Sam

'Stab the body and it heals, but injure the heart and the wound lasts a lifetime,' the quote kept repeating itself in my head over and over as the tears glided over my cheeks.

Shut up, you barely even knew him, I told myself, harshly wiping at my eyes as I lay in bed, my heart throbbing painfully. I tried again to sleep but the days events were playing on an unbreakable loop in my head, feeding the pain in my chest and depriving me of sleep.

* 7 Hours Earlier*

During the entirety of my class, all I could think about was the warm spot on my cheek where Lucifer's lips had been. I hardly paid any attention to the professor as I smiled and thought of the handsome blonde sleeping in my bed at that very moment. Time seemed to drag on forever and by the time class was dismissed, I was ready to bolt.

Practically sprinting back to my dorm, I had to force myself to stop and take a breath before I entered. I had barely even made it 3 steps in the door when my phone started to ring, Eye Of The Tiger blaring loudly from my pocket.

"Hey, Dean." I picked up, speaking softly so as not to wake Lucifer. He'd seemed so exhausted earlier.

"Heya, Sammy! I'm in San Francisco getting ready to head your way!" Dean's voice announced happily and I couldn't help but smile at my brother's enthusiasm. The smile faded a moment later as I realized what I was about to say.

"That's great, Dean, but now isn't really the best time." I said just as Lucifer let out a soft snore, my heart tugging at the sound.

"Alright, I understand, you've got a girl over. You two have a good time and, Sammy? Use protection." Dean laughed and he hung up before I could correct him. My face was burning with a blush as I pocketed my phone again.

I worked on my assignments while Lucifer slept, unable to bring myself to wake him up when he was clearly so tired. It proved to be extremely difficult to focus, however, with him being just in the next room, sleeping in my bed. Still, somehow, I managed.

It was nearly 6:30 when he came out of my room, his blonde hair messy and his arms stretching as he yawned, the hem of his shirt rising to expose the skin below for just a moment. I gulped.

"Hey, what time is it?" He asked, his voice still heavy with sleep and he rubbed at one eye adorably.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" The frown on his face once I told him the time almost making me feel guilty, until he yawned again.

"You seemed like you really needed the sleep," I admitted with a shrug.

"Well, thank you." He said earnestly, pulling his phone from the leather jacket I'd hung up on the bedroom door. I struggled to look away, aware that I was staring, but I couldn't seem to help myself.

By the time he'd ordered the pizza -half veggie for me- and picked out a movie from my small collection, he was wide awake. Not much was said as we ate and watched Interview With A Vampire, but at some point, Lucifer scooted closer. It wasn't a lot but, on my small couch, even the smallest of butt scooches was a big deal.

The movie only had 20 minutes left to go when his hand brushed mine hesitantly and I grabbed it instinctively. It was as if it was meant to be that way, his fingers laced with mine. I kept my gaze focused on the movie, watching him from the corner of my eye. He was staring at me, his expression unreadable as he squeezed my hand gently before returning his attention to Louis's plight.

Now, I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but one moment we were just holding hands and the next, I somehow ended up curled into his side. His arm was wrapped around me casually as if this were just a normal Thursday night in for us. He was looking down at me as I gazed up at him into those warm blue eyes and then he began to lean in. My heart began to race, the butterflies in my stomach so strong my breath hitched and my head swam. His eyes began to slide closed, his head tilting and I happily followed suit, holding my breath as I waited for our lips to finally meet. But they never did.

I blinked my eyes open in shock as he ripped himself away from me, the warm blue freezing over once again as he took several steps backwards. Rejection sunk into me like a sharp dagger and I clenched my fists, my face heating up in humiliation.

"I'm not good for you! Dammit, Sammy! This has to stop!" He thundered as he paced angrily, his long fingers tugging roughly at his messy halo of hair.

"How come I don't get a say? Maybe you are good for me! And even if you aren't that should still be my decision!" I yelled back, finally tired of the emotional tug of war we'd been playing at all week. He just kept shaking his head frantically, refusing to accept my words.

"You don't understand. You don't even know me!" Lucifer roared, his eyes glowing red and I flinched. He saw this, the red glow dying down a little while I shakily stood.

"I want to get to know you. I want to understand. And I feel like you want that too." I said sincerely, speaking softly. I could see it there on his face that I was right and he took a step towards me. Another tentative step forward and then another, until he was coming right for me, a determined look in his eyes and I smiled in relief. Until his hand closed around my throat and he threw me roughly onto the couch, hovering over me with those crimson eyes burning brighter than I'd ever seen.

"No, I don't think I do want that. I think what I want is to tie you up and slice into your skin while I use your body to satisfy my own needs. Then, I want to hop on my bike, go get a burger and never see you again. That is all I have and ever will want from you, Sam. Stop trying to romanticize my lust." Lucifer growled into my ear, tears flooding my vision at his harsh words.

"So then what about Sunday? Lunch and the beach? Or today? Why pretend to care?" I managed to choke out. The grip around my neck tightened.

"To prove exactly how easy it would've been." He whispered maliciously before shoving himself off of me and storming out of my dorm, grabbing his jacket and slamming the door as he went. I gasped for air, my throat sore where his hand had been, and once I finally managed to catch my breath, I lost it again as the pain of Lucifer's words hit me.

"Don't be afraid. I'm going to give you the choice I never had." Lestat's voice drifted through the room as the movie finally came to an end.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•

* One Week Later*

I rolled over and glanced at the glowing numbers on my alarm clock that read 3:30 AM. Groaning, I rolled out of bed and threw on a jacket and my shoes. It had been a long time since I'd been unable to sleep like this, only on the rare occasions that I'd had nightmares of my ex girlfriend Jessica. Jess had died in a house fire halfway through our freshman year of high school and I hadn't dated anyone since. It just felt wrong, Jess and I had been together since kindergarten, completely inseparable and ridiculously happy. She had been my one and only love, and though my friends tried over the years, I never formed any interest in anyone else, until Lucifer.

The name caused my heart to throb painfully as I walked across campus. I hadn't seen or heard from him since he'd stormed out of my life and yet still, I couldn't stop thinking of him. Not even long enough to sleep. A heavy sigh escaped me as I entered the library, swiping my student card to gain access before making my way up the stairs. I'd been coming here every single night for a week now, reading being the only thing that properly distracted me. Normally, I would walk through the biography section until I reached the fiction, but tonight I cut through the cookbook aisles, randomly in the mood to read up on mythology.

It was as I was passing by the dessert book aisle that the color purple caught my eye, and not just a small amount of any dull purple, but rather a large section of bright neon purple. I backed up and stared in awe at the sheet that hung from the shelves and draped down like a tent, a pair of slippers barely visible in the gap between the end of the sheet and the floor. Curiosity guided me slowly towards the tent, the soft rustling of plastic growing louder as I got closer until I was only a foot away. The rustling stopped.

"Aaaah!" I yelled in surprise as one corner of the sheet was lifted suddenly, revealing a short man with golden hair and soft brown eyes, a half eaten twix hanging from his mouth. He was dressed in mismatched pajamas; a Harry Potter shirt bearing the Gryffindor coat of arms, Ninja Turtle fuzzy pants, and chibi Loki slippers.

"Woah! Moose alert!" He said then around the mouthful full of candy. I didn't miss the giant pile of unopened candy nor the Walmart bag full of wrappers at his feet either, a couple of books scattered on the ground as well.

"Moose?" I repeated, deeply confused.

"So do you have a name, big guy, or can I just call you mine?" He whistled lowly, looking me up and down, winking as our eyes met. My entire face was set aflame instantly and I stood there gaping dumbly, unsure of how to respond.

"I'm Gabriel, I enjoy sweets and long walks to the candy shop." He said with a smile, holding his hand out for me to shake. I took it hesitantly, coughing my name out in response. Somehow, Gabriel's smile grew impossibly larger.

"Sam... Sam. I like it!" He stated simply and nodded to himself.

"So what are you doing at the library at almost 4 AM, Samsquatch?" Gabriel asked curiously as I shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably.

"I couldn't sleep," I mumbled.

"What are you doing camping out in the library?" The question that had originally set me down this aisle in the first place finally surfacing. Gabriel smiled nervously as he glanced at his sheet tent.

"Impulsiveness? I was about to have a movie marathon in my living room but this sounded more fun." The shorter man responded sheepishly and I offered him a warm smile.

"I prefer books too."

"Do you want to join me?" Gabriel asked, suddenly shy, his eyes downcast. I wanted to say no so very badly and return to my nightly routine of reading away my pain in solitude. Then, he glanced up at me through long golden eyelashes and I found myself nodding as I stared into those honey brown eyes.

"Great!" He exclaimed.

"I'll go find a book to read." The words escaped me before I'd even had a chance to process what I'd agreed to

I returned with a thick Norse mythology tome to find him halfway through a king-sized Kit Kat, reading intently, as his fingers were already unwrapping a lollipop. I took a seat across from him on the floor, the sheet falling closed around us. The lollipop took up residence in his mouth as he swallowed the last of the chocolate bar and his light brown eyes seemed to smile at me when he looked up from his book.

"Candy?" Gabriel offered, gesturing to the large pile beside him.

"No thanks, I'm not big on sweets." I replied casually but the golden haired man's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, the lollipop nearly falling out.

"What?!"

"I'm just not as passionate about diabetes as you are I guess."

"That, Samster, is a common misconception. Sugar doesn't cause diabetes."

"Oh, well in that case... no."

"Now you're just playing hard to get."

"W-what? How? Because I don't want candy?"

"Yep, exactly, because everyone wants candy, whether they realize it or not. It's just a matter of what kind of candy."

"Ugh, you're impossible. Fine, I'll take some Smarties, happy?" I finally gave in and Gabriel shot me a large smile, handing me a roll of Smarties.

We sat like that for hours, shunning the outside world as we got lost in our books. There was no need for conversation, the comfortable silence spoke volumes already. It wasn't just random chance that I'd chosen a different path through the library, nor was it simply impulse that had brought Gabriel to the library in the middle of the night; it was fate.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•

Gabriel continued to be a constant presence in my daily life over the next few days. After stealing my phone, adding his number and then calling himself to save mine while I was in the bathroom that night at the library, he'd made sure to text me frequently. Several times a day, my phone was lighting up with messages from Candy King. He kept inviting me out for coffee, food, or to go on evening walks that I quickly learned always lead us to the candy shop. I found myself feeling lighter when I was around him, all thoughts of Lucifer disappearing in his presence.

It was on Monday, only 4 days after meeting Gabriel, that is happened. We'd been walking to the candy shop again as the sun began to set when he very casually slipped his hand into mine. For a second I considered pulling my hand away, but the warmth in my chest suggested differently. Still, I wasn't sure I was ready just yet, especially since the last time I'd tried at this I'd been met with slamming doors and glowing red eyes.

I pulled my hand away, using it to rub the back of my neck nervously. Gabriel just continued talk and smile and I let out a small sigh of relief that I hadn't hurt his feelings. I'd figured that that would be the end of it, at least for a while, but I was so wrong.

Gabe tried again the next day, showing up at my dorm with flowers and chocolates. He, of course, ate the chocolates. The day after that, he dragged me to a new bakery that was opening and bought me 50 heart shaped cookies. When that didn't work he stood outside of my dorm window the next morning, dressed like he'd woken up in the late 80's, a boom box on his shoulder blaring I Want To Know What Love Is.

"Come on, Sammy! You know you want me!" He yelled once I'd poked my head out of the window.

"Gabriel! Stop!" I shouted back, pulling my head back inside and slamming the window shut. The music stopped and I didn't see or hear from Gabriel for two gloomy days, no matter how often I checked my phone in hopes of seeing a new message from Candy King. It was Saturday afternoon when I was on my way to the store for more paper towels that I couldn't help but laugh as I exited my dorm complex.

On the large stretch of grass in front of my building, spelled entirely in candies of every kind, were three large words:

JUST ONE DATE?

"Well, Samshine? What do ya say?" Gabriel's voice asked from behind me and I turned to face him, still smiling.

"Fine, just one." The golden haired man's face lit up, his honey brown eyes wide in excitement. Wait, no, honey is too dark... whiskey.

"Really?" That one word carried so much hope.

"Yes." I said, getting lost in those eyes that reminded me of whiskey when the sunlight hits it. Gabriel grinned broadly and I could already tell that if I wasn't careful, I'd end up a love drunk fool from those whiskey eyes.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•

Ta-da!!! Another chapter down!!! And we haven't even gotten to the good part yet(:

What do we think about Lucifer so far? Or Dean? Or the Trickster? I wanna knoooooow!!

Thank you humans for reading!

Until next time my lovely mooses (moose, meese, moosen?) and squirrels! 😁❤️