was more of a hobby; all that candy I was eating gave me a lot of energy to wear off."

After a moment spent gawking at Gabriel—on a fortunately straight and empty stretch of road—Dean burst into laughter. "So you’re telling I should keep you supplied with candy?"

"I can make my own, but feel free to feed it to me," Gabriel chuckled.

Dean’s sidelong glance was heated. "When this is over," he promised.

"So, hospital now, eh? Think we’ll see Dr. McSexy anywhere there?"

"I’d better not, or I’ll be looking for the holy oil!" Dean growled.

"Spoilsport."

"Why am I always the one who gets shot or killed in your little games?" Dean grumbled.

"Because it wouldn’t do anything to me?" Gabriel offered. "But then again you didn’t stay dead in any of my ‘games’ either."

"I suppose I should be grateful I didn’t get slammed in the balls."

Gabriel snickered. "Exactly."

"Has anyone ever told you that you’ve got a really strange sense of humor?"

"So many times I’ve lost count."

"So obviously it’s not going to change any time soon."

"Nope," Gabriel said genially, "you should be used to it though; you’re just the same."

Dean chuckled. "Okay, yeah, you’re going to be a lot more fun to drive around with."

"Cuter too," Gabriel dead-panned.

"Such humility," Dean marveled.

"You have to be human to have humility," Gabriel grinned.

"Aren’t angels supposed to be paragons of all the virtues?"

Gabriel stared at him for a long moment before bursting into laughter.

"Or not," Dean said with a chuckle. "Especially if you’re an example."

"You’ve met other angels; what do you think?" Gabriel asked as they pulled up to the hospital.

"I think even among angels you’re the odd one out. Which isn’t a bad thing," Dean added. "At least you’re interesting. You and Cas are the only ones I actually like."

"Guess I’m in good company then."

"The two of you’re like the cartoon angel and devil on a guy’s shoulders. And the cartoon devil’s temptations always sound a lot more interesting."

"Hey," Gabriel sounded wounded—at least until you noticed the twinkle in his eyes, "I’m not my brother; don’t give me horns."

"I did say cartoon devil," Dean pointed out. "The other kind isn’t cute or tempting at all. And you’re not horned, just horny."

"Damn right," Gabriel snickered before cartoon horns topped with a crooked halo appeared on his head. "And I dare you to say that that’s a bad thing to be."

Chuckling, Dean inspected the new additions. "They suit you."

"I’ll wear them tonight—and you’ll appreciate the wings and the tail," Gabriel smirked as they pulled into the hospital parking lot.

"I’m not sure whether to be turned on or terrified by that," Dean said, unable to stop wondering what Gabriel would do with a tail.

"Let me know when you figure it out," Gabriel smirked as he climbed out of the car, heading for the hospital doors.

"Whoever said ‘be careful what you wish for’ knew what he was talking about," Dean muttered, but he was smiling until he forcibly sobered his expression before going inside.

***

"So we have men who were all attacked while having a private meal with their significant other—who doesn’t remember a thing about it. Ideas?" Gabriel asked before reaching over and snatching a fry from the platter in front of Dean.

"Maybe they all stole food from their significant others," Dean suggested with a narrow-eyed glare which only caused Gabriel to grin as he ate the fry and stole another.

"Well, if you try to chomp on me, I’ll let you know when it stops feeling good."

"You’re so weird. Okay, so it can’t be a rugaru unless there’s a whole freakin’ herd of them, and we already took care of Famine," he mused, running through the possibilities. He munched on a fry as he ruminated, unconsciously moving the plate to a spot where Gabriel could reach it easily as well.

"There’s probably a trigger..." Gabriel mused, waiting for Dean to look down at the plate before directing a scowl toward the ceiling. "I really doubt that’s the kind of munching the ladies were planning on, considering the trouble they had gone to for their dates."

Dean snickered, nearly choking on a French fry. "Sounds like your kind of date, huh, Gabe?"

"Having a hot babe make me dinner then make me do what she wants, oh yeah," Gabriel chuckled. "You saying it isn’t yours? Wine you and dine you and, well, we’ll let your imagination take it from there."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Maybe we’ll have to try that once we’re done here. A hot guy works just as well as a hot babe."

"You going to make me dinner?"

"How do you feel about mac ‘n cheese?"

"One of my favorite things."

"Okay, maybe some angels are close to perfection." Dean grinned at him.

"I’ll even provide the beer."

"I think I want to marry you."

Gabriel snickered and stretched his legs out in front of him. "That’s twice you’ve mentioned marriage, Dean; you’re making me wonder."

"Geez, you’re keeping count? You gotta get a life, Gabe." Dean was really glad he hadn’t taken the joke further and said he wanted to have Gabriel’s baby.

"Had one a lot longer than you have, thanks," Gabriel chuckled, swiping the last fry from under Dean’s fingertips.

"You’d think you’d have learned how to get your own food in all that time then."

"Yours tastes better."

"Are we still talking about the fries?"

"For the moment."

Dean’s eyebrows rose slightly. "Sounds like an interesting discussion to have later."

"Let me guess," Gabriel sighed without any heat, "work now, fun later."

"Oo, you can learn. I’m impressed."

Gabriel flipped him off before leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest, "So?"

"So I guess we keep interviewing and researching till we figure out what the hell’s going on here."

"Ooo fun."

Dean shrugged. "You got a better idea?"

"When I do, you’ll know; right now I’ll just follow your lead," Gabriel said, giving a sudden, sunny smile.

"Just don’t spend all your time ogling my ass, no matter how amazing it is."

"I promise I’ll intersperse it with groping."

"I hate demons and all that crap even more than usual."

"I don’t think whatever’s happened is demonic," Gabriel commented after a moment of studying Dean carefully.

"Naw, it doesn’t really fit them," Dean agreed. "But that doesn’t mean I have any idea what it is. Hell, the way things have been going the last few years, it could more freaking gods."

"Or a mad scientist putting anger-inducing chemicals in the food or water."

"Very funny," Dean snorted, only to pause, frowning. "Could be something in what they ate or drank at that. Though I don’t think Dr. Frankenstein has anything to do with it."

"Sounds more like Jekyll and Hyde to me than Frankenstein; I don’t think any of those women are undead."

"You really could be on to something there. Come on, let’s go find out what they had; maybe there’ll be something common to all of them."

Gabriel stood and stretched, the wrinkles falling away from his suit as he did so. "So let me guess, we’re going to check out grocery stores now?"

"Might be a good idea to find out what they had first, don’t you think?" Dean pointed out.

"Gotcha, Boss." A smart salute accompanied the answer, making Dean snort.

"Smartass." After tossing some cash on the table to cover their meal, Dean got to his feet as well. "Try to be helpful."

***

"Just how many grocery stores do we have to look at?"

"As many as it takes," Dean replied bluntly. "But we can take a break from grocery stores for a liquor store since they all had wine with dinner."

"Go us—and shouldn’t the FBI be able to get into financials and find out just where the women went shopping before they wanted a little long pork?"

"Of course, but in case you haven’t noticed, we’re not actually the FBI, and there’s no Garcia to tell us everything we need to know."

Gabriel snickered at the reference. "We could have one if you wanted," he offered.

"I’m afraid to ask how you’d manage that."

"It’s all a matter of skill and hey, look, a liquor store."

Dean eyed him askance. "You’re sounding scarily like a pimp there, Gabe." He shook his head and made for the liquor store. If nothing else, he could get some beer.

"Can you be called a pimp when it’s yourself you’re selling?" Gabriel asked curiously.

"I’m so glad angels don’t get STDs," Dean muttered.

"Are you calling me a slut?" Gabriel asked as they headed into the building.

"If the rubber fits..." Dean grinned over his shoulder.

"Oh, now that’s disgusting!" Gabriel shuddered at Dean’s comment. "Why would I need those things?"

Dean shivered slightly and sternly informed his body that this not the time for that. "Okay, yeah, we’re not talking about that anymore until we can do something about it." Gabe was the only man—male—that Dean had ever been skin to skin with, and thinking about it was not a good idea before talking to people.

"Yes sir," Gabriel responded, giving a jaunty salute as they walked up to the counter, waiting until the tall, stocky man behind it finished ringing out his customer to speak. "Evening, I was wondering if we could ask you a few questions about some people you might have sold some wine to."

"Who’re you?" the man asked suspiciously.

"FBI, Agent Elliott, and this is my partner, Agent Allen," Dean said, flashing a badge briefly. "We’re here about the attacks. Do you know if any of the victims or attackers bought anything here?"

The man nodded toward the old-fashioned cash register. "I can look through the credit card records, and see if any of the names come up—if you give me the names—but if they paid cash, I’m not going to be able to help you there."

Dean nodded and read off the names from a notebook he pulled out of his pocket.

"I’ll have to see the receipts to know if they bought anything around that time, but I know Tom Parker comes in here a lot. He likes to impress his dates with expensive wine, but he always has to ask someone what to buy. He’s more of a beer man, really."

"Both are good in their own time," Gabriel smiled. "You know, if it would make it easier, we could look through those receipts."

The man glanced around at the customers browsing through the store, knowing that they would arrive at the cash soon enough. After a moment he nodded. "I guess that would be okay."

He led them into the office and got the receipts out, placing them on the desk. "If you have any questions, I’ll just be up front."

"Thanks for your help," Dean paused to read the nametag on the man’s shirt, "Leo."

"Hope it helps," the other man replied before walking out to help his customers.

When Dean reached for the receipts, Gabriel smacked his hand. "Gimme," he ordered, taking the slips and rifling through them in the blink of an eye. "Tom Parker is in there a few times, but none of the others are."

"So this may or may not mean anything. Great, we’re exactly where we started from." Dean eyed Gabriel. "You want to check the other liquor stores before any more grocery stores, don’t you?"

"It’s liquor; you mean you don’t?"

"We’re talking, not buying."

"Since when do I need to buy?" Gabriel pointed out as they headed out of the office, passing a petite, redheaded woman who was seriously studying the racks of Italian wine.

"You really are convenient to have around," Dean said happily. "But since you don’t need to buy, what’s the big attraction in liquor stores?"

"They’re more interesting than grocery stores?" Gabriel offered. "Besides, if it was something in the food, wouldn’t a lot more people be chowing down on their loved ones?"

Dean shrugged. "Depends what food it is. If it’s canned oysters or something, not really."

Gabriel’s expression twisted into one of disgust. "You’d try to impress a date with canned oysters?"

"Uh, hello, I don’t have to try to impress a date," Dean pointed out. "But some guys do."

"Exactly, and those guys wouldn’t be buying their dates canned oysters."

"Says you. But that was just an example, jerk. It could be anything that’s not a huge seller."

"Then how about you hit the grocery stores and I hit the liquor stores," Gabriel countered.

"Naw, that’s fine. We’ll do the liquor stores first." Dean would never admit it, but he was enjoying having company again and didn’t want to split up.

"You just don’t want to be hit on by the desperate housewives."

Dean shuddered. "Cougars are frickin’ scary, dude!"

"Scary? You’re a wimp, Winchester."

"You’ve obviously never had a pack of them come at you."

Gabriel only grinned as they walked toward the Impala, and Dean eyed him.

"Okay, give. What was that look about?"

"I’m just trying to picture you turning down sex with a pack of horny, hot housewives."

Dean smirked. "I said they were scary, not that I turned them down."

"It must have been a horrible experience for you," Gabriel snickered.

"I wasn’t sure I was going to survive it, and I don’t think I ever want to repeat it, but..." Dean trailed off, his grin widening.

"It was oh, so worth it?"

"Yup." Dean schooled his expression to earnestness and informed Gabriel, "So you see, I don’t expect you to exceed previous experiences."

Gabriel’s eyebrows rose as he studied Dean over the sun-baked roof of the Impala. "Maybe you don’t, but I am one to want to leave an impression."

"I’ll let you know how you do tomorrow."

"And eventually I’d like to find out just how you do as well."

Dean actually closed his eyes and counted to ten to prevent himself diving over the Impala’s roof to get at Gabriel. "You really have got to stop saying shit like that when we’re working," he finally managed to get out in a strangled voice.

Gabriel’s eyes widened, and he gave his best impression of innocence. "Why?"

"Because FBI agents don’t usually fuck each other blind over the hood of their cars!"

"You know," Gabriel sighed as he climbed into the car, fixing Dean with an accusing gaze, "I like the realities I create much more than this one."

"Deal with it. First we finish the hunt, then we can play."

Gabriel glowered in response. "You know what they say about all work and no play..."

"I just promised you play, not to mention a very sore ass, once we’re done here."

"A sore ass, eh?" Gabriel’s lips quirked in a telling smirk he winked. "We’d better get to work then, hadn’t we?"

"I had a feeling you’d see it my way."

"Why does that not surprise me?"

"Because you’re smarter than you like to pretend." Dean smirked at him, Gabriel offering a single finger in response.

"I could say the same for you."

"I’m hot; I don’t need to scare people by being too smart too," Dean retorted. "It’s better to take ‘em by surprise."

"Hrmm, maybe I’ll call you Barbie..."

"Or maybe there won’t be any sex!"

Gabriel only smirked, making Dean chuckle.

"Yeah, okay, that’s not likely to happen," he admitted.

"Exactly, so get us to the next liquor store so we can track this fucker down."

***

"I never thought I’d say this, but I’m sick of visiting liquor stores," Dean groaned a few hours later.

"You’re just grumpy because we didn’t get anything to drink in any of them—or any leads either."

"We’re spinning our wheels, and I think it’s just a matter of time until someone else is attacked."

"You’re probably right, but there’s nothing else we can do right now—well, I could do more, but then I’d get my ass hauled back up there for a lecture, and I really don’t feel like dealing with that right now, so let’s go get something to eat, hmm?"

Dean shrugged. "Nothing else we can do, so we might as well. Burgers good for you?"

"Always," Gabriel assured him.

"Great, I spotted a diner on the way into town, and there were a few trucks at it. Those are usually the best places."

"And even if it isn’t, the food will be when I’m done with it."

Fortunately, there was no need for Gabriel’s help as the food was both good and plentiful, and the pair was leaning back in their chairs, drinking coffee over the ruins of pieces of chocolate cake when Dean’s phone rang.

Dean looked startled at first before remembering that he’d given the number to the local police, and he answered. "Elliott here." His expression tightened as he listened, and he pushed to his feet, tossing a twenty on the table. "We’re on our way."

"At least they waited until we’d eaten," Gabriel commented as they headed out to the Impala, Dean taking off as soon as he was in the car. "Let me guess, another attack?"

"Yeah, a woman attacked her fiancé over dinner. The guy’s in critical condition at the hospital; they don’t know if he’s going to make it."

"We going to talk to the woman first?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, let’s see what she has to say for herself right after the attack."

"Hopefully not that she’s still hungry," Gabriel said wryly.

"If she is, I’m hiding behind you."

Gabriel snorted out a laugh at that. "Big, strong man, my ass."

"Hey, only an idiot doesn’t make use of all his resources," Dean retorted. "I’m mortal; you’re not. You fend off the crazy cannibal chick."

"So glad to be of use." They reached the address Dean had been given, a single-storey brick house with white shutters and luxurious plants growing in the beds outside.

"Doesn’t look like the site of the Amityville Horror," Dean observed, "more like something that belongs in a fifties family drama."

"That’s probably the point," Gabriel murmured, rubbing at the back of his neck then straightening his tie as they walked up the walkway toward the officer guarding the door. As they flashed their badges, he noted droplets of blood on the stoop, droplets that grew more numerous the farther into the house they moved.

Following Gabriel’s gaze, Dean also noticed the growing amount of blood, and his expression tightened.

"Yeah, it only gets worse," Deputy Wilkins said, moving to meet them. "It just doesn’t make any sense. I know Gina and Bob, and you couldn’t find a more loving couple. They’re supposed to get married just before Christmas, and half the town is invited to the wedding." He shook his head. "Gina wouldn’t hurt a hair on Bob’s head, on anyone’s head. Hell, I’ve seen her carry a spider outside rather than killing it."

"Well, something certainly got to her," Gabriel observed, peering into the dining room and the wreckage of food and china on the floor. Stepping carefully, he walked into the room, squatting down beside the bloodstained table to examine an unbroken bottle of wine.

Glancing back at Dean, he straightened, then looked at the visibly upset deputy. "Is she still here?"

"We have her restrained in the den. We had to cuff her to the chair."

"Has she said anything yet?" Dean asked, moving toward the dining room.

"Nothing, she just growls at us." Wilkins shuddered at the memory.

Dean’s eyebrows rose, and he glanced sharply at Gabriel. "Well, we’ll see if we can get anything from her then."

"So glad to hear it," Gabriel muttered as he and Dean entered the den, a room that was filled with books and comfortable looking furniture—and a petite woman who would have been pretty if she hadn’t been blood-splattered and straining at the cuffs that bound her, trying to get to them.

Dean stopped, staring at her. "Does she look familiar to you?"

"Is she that hotel worker that hit on you?"

"No, but I’ve seen her somewhere," Dean said slowly, moving to one side to try to get a better look at her face. Her red hair straggled over her face, and he stopped abruptly. "The first liquor store we went to today, as we left, there was a redhead looking at the wine."

Gabriel seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as he studied the woman. "Yeah, could be. Hey!" He snapped his fingers, causing the woman to focus on him, her snarls vanishing as she stared at him. "Want to tell us what happened?"

"Who are you? What happened?" She looked around in bewilderment, tugging at her restrained wrists. "Where’s Bob?"

"What’s the last thing you remember?" Dean asked, trying to keep her attention on him.

"We—we were having dinner; I made beef Wellington and risotto, his favorites." Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, creating tracks in the blood on her face. "We had some wine and—why are you asking me this? Where’s Bob?"

"The hospital," Gabriel said bluntly.

"The hospital?! What happened?" Gina demanded again with increasing shrillness.

"I’m sorry, Gina, but you attacked your fiancé," Dean said, watching her intently.

"It wasn’t your fault," Gabriel said, stepping forward and crouching in front of Gina, one hand resting on her knee. His nostrils flared, and his lips twitched as he straightened up again.

Dean caught the reaction, and he knew there was more here than he was seeing. "Care to share with the class?" he asked, watching Gabriel even more closely than Gina.

"Know anything about the Greeks?"

"What are you talking about?" Gina demanded. "What happened?"

"Well, I doubt you’re talking about shield brothers right now," Dean muttered.

"Good times, good times," Gabriel chuckled before looking back at the distraught woman and snapping his fingers again, sending her into a deep sleep. "She smells Greek to me."

"Greek?" Dean questioned. "As in Zeus, Hera, Titans, that kind of Greek?"

"Exactly," Gabriel nodded. "The shit with Luci stirred lots of folks up."

Suddenly, Greeks, wine and women came together in Dean’s mind, and his eyes widened. "Maenads?"

"Impressive." Gabriel smiled slightly. "And you have no idea how hard it was to let you figure it out yourself."

Dean glared. "You like to break rules; figure out how to break these. Because always hearing that is going to get old awfully fast."

"Try living it," Gabriel snorted. "I’m not used to restraining myself."

Despite the circumstances, Dean snickered. "I’m always happy to help you get used to being restrained."

"That kind of restraint, I have no problem with; it’s these rules." He shuddered, his disgust evident in his expression.

"There, there, honey, you’ll be fine," Dean said in a syrupy voice.

Gabriel growled in response, and the deputy’s nervous voice came from the hall. "Is everything all right in there?"

"Just peachy."

Dean smirked, but he quickly sobered again after a glance at the sleeping woman in the chair, her face still twisted with unhappiness even in her unconscious state.

"Okay, now that we know what, what do we do about it?" Dean regarded Gabriel expectantly, having no experience with Maenads beyond a few adolescent fantasies.

"Maybe talk about it somewhere Deputy Dawg can’t hear us? I’d really rather not have to deafen him."

"Uh yeah, let’s skip that. Come on." Dean strode out of the room and toward the door, calling over his shoulder to the deputy. "Ms. Collette passed out. You should probably get her checked out. My partner and I are heading to follow up on some leads we were chasing earlier today."

Gabriel glanced back at the sleeping woman and shrugged. "Maybe it was something she ate."

The pair made their way to the Impala without being stopped, and Dean drove away, wanting to be able to talk without the chance of being overheard. "So, give," he demanded almost as soon as they were in motion. "How do we stop this?"

"Stop our helpful friend who sold her the wine," Gabriel offered.

"And do we even know who that is? Not everyone involved shopped at that store," Dean reminded him. "Though I suppose they could have paid cash."

"The clerk even helpfully pointed that out to us."

"He does seem a little too good to be true, doesn’t he?" Dean mused. "But if that guy’s Dionysus, he was really over-hyped back in the day."

"Why? Because he wasn’t having drunken orgies in his wine shop? He could be consolidating power, using them to build up a base."

"Actually, I meant because Dionysus was supposed to be hot."

"You have an unhealthy obsession with how hot people are," Gabriel mused.

Dean just looked at him.

"You do! And don’t think I didn’t hear all those disparaging comments you made about me either."

"You made me eat my words," Dean said soothingly. "Okay, so assuming the dude’s really a Greek god, how the fuck do we stop him? Throw olive oil at him?"

"Only if you want to fuck him."

"No thanks, one immortal being at a time’s my limit."

"Awwww. Now as far as how to stop him..." Gabriel rubbed his chin as he looked upward. "Can’t kill him, or I’d prefer not to, so we need to stop him and give him a stern talking to."

Dean gawked at him. "What the fuck?" he finally got out.

"Sarcasm."

"Asshole," Dean growled. "How do we stop a god?"

"I’m thinking!" Gabriel protested.

"I think I’m glad neither of us is a girl."

"Let me go see if I can find something; head back to the hotel, and I’ll meet you there." With that, Gabriel vanished, leaving Dean alone in the Impala.

"Damn it, I hate when they do that," Dean grumbled as he continued back to their room, only to discover that the air wasn’t working and the room was like an oven. Grumbling, he tossed his jacket and tie on the bed and then went to the office to let them know, finding that Terri was there again.

She looked up as he entered, and her bland smile became wide and welcoming as she leaned on the worn counter. "Hi there! Everything all right?" she asked, eyeing him avidly.

"Well, aside from the air conditioning not working," Dean replied, dredging up a half-hearted smile for her, despite his annoyance.

"Oh, I’m so sorry about that! I can move you to another room if you’d like."

"Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. My partner’s still out doing some work, and coming back to a hot room’s no fun at all."

"Why don’t you go pack up your things, and I’ll see what’s available." Terri smiled winningly. "Then I can show you to your new room—don’t want you to get lost or anything."

Dean fought the urge to roll his eyes. "That’s really not necessary. I’m pretty sure I can find it from the number once you let me know what it’ll be." He gave her another quick smile. "But I will go get our stuff packed up."

"Okay, I’ll let you know what your new room is." Terri looked disappointed at the brush-off and glanced down, then took a drink from a glass that had been hidden by the countertop.

"Thanks, Terri, you’ve been really helpful," Dean said, reaching over to squeeze her hand, causing her to give a strangely unfocused smile.

"That’s what I live for."

"That’s cool. It’s good to enjoy your work, or so they tell me," Dean ended wryly.

"You don’t like being an FBI agent?" Terri asked, proving that gossip travelled quickly in Crete, Ohio.

"Some days yes, some days no," Dean said with a shrug. "It’s not a particularly cheerful job."

Terri nodded as she took another sip of her drink. "I guess it’s really not like TV. Now go on, get your stuff so you can get moved."

Although he appeared somewhat startled at her suddenly harsher tone, Dean simply nodded and made his way back to the room. Hopefully Gabriel would get back before he changed rooms, but if not, Dean would leave a note on the door with the new room number... once he knew it.

He was still in the habit of traveling light, so it didn’t take long to pack up the few things he’d actually unpacked, and Gabriel didn’t actually have any baggage, so he was ready when the door opened. He looked up with a smile, expecting either Terri or Gabriel and was bowled over onto the bed by a ravening, snarling woman who had the same color hair and wore the same blouse that Terri had had on. Razor sharp nails dug into his arms, and ragged teeth snapped near his face as the creature that had been Terri tried to get at his neck.

"What the fuck!" Taken by surprise, Dean needed a moment to rally, but then, he knocked her out with a couple of punches. He rolled her off of him and sat up, catching his breath before grabbing some zip ties out of his luggage.

"Gabe!" he yelled while manhandling Terri toward the chair by the table.

The archangel appeared near the door, looking exasperated. "What?" he demanded before taking in Terri’s limp form, the zip ties, and Dean’s disheveled appearance and snickering. "Kinky, Winchester. You looking for advice or help?"

Dean glared over his shoulder. "She fucking tried to eat my face!"

"Definitely advice then," Gabriel mused as he stepped forward, scratching at the stubble on his jaw then touching the young woman on the temple with two fingertips. "She’ll sleep now. What exactly happened?"

"Damned if I know. I went down to the desk to tell her that the AC’s not working in the room, and she said she’d move us to another room. I came back here to pack, and next thing I knew, she was attacking me!"

"Well, something had to happen in between the two, or she would have been trying to rip your clothes off, not your face."

Dean snorted, backing up to sit on the edge of the nearest bed. "Well, she seemed a little angry downstairs... and she was drinking something," he remembered.

"She was drinking something." Gabriel rubbed his temples as he shook his head. "It’s a miracle that you’ve lived as long as you have." The last was muttered as he nodded toward the door. "C’mon, let’s go see what it was."

"What, am I supposed to freak out every time anyone drinks anything?" Dean demanded as he got to his feet to follow Gabriel. "People do that a lot, you know."

Gabriel just looked at him, then rolled his eyes as they headed out across the cracked parking lot toward the office. Once inside, he leaned over the counter, picked up the plastic cup and sniffed the remaining contents.

"Well, don’t drink it!"

"A, I’m not female, B, I’m not human, won’t do a thing to me," Gabriel promised.

"Humor me," Dean growled, looking uneasy.

"Yes, dear." Gabriel set the cup down and walked behind the counter, ducking down to pick up a mostly full bottle of wine, setting it on the worn laminate. "And here we have the culprit."

"And again with the wine. Tell me you found something on your little side trip?"

"As in how to stop our Greek nutcase?"

"Well, duh!"

"Just making sure. And to answer your question before you try to strangle me, yes."

"Finally! Well, care to share with the class?"

"Tea."

Dean stared.

Gabriel snorted. "Don’t tell me that you’ve never heard of it."

"What the hell does tea have to do with anything?" Dean demanded, wondering if it was possible for an angel to go mad.

"It almost makes sense—in a strange, thematic way; when you think of it, tea is the opposite of wine—and it has the interesting effect of putting our buddy Dionysus to sleep for centuries."

"So, not solving the problem, but delaying it long enough to become someone else’s. I can live with that."

Gabriel shrugged in response. "I’d really rather not kill any more of their pantheon."

"The only good god is a dead god."

"Be nice, Dean."

"Why? They aren’t," Dean grumbled.

"Right now they’re all a little riled up, and I’m sure you can guess why."

"Well, then they should be pissed at you and yours, not me and mine."

Gabriel only looked at him, and Dean stared back, his eyebrows rising challengingly.

"For the most part we were the innocent victims."

"Good point," Gabriel said, grinning suddenly. "So let’s go make sure of who gave your cute little Terri that wine, then we can go put him to sleep."

"Now that’s a plan I can get behind."

"Then lead on. You’re the one she came after; you’re the one who can talk to her."

"Great," Dean grumbled, but he went back to the room where Terri was still unconscious in the chair. "You’re going to have to wake her up if you expect me to get any answers out of her."

"Just full of orders, aren’t you?" Gabriel muttered as he touched Terri’s forehead, her eyes opening a split-second later.

"What?" Her gaze darted from one man to the other. "What’s going on? Why am I here?"

"You attacked me, Terri," Dean said, crouching down in front of her, "the same way those other women attacked the men they were with. And it was because of the wine you were drinking. Where did you get it?"

"The—the wine?" she asked, her eyes huge. "It was from Mr. Leuther. He said I needed a pick-me-up."

Gabriel snorted at that comment. "Or something."

"Yeah, well, you should go sleep it off, and we’ll go deal with dear old Leuther," Dean said, helping her to her feet. "You’ll be okay after a good night’s sleep."

"But I need to work; there’s no one else here to watch the place," she protested.

"I think for one night, you can close down early. You need some rest."

"We can watch the place for you," Gabriel added when Terri seemed to be wavering.

"A-all right," she said quietly. "If you think it wouldn’t be a problem."

"I’m sure of it. Go on home now," Dean said gently, nudging her toward the door.

"Can you stay out of trouble while I go get what we need?" Gabriel asked once she was gone.

"I’m in a room alone. I think I can manage it."

"You were in a room alone when I left before," Gabriel pointed out with a snort. "Just try not to attract any homicidal women while I’m gone this time."

"I’ll just sit here and sweat... unless you can fix the air?"

Gabriel looked toward the window unit that obligingly began to pump frigid air out into the room. "Better?"

"Much, thanks. I’ll be right here when you get back."

"You do that." Gabriel vanished again, returning less than fifteen minutes later holding a glazed earthenware pot in his hands. "And voila."

Dean had taken advantage of the time to change into his usual hunting clothes, and now he regarded the pot with a distinct lack of excitement. "So that’s the miracle tea?"

"Yup, wanna try?" Gabriel asked, offering the pot.

"Naw, that’s okay; I’d make a crappy Sleeping Beauty."

"All it would do to you was to make you gag," Gabriel promised.

"Also not something I look for in my drinks," Dean assured him. "Do you need to brew it or something before we go find him?"

"See the steam coming out of the spout? It’s brewed."

"Do I look like a tea drinker to you?" Dean pulled a face. "So let’s go then."

"Drive on, McDuff. I’ll hold the pot."

"Jerk," Dean grumbled, but he followed Gabriel to the Impala and drove them to the liquor store. "I really hope this place is still open and he’s still here."

"All we can do it go by and see, but considering it isn’t even dark, I’m betting that he’s there."

"And if not, we’ll find him. I’m sure your angel mojo is up to keeping the tea hot."

"That’s me, the tea cozy," Gabriel snorted.

"At least you’re not a little teapot," Dean snickered.

"And I’m certainly not short and stout. Oh and by the way, Dionysus isn’t going to be thrilled that we’re trying to get this down him."

"Of course he won’t," Dean sighed. "Well, he didn’t have anything like thunderbolts to throw around that I can remember, so it shouldn’t be too bad. You are an archangel, after all."

"Really?" Gabriel asked dryly.

"That’s gotta be better than a pagan god, doesn’t it?"

"Damn right it is."

"Good, so this should be a piece of cake."

"Let me guess, I hold him, and you pour it down his throat."

"Sounds like a good division of labor to me."

Gabriel snorted.

"What, you think it makes more sense for me to try to hold him down?"

"I’m just wondering what this Greco-Roman wrestling will get me."

"It’ll put an end to this hunt, and we’ll be able to move on to other activities."

"Carrot, stick, carrot, stick," Gabriel muttered.

"Oh, I guarantee you’ll like the stick."

"Oooo, promises, promises."

"If you weren’t an angel, you might not be able to sit down tomorrow."

"Ooo baby, threaten me some more," Gabriel crooned, "just not while I’m holding a teapot."

Dean snickered. "Do you need a cozy?"

"Are you offering to knit it?"

"Dude, the only thing I do with knitting needles is stick ‘em into things that need killing."

Gabriel’s eyebrows rose at that. "You have knitting needles in the back of this thing? Cool."

Dean paused, one eyebrow rising slightly, and he gave the archangel a sidelong glance. "What exactly are you planning to do with knitting needles?"

"Knit you a scarf."

"Oh, thank god we’re here; I need something to drink!"

"Just don’t drink the wine," Gabriel chuckled, shifting the teapot to one hand so he could open the car door and step out into the parking lot in front of the liquor store.

"I’m not a woman, in case you haven’t noticed," Dean grumbled. He followed Gabriel, perfectly content to remain behind the immortal being when going to face a pagan god.

"Which could make what it does to you really interesting," Gabriel pointed out, glancing back at Dean then at the door before reaching out and opening it himself.

"You want me to try eating you in a not so good way?"

"Hrmm, maybe some other time," Gabriel snickered before frowning. "Problem," he said, glancing at Leo, who was behind the counter.

"Which is? The guy’s here, so we bag him."

"The guy is here, but that’s not our guy."

"Is there something else you need, Agents?" Leo asked, eyeing the candy red teapot in Gabriel’s hand oddly.

"He gets thirsty," Dean said blandly. "We’re looking for Mr. Leuther. Is he here?"

"I think he’s home; want me to give him a call for you?" Leo asked, reaching for the phone on the counter.

"No, but you can give us his address. We need to see him in person."

"I’m not sure..." the older man began.

"It would be easier that way," Gabriel said, cutting him off. "We just need to ask him some questions."

"Official business," Dean added, and after a moment Leo nodded slowly.

He wrote the address on a piece of paper and started to hand it to Gabriel, who was closer, but then he stopped, looked at the teapot in the supposed FBI agent’s hand again, and passed the information to Dean.

"Thanks, we appreciate the assistance." They turned and headed for the door, Gabriel keeping the tea hot and steaming the whole of the trip to the address they had been given, a house that was mostly hidden behind luscious vines that draped down over the walls to the wild-looking garden at their foot.

Dean eyed the vines. "Are those actually grape vines in Ohio?"

"Sure, not anything vintage, but there are. Those look pretty damn mature for a house that’s only been there five years."

"If you say so," Dean shrugged. They looked pretty much like ivy to him. "I like beer better."

"How about champagne?"

"Under the right circumstances. But I’m pretty sure I’ve never had Ohio champagne. Doesn’t it have to be from France to be champagne?"

"Bubbly wine is bubbly wine," Gabriel snorted. "So, got a plan?"

"Hand me the teapot." Dean gave him a quick grin. "Then you grab him, and I pour it down his throat."

"Do you want hot pads so you don’t burn your hands?"

"How ‘bout I just hold it by the handle?"

Gabriel just snickered and handed the pot over before starting up the walk, rolling his shoulders under his jacket as if to loosen them. He knocked briskly on the door, and, when the door was opened by a stunningly beautiful man, beamed a smile at him. "Mr. Leuther, right?"

Auburn eyebrows rose inquiringly. "That’s right. And you are?"

Dean stayed back for a moment, taking in the finely chiseled features, thick auburn hair and eyes so dark they seemed to swallow him. He briefly imagined Gabriel and the supposed god entwined together, but he stopped that the line of thought abruptly when he felt himself react to the mental image.

"Your new best friends." Gabriel slung an arm around the other man’s shoulders, turning him and walking him into the house, to his obvious surprise. "Is your first name Lex by the way?"

"Do I look like an evil, bald billionaire to you?" Leuther snorted, allowing himself to be guided inside despite his wariness.

"The bald part doesn’t fit," Gabriel mused, "can’t say yet about the other two. He’s Dean, I’m Gabe."

"And you’re here why?" Leuther asked, eyeing first the man who still had an arm around his shoulders, and then the man who he now saw holding a... "Teapot!"

When he tried to duck out of his hold, Gabriel tightened his grip, holding him in place. "What’s that? Afraid of a little tea?"

Dionysus looked startled when he couldn’t wrench free, and he frowned at Gabriel. "What are you?" he demanded, momentarily distracted from his situation.

"Currently? I’m not quite sure; you may want to ask that of him though," Gabriel winked.

"He’s the archangel Gabriel," Dean informed the Greek god cheerfully, making him turn to stare at the angel.

"Why are you interfering? I stayed out of that craziness you had going on with Lucifer."

"Hey! I didn’t have anything going on with Lucifer," Gabriel protested. "And since you didn’t ask, this is Dean Winchester; he has an issue with you making the nice ladies of this town men-hungry psychos."

Dionysus glanced over at Dean again, this time ignoring the teapot for the man holding it. "Pretty. Can I talk you into an orgy?"

Dean snorted. "If you’d asked me that before the nice girl at the hotel desk tried to eat my face off, you might have gotten a different answer."

"Ah, so it was you two at the hotel; Leo told me that some FBI agents were asking around."

"Yeah, well, you start making people kill each other in weird ways, you’re going to meet up with hunters," Dean replied.

"I’ve been asleep for centuries," Dionysus protested, "I was just trying to make things more like home."

"You should have tried adapting to the world as it is instead," Dean said bluntly, nodding to Gabriel, who beamed back at him.

"Why thank you."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Would you just hold him?"

"Let’s talk about this," Dionysus said, again trying to free himself from Gabriel’s grasp.

"Going to suggest another orgy?" Gabriel asked hopefully.

"Gabe!"

"I could hold him while we did it!"

Dionysus looked from Dean to Gabriel and back again. "That would be all right with me."

Dean actually hesitated, regarding them both. "That would be a really bad idea," he said slowly, clearly tempted.

"No, it wouldn’t," Dionysus wheedled, his expression turning smoldering.

"Yes, it would," Dean snapped, moving forward with the teapot.

"Guess that’s a no, Dion," Gabriel shrugged, maneuvering the now struggling god toward a chair and seating him in it, tilting his head back so that Dean had a clear path to pour. "And don’t worry, I’ll drop you off with Aphrodite; she’ll take good care of you."

Dionysus never had a chance to reply as Dean began pouring the tea into his mouth, and he had to swallow or choke. It only took a few swallows before his struggles slowed and his eyes closed, and he slumped in the chair, but Dean continued to pour the tea until unconsciousness stopped him swallowing, not wanting to stop too soon.

"All done," Gabriel smirked. "Now off to his wife; she’ll keep track of him, and maybe he’ll have learned something the next time he wakes up."

"Wasn’t Aphrodite Hephaestus’ wife?" Dean asked. "Never mind, doesn’t matter. A Greek god’s a Greek god. Let’s get rid of him, and then we can see about what we talked about earlier."

"Wife, consort, with Greek gods, you can’t keep them straight." Gabriel hefted the unconscious god up onto his shoulder. "See you back at the hotel." He winked at Dean then vanished.

"I really hate it when he does that," Dean grumbled yet again. He made his way out to the Impala, pausing outside when he glanced over his shoulder and realized that the house, which had been covered in lush vines when they arrived now stood bare, no different from a thousand other cookie cutter urban homes.

"Weird." Shaking his head, he slid into the car, but his phone ringing prevented him from driving away.

"Elliott," he barked.

"Agent Elliot, this is Sheriff Yaeger. I’ve got your card here, but I have no idea why you’re in town. Care to enlighten me?"

At first startled, Dean quickly realized that either the departure of the god or the archangel’s intervention had erased everyone’s memory of what happened. He just hoped it had been Gabriel and that he’d also healed the men who had been injured and returned the women to their homes.

"Just passing through, Sheriff, following the trail of a cold case on my own time, and I dropped into your office as a courtesy. I’ll be moving on later today or tomorrow."

The sheriff hrumpfed in response before continuing. "All right, I appreciate the notice; if there’s anything we can do to help, let me know."

"Thanks, but my plans for tonight include a cold beer and a comfortable bed," Dean said cheerfully. He ended the conversation after a few more pleasantries and then returned to the hotel, grateful to find that Gabriel’s repair to the air conditioning was still working and that the archangel was lying in the middle of the king-sized bed, nude and stroking himself.

"Took you long enough."

"You could’ve come back to get me," Dean pointed out, never taking his eyes off Gabriel as he made short work of stripping. His clothes were tossed aside without regard for where they landed, and then he was stalking to the bed, bracing one knee on the edge as he looked down at Gabriel hungrily.

"What? It isn’t enough that I took care of Dionysus—Aphrodite sends her love by the way—healed all those men and made everyone forget the women tried to eat them? I was supposed to play taxi too?" Gabriel snorted and reached out, crooking a finger and beckoning Dean closer.

"Kind of hard to fuck you when we’re not in the same place," Dean said, his normally gravelly voice growing huskier as he moved to straddle Gabriel, who shifted to rest his hands on Dean’s hips.

"Same place now, so what’s stopping you?"

"Nothing at all," Dean assured him an instant before he leaned forward, bracing his hand on either side of Gabriel’s head, and kissed him, Gabriel’s mouth opening beneath his so that their tongues could slide together, and his fingers pressed against Dean’s ass.

Dean groaned, his hips jerking convulsively, and he nudged Gabriel’s legs apart so he could settle between them without ever breaking the kiss. Gabriel seemed to be very happy to go along with this though he did sneak one hand in between them to take Dean’s cock in his now slick grip and slowly jack it.

"Guess we don’t ever have to worry about running out of lube," Dean chuckled breathlessly, arching his back to thrust into Gabriel’s fist. He slid a hand up Gabriel’s thigh, petting the taut muscle, but rather than touching the straining cock, he lightly drew a fingertip over the silky smooth skin behind his sac.

Gabriel squirmed at the light sensation, one leg rising up to hook around Dean’s hips. "Just call me Mr. Helpful."

"How ‘bout I just call you Gabe," Dean murmured, turning his hand to cup Gabriel’s balls in his palm, gently rolling them.

"I can deal with that." Gabriel’s voice had grown deep and raspy, and he shifted his grip on Dean to rub his thumb over the head of his cock.

"Good." Dean clearly wasn’t paying a lot of attention to the conversation, instead watching Gabriel’s reactions as he slowly explored the angel’s body.

"So is this what I’m going to get every time we solve a case?" Gabriel asked, writhing beneath Dean as his calluses brushed his sensitive skin.

"I hope you’re not going to make me wait till then to do this again," Dean replied, his green eyes almost black with arousal as he stared down at Gabriel.

"Do I look stupid to you?"

Dean laughed. "Good answer."

One hand kept some of his weight off the angel as he pressed a line of kisses down Gabriel’s chest, coming close to but never quite touching the rigid nipples that beckoned.

"Because I’m not stupid." Agile fingers traced their way along Dean’s cock while Gabriel slid his free hand up to tangle in his short hair, urging him into more contact.

"No, you’re not." Dean chuckled raspily and gave in to Gabriel’s urging, his teeth scraping over the sensitive skin of Gabriel’s chest before closing not quite gently around one nipple, causing the archangel to arch up beneath him, the low grunt he gave clearly showing that he was appreciating the sensation.

Gabriel’s fingers flexed against Dean’s scalp, and he flexed the muscles in his thigh, pressing Dean’s body closer against his then squirming against him.

A muffled chuckle escaped around the nipple in Dean’s mouth, and he continued to tease Gabriel with feather-light touches for a short while longer. Eventually, however, it wasn’t enough for him either, and a single finger pressed against the ring of muscle he’d been ignoring up till then.

"Now would be good," Gabriel murmured, the skin beneath Dean’s digit suddenly growing slick enough to allow him access.

"Demanding, aren’t you?" Dean chuckled, releasing the reddened nipple to grin down at the man beneath him. A second finger joined the first, and Dean bit back a groan at the feeling of the tight muscle gripping him.

"Used to getting my own way."

"Get over it." Dean gave him a quick nip by way of punctuation, and his fingers crooked inside Gabriel, causing him to gasp, his head falling back onto the pillows and his eyes closing for a brief moment.

"That’s doable," was murmured before he dragged Dean upward to slant their mouths together.

Unable to wait any longer, Dean pulled his hand back to grip Gabriel’s hip, and then he was pushing into him, groaning with pleasure, Gabriel clenching down on him, his tongue sliding against Dean’s as he ate at Dean’s groans.

Dean held still for a short time, but then he had to move. He forced himself to draw back slowly, feeling every spasm inside Gabriel, and then he drove forward, only to stop again once he was buried to the hilt.

"What is this?" Gabriel panted, pulling back from Dean so that he could speak. "Red light, green light?"

"It’s called teasing the angel," Dean informed him, doing it again.

"You know what that gets you, don’t you?" Gabriel panted as Dean began to pull out of him again.

"An angel’s ass?"

Gabriel’s laugh was harsh and accompanied by a spasming of his muscles. "For now it does."

"Then it’s all good." Dean smirked down at him, his grin widening as Gabriel tried to glare at him. Then, with Gabriel expecting more of the same, Dean suddenly gave him a series of rapid, hard thrusts, the archangel’s legs clamping down around his waist as his hands slipped to Dean’s arms and tightened, leaving finger-shaped bruises, one on top of the mark Castiel had left on Dean’s upper arm.

Dean shuddered and bit his lower lip, his back arching as the bite of pain only added to the pleasure he was feeling. "Fuck, you’re hot," he rasped, continuing to drive into Gabriel forcefully.

"Damn right I am," Gabriel purred, undulating upward against Dean’s thrusts, "you are too though."

"Damn right I am," Dean parroted. "We’re too hot for anyone else." He lowered himself so that every thrust dragged his belly over Gabriel’s straining cock.

In answer, Gabriel slid his hands lower, leaving an identical pair of marks on Dean’s ass as he ground up against the weight covering him, his cock leaking precome against Dean’s stomach and groin.

"Fuck," Dean groaned, shivering. He’d always liked a bit of an edge with his sex, but Gabriel was hitting buttons he hadn’t even known he’d had. "I think I love—your ass." The tiny pause was almost imperceptible.

"It is a stellar one," Gabriel panted, giving a cocky grin that dissolved into a pleasured smile as Dean drove inward again, angling himself to rub against Gabriel’s prostate.

"Can’t argue that." Dean took Gabriel’s mouth again, needing to claim him in every way as he felt the tension coil at the base of his spine.

They moved together, the thrusts becoming short and sharp as pleasure spiked, then Gabriel shuddered, the muscles in his ass rippling around Dean’s cock. Dean tried to hold on, not wanting it to end yet, but Gabriel’s spasms drove him over the edge as well, and he came after only a few more rapid jabs.

They lay together, limbs entangled, Gabriel stroking his hands over Dean’s heaving, sweat-soaked back, until he had recovered, then the archangel sighed in pleasure. "Oh yeah, definitely worth sending Dionysus to sleep again."

Dean snorted. "What else were we going to do with him?" He shook his head. "Not that this wasn’t going to happen no matter what."

"I had to wait," Gabriel pointed out with a pout. "I’m not used to waiting."

"You sayin’ I’m not worth waiting for?"

Gabriel only grinned and pulled Dean in for another kiss that broke off when Dean’s cell phone rang, the sound muffled because it was buried in the tangle of his clothes.

"Fuck, bad timing," Dean groaned. "Damn it," he grumbled after raising his head and realizing that his pants and cell phone were across the room. "Sam sucks."

"Yes, but the question is, does he suck well," Gabriel chuckled, holding out his hand then passing Dean the cell phone that had appeared in it.

Dean made gagging noises and then whacked Gabriel in the head. "That’s my brother! Gross!"

"Ow!" Gabriel snickered. "What? You don’t want Sam to get any?" he asked.

"Not from us!" Dean growled just before answering his phone.

"Hey," Sam sounded relaxed and happy. "Did you manage to find out what’s going on there yet?"

"Hi, Sammy. Yeah, turned out to be Dionysus turning women into Maenads, but he’s taking a centuries-long nap now."

"A nap?" Sam’s confusion was plainly audible. "Just how did you do that?"

"Hi, Sam!" Gabriel called brightly.

Dean bit back a groan and glared at the angel whose ass he was still in. "Gabe made him tea."

"Tea?" Now Sam sounded lost. "And was that Gabriel there with you?"

"Yeah, he got bored in Heaven or something."

"Has he killed you yet?"

"Only with kindness," Gabriel snickered.

"Shut up, Gabe," Dean growled, biting back a moan when Gabriel shifted under him.

"You okay?" Sam asked. "Did Dionysus do anything before you gave him his... tea?"

Dean sighed. "No, Dionysus didn’t do anything to me." There was the barest emphasis on the god’s name.

"Did Gabriel?"

There was no way around it. "Nothing I didn’t want him to."

There was a moment of stunned silence before Sam answered. "Dean, tell me you didn’t sleep with him."

"Still is in fact," Gabriel called out, "but no sleeping was involved."

"No fucking way are you talking to me while he’s fucking you!"

Dean was laughing too hard to answer.

"Actually, he was fucking me, and we finished—for now."

Sam groaned. "Jesus, Dean, why did you answer the phone?"

"Because it rang. And like he said, we were done... for the moment."

"Jesus! I need to bleach my brain now."

"Oh, so you don’t want to know that I’m still in him?"

Sam screamed, and the call disconnected.

"Nice tormenting," Gabriel observed through his laughter. "You remind me of me."

"There’s a reason we get along so well and Sam hates you," Dean replied cheerfully.

"I think that’s more because I killed you a hundred times or so, but this works too."

Dean eyed him wryly. "It’s probably a good thing for this," he rocked his hips slightly, never having fully softened, "that I don’t remember any of that."

"You can’t say I’m not a nice guy," Gabriel snickered, undulating beneath Dean’s weight.

"Sure I can, but I happen to like bad boys," Dean informed him, gasping.

"Good thing I can do that as well."

"I never doubted it for a second."

"Aww, you have faith in me." Gabriel grinned and circled his hips beneath Dean’s.

"Gabe, you spent how long as the Trickster? No one doubts you can do bad." Dean managed not to whimper as Gabe’s muscles rubbed his sensitized flesh.

"Ah, but there’s bad, and then there’s bad."

Dean snorted. "Oh, shut up and move."

"Yes sir, General Winchester, sir," Gabriel laughed before doing as Dean ordered, shifting Dean with ease as he arched up off the bed then, holding him in place as he gyrated beneath him.

"Jesus fuck!" Dean yelped, his fingers clutching at the angel’s arms even as his back arched uncontrollably, trying to get deeper inside Gabriel again.

"What? You said move." Gabriel asked innocently as he continued with what he was doing.

"You give new meaning to topping from the bottom!"

"Anyone ever tell you that you bitch a lot?"

"I usually don’t let the same person stick around long enough to give a shit."

Gabriel seemed to consider this remark even as he continued to move, letting Dean drop a fraction of an inch so that he could slip that much deeper into him. "Same here for the most part. Humanity in general, yeah, it’s a good thing, but on the individual level..."

Dean gave him a horrified look when it seemed likely that Gabriel was about to discuss feelings. "You know, you could just flip us over and ride me."

"I don’t want you to feel like you aren’t in control," Gabriel snickered, making Dean roll his eyes.

"What the fuck ever. C’mon, do it."

"Bitch, bitch, bitch. Most guys would be happy to get laid twice in half an hour." As he spoke, Gabriel managed to flip them over without Dean slipping from him and sat up, his smile turning sensual as the move changed Dean’s angle within him.

"Oh fuck," Dean breathed prayerfully. This time it was his fingers that bit into hips hard enough to bruise, and he stared up at Gabriel with an almost blissful expression on his face. "I’m going to die from too much sex, but what a way to go."

"If you do, I’ll bring you back," Gabriel promised as he rocked in place, his movements short and sinuous.

"Oh hell, you will, won’t you?" Dean suddenly grinned. "Okay, archangel, show me what you’ve got."

Gabriel smirked at that before falling still, though his muscles clenched down around Dean rhythmically.

"Bastard," Dean groaned, his fingers flexing on Gabriel’s hips. "Moving would be good."

"Like this?" Gabriel asked, flexing his hips the tiniest amount.

"Fucking tease," Dean panted, trying to thrust but finding that Gabriel had him restrained. "Damn it, Gabe, come on!"

The archangel rolled his hips, at the same time clenching down around Dean’s cock, then he suddenly released Dean’s wrists and grinned, waiting to see what he would do.

Dean grinned up into the brown eyes as he curled a fist around Gabriel’s cock and started to jerk him off.

"Mmm, nice," the archangel sighed, arching his back though his movements didn’t change at all.

"You’re not going to move any faster till you’re damn good and ready, are you?" Dean groaned.

"You want it faster, get on top," Gabriel chuckled.

"Bossy angel," Dean muttered, stroking Gabriel a little faster.

"Boo hoo," Gabriel’s hips flexed with a fraction more strength.

"Good thing I happen to like that in a guy."

"Knew that already." The move that Gabriel performed next should have been impossible for anyone with a spine.

"Know-it—Oh fuck!" Dean groaned, his back arching as he drove up to meet Gabriel, the archangel driving down to meet his thrust, their coming together dragging a groan from his throat.

"Perfect," Dean rasped, "you’re perfect."

Gabriel’s mouth curved into the slightest of genuine smiles before he gave in and rode Dean, slamming down onto his cock again and again, Dean driving up to meet each downward lunge, the slow, languid love-making giving way to hot, hungry fucking.

The bed slammed against the wall, loud, hollow thumps punctuating their movements, and Gabriel curved a hand behind Dean’s neck, drawing him up for a searing kiss that Dean was only too happy to give. He curled his arms around the archangel’s shoulders, holding himself up, tiny whimpers escaping him with every breath at how tightly Gabriel clenched around him.

"Fuck yeah," Gabriel whispered against his mouth just before he spasmed, gouting over Dean’s chest.

Dean gasped and managed a few more thrusts into the rippling body before the last of his control shredded and he was coming as well, a harsh groan tearing from him as he did.

When Dean dropped back to the bed, Gabriel collapsed on top of him, sighing decadently in pleasure. After a moment spent panting, Dean moved one hand the tiniest amount against Gabriel’s back.

"Okay, yeah, you can do that again whenever you like."

"So glad I have permission," Gabriel chuckled.

"See, wasn’t it worth waiting for?"

Gabriel pushed up on his hands at that, staring down at Dean incredulously. "You aren’t serious, are you?"

Dean laughed. "What, you don’t think it was?"

"Just who was suggesting we do this much earlier than this?"

Dean kissed him, and Gabriel snorted against his mouth. "Not quite the reaction I was going for," Dean chuckled.

"And just what reaction were you going for?"

"Something a bit more like a kiss back."

"Well, I can’t be predictable, can I?"

"You’ve never been accused of that."

"Awww, you’re so sweet," Gabriel crooned.

It was Dean’s turn to snort. "And that’s something that I’m definitely not."

Gabriel’s eyebrows rose, and he smirked. "Mmm hmm."

"You’re weird."

"And?"

Dean laughed. "And I guess that’s why we get along."

"Twisted minds think alike," Gabriel grinned.

"I don’t think anyone’s as twisted as you, but yeah. Neither of us is trying to improve," Dean shuddered at the word, "each other."

Gabriel shuddered as well, his whole body shifting with the motion. "Not in a million years—and I mean that literally."

"Yeah, well, I don’t have nearly that long, but in general I agree."

"Being a bad influence is more amusing."

"And you’ve taken that to a whole new level," Dean chuckled.

"Though I don’t force anything on them; I simply present a choice."

"You do have a way of presenting choices that lead to the one you want," Dean pointed out. "Trickster."

Gabriel shrugged and smirked. "I keep things from getting boring."

"Is that what we’re calling it now?"

"Have you ever been bored around me?"

Dean snorted. "I’ve been killed in any number of ways, shot, trapped in various TV shows and had a lot of headaches, but no, I’ve never been bored."

Gabriel winked and snatched a kiss before rolling onto his back with a satisfied sigh.

Dean turned to his side to look at Gabe, unaware of the small smile playing around his lips. "Do you miss it? Being the Trickster, I mean?"

Gabriel paused, musing over the question, before finally nodding. "I do; it was... liberating. Being Gabriel comes with expectations."

"Gabe, having met some of your family, I can only say that my expectations are low, and I only hope you’re never anything like them."

"Never, you have my word," the archangel promised. "And even worse than expectations are the rules."

"Only till you figure out a way around them."

"I’m not sure I can find a way around these, as much as it hurts me to admit it. They’re rather iron-clad."

"Well, that sucks. Hey, maybe we can see if we can find a way around them," Dean offered.

"Well, it would certainly make your life easier if we could, but I don’t want to get my leash yanked, so we have to be careful."

"I don’t want anyone else yanking your leash either," Dean told him. "That’s entirely my prerogative."

"Mmm, kinky, we can try that some time if you want.

"I’m going to hold you to that."

"I was hoping that you’d say that."

"Works out pretty well, huh?"

"Yes, we do," Gabriel murmured.

"Never thought I’d say this to an angel, but I’m glad you’re around."

"That being the case, mind if I do something to the sigils on your ribs?" the archangel asked, giving a pleading, puppy-dog expression.

"Uh, like what exactly?" Dean asked warily.

"Just twist one of them so I can find you. If you want, I can make it so the little bro can as well."

"Sure, that’d make things easier. Just you two, though, right?"

Gabriel looked wounded that Dean would doubt him.

"Hey, just makin’ sure. I don’t want the other jerkoffs tracking me down."

"You think I feel any different? Now just lie back and think of sex..." Gabriel shifted to sit cross-legged beside Dean and laid a hand on his chest before closing his eyes.

"Like I’d be thinking of anything else when we’re both naked and you’re touching me," Dean muttered, bracing himself for the same pain that he’d felt when Castiel initially made the sigils. He looked surprised when Gabriel opened his eyes again.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Nope. All done, why?"

"Done? I didn’t feel anything."

"Archangel," Gabriel reminded him.

"Guess I’m still getting used to that. It’s not like I had much to compare it to; there aren’t many of you, after all, and the other two were dicks."

"Not arguing with that at all. Cas did a good job on those sigils, by the way; I just neatened them up some." Gabriel grinned at the last. "Want to see?"

"My ribs? I don’t think so!"

"I wasn’t planning on slitting your chest open to show them to you," Gabriel scoffed before snapping his fingers, causing a glowing image to appear in the air before them.

"Oh, that’s it?" Dean half sat up to get a better look at the sigils floating in the air. "So what did you change?"

"Those there." As Gabriel pointed, several sigils brightened and grew in size.

"Huh, that your name?"

"The left is mine, the right, Castiel’s." Gabriel glanced at Dean, then at the sigils again before he spoke, the unfamiliar words ringing out in the air. "That’s what they sound like in Enochian."

Dean nodded, his eyes intent on the sigils, memorizing them, and his finger rose to trace Gabriel’s.

"I think it looks better in Comic sans serif," Gabriel mused before his attention switched to the foot of the bed where Castiel suddenly appeared.

Dean’s eyes widened, and he turned scarlet, the tide washing halfway down his chest. "Christ, Cas, don’t you know how to knock?!"

"Gabriel called, I came," Castiel answered mildly. "I was not aware of your state of undress."

"Sorry, Cas, didn’t mean to disturb your ass-kicking." Gabriel didn’t move as Dean tried to pull up the sheet he was sitting on. "I was just adjusting your work and reading what I’d done to Dean."

"Great, wonderful, we’re all up to date, goodbye, Cas!" Dean groaned, pulling a pillow across his lap, not caring how ridiculous it looked.

"Why are you embarrassed? You have nothing to be ashamed of in your body, Dean," the dark-haired angel said seriously while Gabriel collapsed back on the bed, howling with laughter.

"I know I have nothing to be ashamed of!" Dean growled. "Doesn’t mean I want to flaunt it to all and sundry!" He flopped back, an arm over his eyes. "Why does this shit always happen to me?"

"Because you’re cute?" Gabriel offered.

"Wonderful," Dean groaned.

"Would you rather be ugly?" Castiel asked curiously.

Gabriel watched as Dean raised the pillow in his lap to cover his face.

"I think he’s trying to kill himself," he remarked to his brother.

"Perhaps you should stop him."

Gabriel smirked, reached out, and tickled Dean’s now soft cock, making him jump and jerk the pillow back down to his lap.

"Bastards!"

"Can created beings be bastards?" Gabriel asked curiously.

"I don’t know the answer, and I believe that I do not want to know," Castiel murmured. "I would suggest the next time you call me, brother, you wait until Dean is clothed." With that, Castiel vanished again.

"I second that," Dean growled, glaring at Gabriel. "One angel in the bedroom’s fine, but two is way too weird for me."

"I’ll only agree because of the fact that one of the angels wouldn’t have any idea of what to do in here."

Dean gawked at him. "Cas is really not my idea of threesome material."

Gabriel gave his best innocent look in return before collapsing into laughter, making Dean growl and thump him on the chest. "He’s not. I took him to a whorehouse once, and he psychoanalyzed the girl. He just doesn’t get sex."

"He’s spent his whole existence in Heaven," Gabriel explained with a shudder. "Makes you feel sorry for him, but he enjoys it."

"Actually, I think he kind of likes it better down here now," Dean said. "We should take him out drinking some time."

"Remind me to create a vat of vodka if we do that."

Dean laughed. "He did seem to take to drinking. And he gives new meaning to excess. You’d better make that several vats."

"It takes a lot to get an angel drunk, even more for an archangel," Gabriel pointed out.

"Sounds like you’re an expensive date," Dean chuckled. "Remind me to make sure you’re paying if we go out drinking."

"Why pay when you can make it yourself?"

"You really are handy to have around," Dean said, beaming.

Gabriel smirked in response. "Among other things."

"Yeah, your hands are nowhere near my favorite part of you."

"Why doesn’t that surprise me?"

"Because you’re smarter than you pretend to be."

"Pot, kettle."

Dean grinned. "Shh, you’ll blow my cover."

"Hey, it’s only fair."

"If you hadn’t kept coming after us, we’d never have figured out who you are," Dean pointed out smugly.

"I was bored; you guys were interesting."

Dean eyed him. "You killed me how many times?"

"Like, I said; interesting."

"I really hope you’re not planning to combat boredom by killing me anymore."

"Nah, I have much more amusing things to do with you now," Gabriel assured him with a husky laugh.

"Oh good, I enjoy this a lot more."

"Somehow I thought that would be the case."

"Smug much?"

"Live with it."

"I’d like to."

"Live in general? I would hope so."

Dean glared. "Don’t be an ass. You know I meant live with your smugness."

"Are you asking to get married?"

Dean sputtered, unable to get a word out, the reaction sending Gabriel into peals of laughter. "I guess that’s a no," he managed to get out.

"That depends," Dean said with a wry smile. "Are you going to wear a lacey white dress?"

"Can it be Vera Wang?"

"If you’re paying for it."

Gabriel snorted, snapped his fingers, and a mannequin in a decidedly ornate wedding gown appeared in the corner of the room. "Who needs to pay?"

Dean raised his head to look at the dress. "What, no veil, heels and thigh highs?"

The archangel glanced in Dean’s direction, snapped his fingers again, and suddenly Gabriel was clothed in the requested garments, looking totally at ease in them.

After blinking for a moment, Dean sat up, his eyebrows raised. "Isn’t it bad luck for me to see you in your dress before the wedding?"

"Not in the dress, am I," Gabriel pointed out.

"Ah, so you’re not putting it on over... that?" Dean looked the mostly naked archangel up and down. "You know, you look surprising good in those stockings."

"Only you, Dean," Gabriel laughed, lifting his leg to take a look at it. "And yeah, they look better than fishnets; too much hair for those."

Dean burst into laughter. "Okay, so if we get married, no fishnets. Got it."

"Good man." Gabriel stretched, and the clothes vanished at the same time they both were cleaned up. "You hungry or ready to get some sleep?"

"Sleep first and then work up an appetite," Dean replied, already stretching out on the bed.

"Sounds like an excellent idea." A snap and the sheets were replaced with clean ones as Gabriel crossed his arms behind his head.

Dean hesitated for an instant before he shifted closer, draping one arm across the archangel’s chest. "Good, I like it too," he mumbled, his eyes falling closed.

Gabriel hesitated a moment before wrapping an arm around Dean’s shoulders, letting out a sigh of contentment as he did so. "Glad to hear it," he murmured, the words barely audible in the now quiet room.

END

***

• Main Supernatural slash page
• New stories page
• Sam/Dean stories
• Dean/Castiel stories
• Other pairings stories - ie threesomes
• Gen stories
• Amazon.com - Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season
• Amazon.co.uk - Supernatural - Complete Fifth Season [DVD]
• Amazon.ca link - Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season