Transmission from the Trickster

Chapter 27

People trickle off to their bedrooms that night, until the only ones left are Sam, Gabriel, Jack, and Castiel. Logically, Sam knows he should probably go to bed because it's getting late, but he doesn't really want to. He's really enjoying listening to Gabriel talk about random moments from his career as a trickster.

Gabriel must notice the yawn he tries to hide, because he says, "Alright, the story store is closed for the night."

"Why?" Jack asks.

"Because Sam's about to pass out over there," Gabriel replies. "Go to bed, Sam."

"But —"

"We've got all day tomorrow to keep chatting," Gabriel reminds him. "Go. Sleep. Dream about hunting vampire cats or whatever. We'll still be here in the morning."

"I'm not tired," Sam protests, and it occurs to him that he's acting like a literal five-year-old, but he doesn't care.

"Yes, you are," Gabriel says. "And if you don't go to bed now, I'll drag you to bed myself."

Sam scoffs. "You're literally half a foot shorter than me. How could you even try to do that?"

"Judge me by my size, so you?"

Gabriel snaps his fingers, and suddenly, he and Sam are in the hunter's bedroom. Sam probably should have seen that coming.

"Bedtime," Gabriel says.

"Fine, Dad," Sam grumbles.

"Ooh, Sammy, I didn't take you for the daddy kink type of guy," Gabriel says with a smirk.

Sam doesn't dignify that with a response. He crawls into bed, sitting up with his back against the wall. "Hey, thanks for helping us. I don't think I said that before we went through the rift this morning."

"Don't mention it," Gabriel says dismissively. "I'm just glad everyone's back in this dimension, portal's closing in a few hours, and everything is gonna be calm for once."

"Yeah, that's a first," Sam mutters.

"Alright, I'm gonna go and talk to my nephew — how cool is it that I can call someone my nephew? — and I will see you in the morning."

"Alright, g'night," Sam says.

"'Night, Sammy." Gabriel disappears with the flap of his wings, leaving Sam alone for the night.

~~

Sam returns to the war room the next day to find everyone except Dean already awake, all seated on the floor like children. It's no surprise that they're already gathered around Gabriel, listening to his stories. He certainly has some interesting ones to tell.

"And obviously, I had no reason to be there," Gabriel's saying, oblivious to Sam standing in the doorway. "I couldn't just say 'Hey, I'm here to crush Baldur with a giant rock — oh, but don't worry. He'll survive. Probably. And if not, I'm really doing you a favor.' So, I had to think fast, and I just spat out the first thing that came to mind, and that, my friends, is how the 'god' Loki came to be."

"How many different names do you go by?" Mary asks.

"A lot," Gabriel says vaguely. "And — oh, hey, Sam, here to join today's session of Story Time with the Trickster?"

Sam chuckles. "Not much else to do right now, is there?"

"There's never anything better to do," Gabriel replies. "C'mere. Join the circle."

He slides closer to Jack, opening a space up between himself and Castiel for Sam to sit. Sam reluctantly obliges, despite not wanting to feel like a kindergartener, because he's sure Gabriel's stories will make it worth it. He crosses his legs, propping his head up in his hands.