Author's note: Thanks a lot to Ghastly Eternity for beta-reading!

1

"But why not?" a young voice whined, although the boy it belonged to would never admit that he had been whining. There was no other fitting word to describe the tone he had just used, however.

Gabriel heard the two young humans approaching and immediately hid in his little, wooden hamster-house. Oh, he wasn't scared of them or anything of the like. He had noticed very quickly that one of them would always try to lure him out with a treat when he wasn't in the open at first, though. He'd have been a very stupid hamster, if he hadn't put that knowledge to good use!

"Because it's my hamster and you won't call it Candy!" the second boy replied matter-of-factly.

The white hamster with the golden-brown specks frowned deeply when he heard that. He already had a name and he wasn't going to let them change it just like that! He'd probably have to lie around pretending to be utterly unhappy for days to make the little human understand that he had offended him, but the right to keep his name was one of the things he'd go those lengths to for. Also, it had worked wonders when the boy had changed the brand of food he was giving the hamster.

"But Gabriel and Candy go together so well!" the first young boy insisted and while his friend more or less ignored that statement, it made Gabriel listen interestedly.

So, they hadn't talked about a new name for him. It was about another hamster. Another hamster that was supposed to get together with him. That sounded promising! Oh, Gabriel could picture her. Candy, that really sounded very promising! He quickly ran his little paws over the fur on his head to get it in order and make it shine some more. There was no second chance with first impressions, after all!

"Cas," the boy whined again, drawing his name out as long as he could, more insistently than before, "Why not?"

Castiel huffed with righteous indignation and took the new hamster from the box the pet shop had put it in and set it free in the cage close to the water bottle.

"Hello, pretty lady," Gabriel greeted the newcomer and nudged his new friend in the back with his nose.

"Because, mom said we don't need a million hamsters," the dark-haired boy explained, "So, the new one is a male."

Gabriel had noticed that a second before Castiel had said it, but that didn't keep him from sniffing around the new one for a while longer. Hey, beggars couldn't be choosers and there was only that one other hamster, so Gabriel wasn't going to complain about little things like gender!

"Stop it," the new hamster said, the underlying threat clear in his voice.

The smaller hamster completely ignored it and went on checking his new friend out from all sides. Nice brown spots on his back, darker in color than Gabriel's. They both had the same beady black eyes, but the other hamster's were surrounded by big brown specks of fur that covered nearly the entire upper half of his head, with the sole exception of a white spot on his forehead.

Gabriel of course felt the need to check the white spot out in detail and was basically pressed up to the newcomer as he stood on his hind legs and nearly pressed his nose against the other hamster's forehead.

"Stop it!" the newcomer insisted again and pushed Gabriel away with a glare.

"I think Gabriel likes him," Castiel observed with a content nod. It was very important that the older hamster that had been there for longer, after all, was feeling good with his new playmate.

"I think Sammy doesn't like him back," the other boy added and gave his friend a wide grin. If Cas thought that they were done discussing about names for the new one, he was wrong!

"Dean!" the black-haired boy complained, "They are my hamsters!"

"But," Dean began and put on his best puppy dog eyes that got him nearly everything he wanted from basically everyone, "My mom won't let me have my own and I'm here all the time, anyway."

Castiel huffed, because there wasn't much he could say against that. It was true and he didn't want to make his friend feel worse.

"Also, it's only fair," the dirty-blonde boy went on explaining, "You got to call your first hamster Gabriel, because he sort of looks like your older brother when he stuffs his mouth with candy. So, being the good Catholic you are, you should share with me and let me name the second hamster after my brother!"

Castiel pouted and sincerely regretted ever telling Dean anything about the Catholic doctrine his family was living by. To tell the truth, he had meant to call the new hamster Raphael, after his oldest brother, but the animal looked more like a Sam now that he thought about it. Fine, he could let Dean have his will… yet again.

"So, you're Sam," Gabriel squeaked, approaching his new roommate again.

"Apparently," the brown hamster replied snippily and went to check his new surroundings out. Hopefully without being disturbed by the guy he would be forced to live with. He shouldn't be so lucky, however.

"Wait, I have to show you around!" the golden hamster insisted and hurried after him, "It's what a good host does!"

"Yeah, thanks, I'll manage on my own," Sam replied icily, trying to keep some distance between himself and the other hamster.

"Sure you can, big boy," Gabriel went on talking, "Not like you could get lost around here. Oh look, that's my water bottle, our water bottle now. I'll share with you. I like to share, but only with nice people. I think you are nice."

The taller hamster turned around quickly and stared straight into his new roommate's face, "Do you ever shut up?"

"Generally, when I'm asleep, I'm quiet," the golden hamster replied with a few quick nods.

"Just like I suspected," Sam grumbled.