Supernatural - Dean Winchester - 21 - obvious
Title: Scholarly Bonding
Author: my_sam_dean
Characters: Sam, Dean, Ash, Jo, Ellen
Rating: R (past violence)
Prompt: 21 - obvious
Disclaimer: I own nothing Supernatural.
Summary: Sam finds out how Ash got to being the Roadhouse genius. Dean gets distracted.
Dean appeared to be listening as Ash rambled on about the scientific aspects of locating the yellow eyed demon. He was still looking in Ash's direction, but his eyes had glazed over once Ash crossed over from hunting to jumbles of technical terms. He'd quit asking what Ash meant once he realized that he was drowning in information and Sam seemed to be keeping up. Little brother could handle it for now.
"I'm going to get a refill," Dean interrupted when Ash had to breathe. "You guys want?" He held up his empty beer bottle.
"PBR," Ash smiled.
Sam laughed at Ash's prompt answer and inidcatied to Dean that he was fine. He needed a clear mind to keep up with Ash's train of thought.
When Dean was out of earshot, Ash confided to Sam that he never turned down a free drink, like that was a secret. He launched into what would be signs and how they could track them. Sam's mind stuttered as he picked up where Ash had left off before he was so rudely interrupted.
While at the bar, Dean had decided to plant himself on a stool as he flirted with Jo. It was more interesting than listening to Ash, even if he didn't plan on getting anywhere with her. He easily slipped into his 'charm' mode and saw Ellen roll her eyes at him when she thought he wasn't looking. Jo, however, was oblious to her mother and teased Dean right back.
After a few minutes, Sam realized that Dean wasn't returning and wondered if Ash would insist on that beer. Rumbling on, Ash didn't seem to notice anything that was happening outside of their table.
He'd loved learning at Stanford. The challenge of the classes was something he thrived on. He missed study groups and discussing theories with his classmates. Dean was smart but he just loved to talk about anything to do with hunting. Ash was filling more of the scholastic ache that Sam didn't even realize he needed until that moment.
Ash's face appeared more and more blissful as he as he was carried away by his ideas that sprouted into others. Everyone knew Ash was original but Sam understood why he had he quirks as he listened to Ash speak. He was a true genius and Sam could appreciate it.
"I've set alarms so we'll know as soon as a sign appears," Ash muttered as he finished typing. When he sat up straight, he whipped his hair back over his shoulder and announced, "I. Am. Done." He lifted an empty beer to his lips and asked, "Where the hell is Dean?? I'm dry over here."
Sam chuckled at Ash's delayed realization that his brother was still, indeed, gone. "He must have been distracted."
"Let me guess. . . long hair, short skirt and legs up to here."
"Something like that."
"Hey, Sam?"
"Huh?"
"Do you miss Stanford?"
Ash's question stopped Sam in his tracks as he wondered if he'd said anything to make him think that. "Been kind of busy looking for Dad. Why?"
He shrugged. "You aren't really the typical hunter type."
"I've been telling my family that for years."
"Yeah," Ash nodded absently as he hung his head. "I get that."
Not sure when he'd stepped into forbidden territory, Sam didn't question Ash's sudden somber mood.
"Them beers ain't gonna drink themselves, are they?" was the only comment Ash made as he brushed past Sam on his way to get really, really drunk.
*****
About a week later, the Winchesters dropped by the Roadhouse to find out if anything useful was traveling through the grapevine. No such luck.
"I'm, uh," Dean was distracted by someone shiny walking by. "I'm going to--"
Sam cut him off. "Yeah. I'm going to talk to Ash."
With just a nod, Dean left Sam standing there. Sam knew he was on his own for the rest of the evening, probably the night. He'd figured he would be alone when Dean first mentioned the Roadhouse. An antsy Dean was a crabby Dean, and Dean hadn't, well, he just plain hadn't in awhile.
"Sam, Sam, Sam," Ash opened his door with a flourish as he let Sam in. "What brings you to my humble abode?"
"Just, um," Sam was embarassed to find himself in a near stutter. "Dean. Dean's what brought us here."
"Aha. And you were dragged here by your toenails, screaming all the way?"
"Not so much. Trying to make the best of a break."
"Sounds about right. Want a beer?"
Sam shouldn't have been surprised that Ash had a stocked refrigerator in his room. "Yeah, sure."
It started out as awkward, stilted conversation. Before Sam's drink was gone, he and Ash had already moved on to comparing college experiences.
"And then the idiot mixed it together anyway while his lab partner quit arguing with him and ran to get the fire extinguisher instead." Ash's laugh was great to hear. "When a school administrator asked him why he blew the test tube up--" he gasped for breath, "He looked her right in the eye and told her that he was just learning. He knew what to expect if he did it correctly. The mistake taught him what he shouldn't do and that his lab partner didn't run worth shit."
"What did she say to that?"
"What could she say? It's not like she saw the guy run!"
Little by little, Sam relaxed until he could finally ask, "Where's your family? I mean, you don't have to answer, it's none of my business."
"Why do you ask?"
"I've been thinking about the last time I was here, trying to figure out if I misspoke. You got so quiet."
"Not like me, huh?" He sighed. "It's not some big, bad story or a tale of woe. We grew apart. I got busy with school and they got busy with their other kids. Haven't spoken to them in years. When I see you and Dean, I get a little jealous of what you have. It was never that easy between my brothers and I."
"Because you were smarter?"
"Yeah, that too. But mostly, they were the sons that my folks wanted. They had sports while I had my nose buried in a book or was staying at school to work on extra credit. I was, well, odd. It didn't matter 'cause I had friends that 'got' me. When one of them was killed on campus at MIT, we were told some bullshit story that didn't make one iota of sense. When I couldn't find an acceptable explanation, I dropped out of school. The education that I had thrown myself into failed me and I was unable to stop a second death in our group of friends. I saw Jo when she came to town to investigate. Someone gave her my number and, as soon as we met and I was able to learn the real reason for the deaths, I decided that while my traditional schooling couldn't save anyone, I could help real people back here at the Roadhouse."
"You could have helped people with any position you would have chosen after college."
Ash looked sadly at Sam. "I never would have had the chance to rescue people and keep unsuspecting folks safe from the dark. This is so much better."
"I just . . . You know . . ."
"You would have been a great attorney, Sam. You still could be."
Sam peeked from behind his beer, "Do you think so?"
"Sure."
"What about Dean?"
"There are plenty of hunters who would help Dean. Have you seriously thought about returning?"
"No. Sometimes later at night when I'm beat to hell it might cross my mind but that's it."
"Are you staying here?"
"Yeah. We've got a room down the hall." They lapsed into silence. "It was really nice to get to know you, Ash."
"Same here, dude. Want to pick out a movie while I go harass Ellen for some more beers?"
Sam smiled and nodded. While picking through Ash's pile of movies, he realized how comfortable he was around Ash. He usually only let his guard down that much around Dean. He liked the fact that there was someone else he could connect with, unlike the mostly rough and tough hunters.
With a sigh, he selected a horror movie and relaxed back into the chair. Ash came back shortly with refreshments and they settled in for a relaxing evening. Sam thought he could get used to quiet nights and hoped that Ash enjoyed his company.
Ash's braying laugh rang into the hall as the two of them poked fun of the girl trying to run away from the creature on high heels and her boyfriend that was rushing to her rescue unarmed. It was the little things, the morsels of home, that made Sam feel more normal than he had in years.
Ellen heard the two of them as she passed down the hall for another case of beer. Her heart warmed at the thought of the lost boy who Jo had brought back to the Roadhouse and a kid who'd fought so hard to fit in finally finding a real friend in each other.