Comfortably Numb, a Supernatural Fic
Title: Comfortably Numb
Author: LaueHime
Genre: Gen. Crack! Hurt/Comfort. Schmoop.
Rating: PG
Characters: Dean, Sam.
Word count: ~ 5,500
Warnings: Language as usual. By that, I mean lots of banter and shit jokes. There is legal drug use, too.
Summary: Pre-series. Stanford era. Sam has a silly accident and calls Dean for help. Dean gets to be a big brother with everything that the job implies.
Disclaimer: The show belongs to Kripke.
A/N: Here’s a fluffy break from my usual angst! It’s quite mushy but it’s definitely a feel good… so I guess it’s not such a bad thing, right? Well, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on that! Enjoy!
SPN
Dean is having a drink with a bunch of hunters when his cell phone rings. His heart skips a few beats when he recognizes the number on the caller ID. He hasn’t heard from his brother since, well, too long.
“Hey, Sammy!” he cheers as soon as he picks up on the call. He’s had a few drinks already and he is feeling blissfully warm inside.
Sam’s voice manages to cool him down a few degrees.
“Hey uh, Dean. Am I bothering you?”
There is a vibrating motion Dean doesn’t miss and he wonders if his brother is either incredibly sad or in terrible pain. Either way, it can’t be good news.
“No, not at all. What’s up with you?”
If he were honest, he’d actually say how glad he is to hear his brother’s voice. They don’t communicate nearly often enough. At least, it’s the way Dean feels.
“I… I gotta tell you something, but… you need to promise me you won’t laugh.” Sam sounds so much younger than his twenty years of age.
Dean won’t admit that he has a flashback of a bundled little heap of joy; when the kid was hardly big enough to stand on his own. Sam had always been his to take care of.
A soft proud smile grazes his lips. “I promise, Sammy. What is it?”
The men next to him are getting louder. He has to put all his concentration into his precious conversation with his little brother.
“I uh…I sprained my ribs and it… oh God, Dean it hurts! Fuck. I can’t do anything. My ribs are killing me!” His voice his tainted with pain.
Dean gets an idea of how bad his brother must be feeling. He finds himself feeling sorry for the kid. “That sucks, kiddo! How the hell did you do that?”
There is a pause and Dean can hear his brother breathe. The simple act brings on whimpering and the eldest can tell that his little brother isn’t pulling a prank on him.
“That’s the thing you can’t laugh about, Dean. Please don’t laugh.”
Dean imagines his brother’s lip quivering and he can’t imagine himself not heeding his brother’s plea.
“Hey, why would I laugh at you? It’s not funny. Just tell me what happened, okay?”
Sam sniffles wetly. He hasn’t been feeling well and Dean can tell without even seeing him.
“I… I…it’s so fucking stupid! I sneezed, alright?!”
The revelation takes Dean aback and momentarily makes him forget his promise. He wants to hold his shit together for Sam, but it sounds so surreal he doesn’t know what to do for an instant.
The first time he hears something so silly, it has to come from his brother. Any shit that exists on the planet; Sam has to have experienced. His brother’s luck is close to none when it comes to staying out of trouble. It appears that trouble likes his brother as much as he does.
But sneezing, really? Dean has to bite on his bottom lip to keep his resolve.
“I’m not supposed to laugh, right?” He’s saying that more to himself; to keep himself focused.
“You don’t get to! I’m in agony, here! I got enough of my roommate laughing at me. I swear I have to be jinxed!”
At the same time, Dean loses his focus on his brother and overhears the end of a joke a buddy of his is telling the others. He giggles absentmindedly; oblivious to the fact that his hurting little brother is still on the line.
“Dean! Don’t laugh at me! That’s so mean.”
He doesn’t need to physically see his brother to receive the look of accusation that would have been heading his way had they been in the same room. He instantly regrets his poor sense of multi-tasking and grips his phone tighter as he moves away from the crowded table.
“I’m sorry. I swear I wasn’t laughing at you. I’m not alone, is all. Long story. I’m sorry. Please, go ahead! What happened? You sneezed? How the fuck did you hurt yourself while sneezing?”
“I don’t know! It hurts so fucking bad, Dean!”
Sam sounds like he’s pleading Dean to make it better. The latter knows it’s pretty much why his brother is calling. Sam doesn’t complain about pain unless it’s bad.
“I know. It’s gonna be okay. Take deep breaths. You been to the doctors?”
There goes the triage process. Dean wants to know what they’re dealing with.
“No need to. I have a buddy who studies physiotherapy. He checked me out. Said there was nothing broken or anything. I just gotta lay low for a few days.”
Dean feels a rush of sympathy for his kid brother. He knows all too well Sam doesn’t do idle.
“Okay.” He’s considering. The triaging process carries on in his head. “You taken anything for the pain?” he continues as he pictures what he would do if his brother were next to him.
It’s as if Sam has been expecting the question. He groans approvingly before Dean has time to blink. “My friend is out to get me the good stuff. He said he was gonna get me muscle relaxants.”
Dean is instantly reassured by the idea that his brother is surrounded by good people. “That’s good,” he finds himself saying. His little brother isn’t helpless and that’s very good.
“Yeah…” Just like that Sam takes a pause and the suspense proposes there is more to it. Dean waits. “It’s just that…”
Just like that, Dean knows his kid brother is expecting something more. Hope emerges deep down. If he could teleport, he’d be by his brother’s side in a heartbeat.
“That what? Do you need anything?” Maybe he can be a big brother. Maybe his kid wants him to.
“I just… I miss you, man. And it hurts. And I just don’t feel like going it alone.”
There it is. Dean couldn’t be happier.
“Sure, Sammy. I can be there by tonight. Do you want me to come over?”
He hears his little brother’s relief over the phone. It feels good to be needed. He wishes he could be there sooner but California isn’t next door and he already has something going on. Making it by the end of the day sounds like a plan and he’s glad his brother sees things the same way.
“I’d appreciate it. I mean I know you probably have things to do, but…”
He won’t hear any of that. Of course, he will be there for his brother.
“I’ll be heading your way. Don’t strain yourself in the mean time,” he warns. Sam’s soft laugh brings a smile to his lips.
His little brother’s hiss of pain instantly robs Dean’s smile away. He can only imagine what his kid must be going through. Hurt ribs sting like a bitch.
“Won’t. Thanks, D. I really appreciate that.”
Dean’s big brother esteem is taking a leap towards the sky. “Sure thing, kiddo. I’ll be there as soon as I can. See you later.”
He hangs up and shakes his head to stave the overwhelming rush of sensations off. Only Sam can manage such a silly accident. They’ve been there before and it’s probably going to happen again. What matters is that he wants to be there just like he’s always been and like he always will be.
SPN
It’s Sam’s roommate that greets him at the door. He won’t admit that it feels strange to be guided into Sam’s home by a stranger. He used to think that he was Sam’s home.
Fortunately, the guy seems nice and he seems to take good care of his brother. Dean catches himself thinking that there wouldn’t be much left of the guy if he did any wrong to his kid.
“Dean!” Sam cheers happily when he sees his brother.
Dean studies his brother from where he is standing. Sam is incapable of getting up by himself and every move seems to bring on a wave of agony. His little brother grimaces and cringes as he tries to shift toward the edge of the couch he is resting on.
“Hey. Hold it, buddy. I gotcha,” the roommate guy informs as he walks over to Dean’s brother and grabs him in a funny hold. Sam makes all kinds of faces until the other guy gets him up. Dean can’t help the frown that spreads on his face when he sees his kid in pain.
“Don’t hurt him,” he blurts out when Sam whimpers reflexively. He would like to be able to keep his mouth shut but his brain is hard-set when it comes to protecting his little brother.
“It’s okay, Dean. I gotta get up, anyway.”
That damned kid tries to act tough. The eldest has a hard time digesting the fact that Sam thinks it’s okay for him to suffer. He won’t accept that.
“I know, but he’s doing it wrong.” He knows the other guy is only trying to help, but he won’t let someone else do his job if they won’t do it right.
Sam walks like a penguin considering his every muscle is obviously stuck. Dean can’t help but wonder if there is more to it than his brother is letting on.
“It’s okay. I’m so happy to see you!”
The youngest painfully raises his arms in an attempt at a hug. Dean lets himself be wrapped into a weak embrace. He wraps his arms around his brother’s fragile back and tries not to jar at anything that would worsen Sam’s condition.
“You’re such a porcelain doll,” he jokes softly into his kid brother’s ear. Sam snorts and the small effort seems to pain him.
“Dude, don’t make me laugh. It hurts,” Sam whines quietly. They loosen the hug and Sam turns back to the couch.
Dean’s stomach twists uncomfortably. He feels useless while he’s standing there and watching from the side. He hasn’t seen Sam in a while and although he’s glad his brother called, he still feels strange about being the third wheel.
Sam slowly plops back down on the couch with his roommate’s help. The guy then introduces himself as Zach, the friend and roommate. Dean barely acknowledges him.
“You said this happened when you sneezed?” He’s trying to validate the story; to make sure he got the facts right. He can’t deny that Sam’s expression looks sincere.
“Yeah, I know. It sucks. Call me whatever. I can’t get any stupider.”
Dean doesn’t see things that way.
“It’s not stupid. It just doesn’t make sense. I mean you and I…”, he stops because he realizes we’ve been through worse doesn’t sound like something he should casually pitch in front of Zach. “…You’re the only guy I know who can screw himself up while sneezing!” This sounds like a way to say things. He knows his kid brother understands.
Sam smiles softly since laughing is out of the question. Dean takes it as a small victory. His brother is still the guy he has known and taken care of for so many years despite the fact that they have parted. He realizes then how much he misses his kid.
A grimace of displeasure comes up on Sam’s face and his big brother is instantly on alert. “Fuck this shit,” Sam curses.
Dean is stuck between empathizing and worrying. “What’s going on?”
Sam pulls up a bitchface. His older brother prepares to laugh. He knows that face all too well; his little brother is embarrassed.
“I gotta take a leak.”
The admission almost has Dean bursting in laughter. Sam is so helpless it’s almost funny. Who would have thought a guy his size could be more delicate than a sick puppy?
“We can glue your ass to a bucket. You wouldn’t have to worry about getting up,” Dean proposes with a lopsided grin. He has to bite the insides of his cheek to keep from openly mocking.
Sam doesn’t seem to be laughing as much. “Very funny. Help me up? Please?”
The begging pout and puppy dog eyes will always get the kid anything he wants. Dean can’t resist such a sight.
Zach starts toward his roommate but Dean stops him with a move of his hand. Sam’s big brother is back and he’s handling the situation.
Zach seems to understand so much because he takes a step back.
“I’m gonna go easy on you so I don’t hurt you, alright,” Dean announces as he kneels in front of his little brother.
Sam smiles sadly. “I appreciate your concern but it hurts when I breathe. Don’t take it personally.”
Dean will, even if he’s been warned. That’s just who he is. It doesn’t keep him from trying.
He places his feet on both sides of his brother’s and wraps Sam’s arms around his neck like a necklace. He brings his own arms to circle around his brother’s back and leans backwards; shifting his weight backward. They’re halfway through. He just needs to stand straight.
He shifts his weight again until he’s standing face to face with his giant kid. There is no pained grimace; no nothing except maybe surprise.
“You outgrew me, you little fucker!” It’s the first thing that comes out of Dean’s mouth. The kid is indeed taller and he can’t help the sting of disappointment he feels inside.
Sam’s surprise is still written all over his face. Dean sends him a questioning look.
“That didn’t even hurt! I’ve been moved around all day and everyone just kept hurting me. You’re the first one to get me up without breaking a sweat and it didn’t even hurt.”
Pride spreads like vines inside Dean’s chest. Of course he didn’t hurt Sam. He has been raised not to hurt his brother; has been taught to do the exact opposite.
“I told you I wasn’t gonna hurt you. What, you thought I was lying?”
Obviously it’s not what the youngest thought but after a day, he grew to accept that it was going to hurt to be manhandled around. Sam realizes then just how much he has missed his brother.
“We still need to get to the bathroom though,” he sheepishly points out.
Dean nods with a smile. “Sure. Do you need someone to hold it for you as well?”
He winks at his offended brother.
Frustration doesn’t fit Sam, but it doesn’t make it any less fun for his big brother.
“I’ll be fine, jerk.”
“Whatever you say, bitch.”
SPN
Dean left Sam at his apartment to get a motel room. They both agreed that it would be nice for Sam to spend a little time with his brother and Dean instantly proposed that they got a room. In fact, what he didn’t say was that he wasn’t ready to become the third roommate. The sole idea of butting in was awkward enough while it remained an idea.
The plan consisted in Dean getting back to pick Sam up before driving them both to the room where they would spend the next few days.
Dean parks the Impala in front of Sam’s door and waits. He writes a text message to his brother informing him that he is waiting. He gets no answer. After a while, he thinks that, with Sam unable to stand on his own, he might need help.
He walks up to the door, knocks a first time and waits. There is no response. He waits a little more; imagining his turtle-speed brother coming from the other end of the apartment.
After a minute, he decides to knock again. He still isn’t dignified with an answer.
Annoyed, he grabs his phone and calls his brother. Of course, Sam doesn’t pick up. Dean curses under his breath and knocks again.
He leans his ear toward the door and waits. There is no sound coming from the other side of the door. After another minute, he decides that he is tired of waiting.
His fingers graze over the handle. He doesn’t like the idea of barging in, but he hates waiting even more. Luckily, he finds that the door is unlocked.
He pushes it slightly open and waits.
“Sammy?”
There still is nothing remotely close to an answer. Worry takes over. He pushes the door further and slides in.
There, on the couch, is his slumbering brother.
He rolls his eyes. He hasn’t even been gone so long and he had warned his brother to get ready. “You fell asleep on me. That is so nice of you, Samantha!”
He walks over to Sam who appears to be deeply unconscious. Dean wants to wake him up but shaking him doesn’t seem like an option. The kid is hurt enough as it is.
Dean reaches for Sam’s leg and rubs circles on his brother’s jeans. “Wake up, sunshine,” he coos. Sam doesn’t even flinch.
Dean rubs wider circles on his brother’s denim-clad leg. Sam still doesn’t stir. His breathing remains slow and deep.
“Sammy,” the eldest calls a little louder than he has before. His attempts remain fruitless. He moves from rubbing Sam’s leg to rubbing his shoulder.
Dean grows impatient as Sam sleeps on. The former rolls his eyes in annoyance. “Don’t make me kiss you, sleeping beauty!”
His threats have no effect on his brother. Dean sighs deeply. He pulls out the ultimate trick of patting Sam’s hair. “Wake up, you little shit. C’mon!” Dean demands to no avail. His brother is still dead to the world.
Dean looks around desperately when his eyes fall on the plastic container on the table. He grabs it and peeks at the label. He is unfamiliar with the name, but he does have a strong idea of what it is his brother took.
“Great. Now I’ve got you in a drug induced coma. Will you wake up for Christ’s sake?!”
Dean rubs Sam’s arm hard enough to get his brother’s eyes fluttering. He breathes in relief when the kid’s eyes fully open. “Finally!”
Sam looks around in confusion. He frowns when he spots Dean. Recognition fills his glassy eyes a few seconds later.
“D’n…” Even his voice is slurred. Dean is starting to get a pretty good idea of what is going on.
“I thought you were waiting for me, but then I found you asleep on your couch. It’s a good thing your door was left unlocked…” he trails off when he spots how distant Sam’s dilated eyes are.
The youngest straightens on the couch and stretches his muscles as much as he can without hurting himself. He switches back to a slump in a heartbeat. Dean watches as his brother’s stare falls onto distant horizons.
“I got us a room. You ready to go?” He pats his brother’s knee in a gentle display of affection.
Sam looks down at his brother’s hand then up at Dean. “You’re here.” It’s a factual statement. Sam appears to be saying it to himself as if he can’t trust his own eyes.
Dean forces a smile. No shit captain obvious, he wants to say. “Yeah. You ready to go?”
Sam looks at him with heavy-lidded eyes. Dean can only tell how stoned his brother is. He is starting to apprehend the rest of the night. His kid is out of it.
“Go. Sure. M’ready,” Sam echoes with an absent gaze.
He doesn’t make a move. Dean is caught between laughing and growing impatient.
“C’mon big guy. We won’t get anywhere if we don’t start moving.” He realizes then that he is actually uncomfortable while he’s not home, wherever home is. A motel room surely feels more like it.
“I think I fell asleep.” Sam looks up with guilty dewy eyes.
Dean realizes how slow his brother is on the uptake and he wants to laugh and to wrap him up in a hug at the same time.
“No shit. Did you? I’m lucky the door was open. Anybody ever tell you you sleep hard like a fucking log?” Dean bites his bottom lip.
It really doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that he has spent over ten minutes trying to wake his brother up.
“I know that,” Sam replies absentmindedly. Dean thinks his brother looks so big yet so innocent in that lanky slouch of his.
“Good. I’m glad we sorted that out. C’mon, get up. We’re leaving.”
The direct order sets Sam into motion. If Dean had known, he would’ve used it sooner. His little brother paces like he doesn’t know his own bearings anymore.
“You’re doing good, bud. Just pick up what it is you wanna bring with you.”
Sam nods and starts piling clothes into his duffel. His movements are sluggish and slow.
“I’m sorry, D’n. I was in pain… took a whole pill when you left,” Sam admits quietly. He stares at the bottom of his bag for a whole minute.
“Yeah, I can tell. How would I miss that you’re so fucking high, Ozzy?”
Sam lets out a quiet snort to reply the teasing. He finally seems to remember what it is that he wanted to bring and leaves to get it from his room. He hardly lifts his feet off the floor.
When he returns, he looks even more tired as if the little movement has drained him completely.
“Do you know what muscle relaxants do?” It’s as if he’s accusing Dean of not understanding. Or maybe he’s experiencing something that he wants to share with the class.
“Yeah. They turn your brain to mush,” Dean replies with a smirk. Sam looks like he is actually content with the explanation.
He finally nods. “That’s pretty much it.” He smiles slightly. Dean chuckles. He has forgotten how much of a funny drunk his brother was.
Sam packs the remaining belongings he wants to bring with him and Dean watches with a careful eye and a light smile.
“IIIIIIIIII-I-I have become comfortably numb,” he starts to sing as Sam slouches next to his bag. The latter looks up incredulously.
“What?” he asks with genuine confusion.
Dean giggles heartily. “Aw, Sammy.”
There is much affection in his tone despite the fact that his brother doesn’t seem to comprehend the reasons why. Dean smiles before grabbing his brother’s bag. Sam wouldn’t be comfortable carrying it anyway.
They get to the car and Dean makes sure his brother is settled cozily. Sam sinks into the leather seats. His head appears to loll on his neck. His big brother settles behind the wheel and guns the engine.
“Your roommate’s gone?”
His question remains unanswered as Sam doesn’t look like he’s into it enough to understand his brother’s language. Dean smiles before he pulls the car out of the lot and back onto the road.
Sam is quiet on the way and Dean can’t blame him. From time to time, he casts sideway glances in his brother’s direction. At some point, Sam seems to be a little more aware.
“I’m hungry. You hungry?” Dean asks as a way to start the conversation. Sam grunts, which his big brother takes as an absence of negative answers.
“There is a diner right there. I’m stopping. We can get something to go.”
Sam nods quietly. He’s not chattier but at least he is awake.
Dean turns into the parking lot. “I should take the handicapped parking lot right next to the door,” he proposes. Sam doesn’t give him an answer, but the eldest can see a smile from the corner of his eyes.
To their luck, there is a spot near the door. Dean turns the engine off with a grin. “I’m that awesome! You won’t need to overuse your fragile legs. Who knows, you might drop a fart and sprain your ass too,” he teases with obvious amusement.
Sam rolls his eyes. He’s obviously amused as well. “Dumbass,” he mumbles as he turns to his brother with a grin.
They get out of the car and start the trek to the diner.
“I should get you a wheelchair and push you around, princess.”
Sam smiles like he buys the idea. “That’d be fun.”
Dean laughs his way to the top of the handicapped ramp. “It was about time you wake up when you did or I might have turned you into a frog.”
Sam stops to stare at his brother with a puzzled look. “Dude, what the fuck?”
Dean busts out laughing while leaning toward the door.
He opens it like a good-mannered bachelor. “Ladies first,” he chimes. Sam giggles softly as he goes inside. Dean follows behind.
They walk up to the counter and study the menu. Of course, Dean goes for the burger as soon as he sees the words on the board. Sam goes for a soup and a light sandwich instead. As soon as their order is out, so are they.
They reach the car and settle back in. The motel was indeed nearby and it doesn’t take long until Dean stops the car for good.
“Is the food too heavy for you to carry?” There is mocking in Dean’s question and his little brother sees right through it.
“I can take care of it. Thank you for your concern,” Sam assures.
Dean turns serious eyes to his brother. “Oh, but I’m not worried about you. With the money I spent on that dinner, I wouldn’t want you to drop it and waste precious food.”
Sam’s eyebrows knit uncertainly. “You mean, you wouldn’t want me to fall and break my ribs entirely?” There is a hint of doubt in his pouting expression.
Dean’s smile spreads. “Nope. As long as the food is intact, I don’t care.”
The youngest forces a smile as he steps out of the car. Dean chuckles at his own joke. He follows his brother quickly enough.
Once they’re both inside, Dean takes care of everything while Sam settles in slow motion. Seeing the hard mattresses and old wooden chairs, he knows he’s in for a rough night. Luckily he has effective meds at his disposition.
The bed seems like a better place to rest than the table. At least, Sam can use the pillows to cushion his sore back. There is no way he is getting into the tiny chairs with how stiff he is. He wouldn’t even make it on any other given day. Obviously, designers don’t have a care for people who range out of the normal standards.
“D’you need a hand?” Dean shoots when he spots Sam’s initiative of sitting himself.
The youngest waves him off with a dull hand. “M’good.”
Dean can’t help but watch. Even if he is sympathetic to his brother’s pain, it doesn’t make it any less fun to see his ten feet tall brother walking around as if he had no joints at all.
“Dude, you’re walkin’ like you got a stick stuck in your back door!”
Dean’s cheeks fill with air he just wants to blow out in laughter. He has to bite hard on his bottom lip. Sam’s snort makes it all the more difficult.
“Don’t make me laugh, you jerk!” Sam has tears in his eyes from the pain, but it doesn’t match the crooked smile that’s on his lips.
His big brother can’t imagine what it would be like to not be able to laugh. He feels glad for the fact that he still can even if he feels guilty doing so.
The youngest manages to sit. A painful wail escapes his lips and his eyes squeeze shut in pain.
“Fucking back of my ass!” Sam curses through tears. His breathing has picked up, leaving him with hardly enough air to fight the pain.
Dean’s eyes widen with surprise. It confuses his little brother for a moment.
“Sammy? Your back is up your ass?” He says it with so much innocence his brother doesn’t know if he should get defensive.
“With how many times I’ve hurt it, yeah.”
Sam is reluctant to engage any further. He can’t tell what his brother has in mind and what he is going to come up with.
“Well then how do you position yourself when you take a dump?”
Dean tries to remain serious, but his brother makes it hard for him. Sam flashes the mother of all bitchfaces to show how clearly unamused he is by his brother’s level of humor. It only makes Dean laugh more.
Sam repositions himself on the bed. It doesn’t go without a hiss but after a few minutes, he is settled and he seems comfortable enough.
Dean gets his brother’s sandwich and sets everything on the night table so that Sam can have easy access to it from where he is, without having to move.
“Thanks, Dean. I appreciate everything you’re doing.”
The sincere gratitude takes Dean off guard. He turns around long enough to hide his blushing cheeks. When he finds sufficient composure to face his brother, his smile is humble.
“It’s what brothers do, right. Do you wanna watch a movie or something?”
Sam catches the change of subject. He knows his message went through and that his big brother isn’t usually comfortable under praise. He lets it slide.
“Sure.”
Dean flicks through the three channels that aren’t static or linear rainbows. There isn’t much on, but the way Sam’s eyelids droop like he’s about to pass out makes it less of a big deal.
They pick reruns of an old comedy show. Neither of them is really watching, but they’re relishing in the simple act of enjoying each other’s company.
“Hey, Dean,” Sam says to break the silence.
“Yeah, Sammy?”
“It’s Sam,” the youngest corrects. Dean smiles because his kid will always be his Sammy no matter how old he gets.
“What were you going to say?”
Sam suddenly turns timid and it makes him look so young. Dean can feel the upcoming chick-flick, as he calls it. He’s about to warn Sam against it, but something stops him. For a split second, he doesn’t mind it so much.
“It feels good to be here with you. I missed you,” Sam admits with dewy eyes.
The eldest instantly knows he’s going to regret it if he lets it get any longer. “Aw, c’mon. You know I’m always just a phone call away, right?”
Dean would love to say that he’s missed Sam too, but he can’t get the words out. Hopefully, his brother will understand anyway.
Sam smiles softly. “Right. Thanks for coming over even though you were in the middle of something…” As he says it, his smile fades out gradually until no traces of it remain.
There comes the moment when Sam’s emotions go all over the place. Dean knows it has a tendency to happen when his brother has been hurt and on drugs. To prevent further damage, he moves away from his bed and closer to his kid.
He solemnly stares at Sam. “Stop that right there. No matter what I’m doing, if you need me you call. Got it?”
Sam puts on a brave face, like a spooked kid trying to be tough, and nods. Deep down, he knows it’s the truth. His big brother will always have his back. Still, it feels good to hear it.
“Yeah. You’re the best Dean.”
Warmth explodes within Dean’s chest. “I know I am. That’s just how lucky you are.”
Sam knows it’s his brother’s way of saying thank you. He can see pride in Dean’s eyes. Nothing else has his big brother’s greens shining like they do when Dean takes care of him. Despite the fact that his brother said it as a joke, he knows he truly is lucky.
He’s going to get better and Dean will be there to make sure of that. Just how luckier can he get?
“Have some rest, Samantha. Otherwise we’ll both end up crying in each other’s arms.”
Dean cracks a smile and Sam flames him with his eyes. Without a warning, he stretches his leg and pushes his brother away with his foot. The motion jabs at his ribs. His big brother laughs on.
“Even if you’re taller, you still can’t beat me and that’s true when you’re firing on all cylinders. Don’t hurt yourself now, it’s not worth it,” Dean teases.
Sam flashes a look of hurt. “You know what? I take back what I said. You’re awful and you’re a jerk! When I get better, I’ll kick your ass!”
Dean laughs at the threat. He can’t wait to see his brother try. “Call me when you’re ready. I’ll come straight up.” He gets punched in the shoulder as a reply.
“Anybody ever tell you you hit like a girl?” Dean grins like the Cheshire cat.
“Fuck you!”
“Yeah, I know. Truth hurts, doesn’t it?” He’s still giggling.
“You want truth? You’re way too old to laugh at the words shit, penis and vagina.” Sam is pissed. Or is he?
Dean doubles over in laughter.
“Retard!”
“Nerd!”
“Jerk!”
“Bitch!”
Sam laughs with his brother and he can’t stop and his ribs hurt, but he doesn’t give a crap because he’s happy and it’s all that matters.
Author: LaueHime
Genre: Gen. Crack! Hurt/Comfort. Schmoop.
Rating: PG
Characters: Dean, Sam.
Word count: ~ 5,500
Warnings: Language as usual. By that, I mean lots of banter and shit jokes. There is legal drug use, too.
Summary: Pre-series. Stanford era. Sam has a silly accident and calls Dean for help. Dean gets to be a big brother with everything that the job implies.
Disclaimer: The show belongs to Kripke.
A/N: Here’s a fluffy break from my usual angst! It’s quite mushy but it’s definitely a feel good… so I guess it’s not such a bad thing, right? Well, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on that! Enjoy!
SPN
Dean is having a drink with a bunch of hunters when his cell phone rings. His heart skips a few beats when he recognizes the number on the caller ID. He hasn’t heard from his brother since, well, too long.
“Hey, Sammy!” he cheers as soon as he picks up on the call. He’s had a few drinks already and he is feeling blissfully warm inside.
Sam’s voice manages to cool him down a few degrees.
“Hey uh, Dean. Am I bothering you?”
There is a vibrating motion Dean doesn’t miss and he wonders if his brother is either incredibly sad or in terrible pain. Either way, it can’t be good news.
“No, not at all. What’s up with you?”
If he were honest, he’d actually say how glad he is to hear his brother’s voice. They don’t communicate nearly often enough. At least, it’s the way Dean feels.
“I… I gotta tell you something, but… you need to promise me you won’t laugh.” Sam sounds so much younger than his twenty years of age.
Dean won’t admit that he has a flashback of a bundled little heap of joy; when the kid was hardly big enough to stand on his own. Sam had always been his to take care of.
A soft proud smile grazes his lips. “I promise, Sammy. What is it?”
The men next to him are getting louder. He has to put all his concentration into his precious conversation with his little brother.
“I uh…I sprained my ribs and it… oh God, Dean it hurts! Fuck. I can’t do anything. My ribs are killing me!” His voice his tainted with pain.
Dean gets an idea of how bad his brother must be feeling. He finds himself feeling sorry for the kid. “That sucks, kiddo! How the hell did you do that?”
There is a pause and Dean can hear his brother breathe. The simple act brings on whimpering and the eldest can tell that his little brother isn’t pulling a prank on him.
“That’s the thing you can’t laugh about, Dean. Please don’t laugh.”
Dean imagines his brother’s lip quivering and he can’t imagine himself not heeding his brother’s plea.
“Hey, why would I laugh at you? It’s not funny. Just tell me what happened, okay?”
Sam sniffles wetly. He hasn’t been feeling well and Dean can tell without even seeing him.
“I… I…it’s so fucking stupid! I sneezed, alright?!”
The revelation takes Dean aback and momentarily makes him forget his promise. He wants to hold his shit together for Sam, but it sounds so surreal he doesn’t know what to do for an instant.
The first time he hears something so silly, it has to come from his brother. Any shit that exists on the planet; Sam has to have experienced. His brother’s luck is close to none when it comes to staying out of trouble. It appears that trouble likes his brother as much as he does.
But sneezing, really? Dean has to bite on his bottom lip to keep his resolve.
“I’m not supposed to laugh, right?” He’s saying that more to himself; to keep himself focused.
“You don’t get to! I’m in agony, here! I got enough of my roommate laughing at me. I swear I have to be jinxed!”
At the same time, Dean loses his focus on his brother and overhears the end of a joke a buddy of his is telling the others. He giggles absentmindedly; oblivious to the fact that his hurting little brother is still on the line.
“Dean! Don’t laugh at me! That’s so mean.”
He doesn’t need to physically see his brother to receive the look of accusation that would have been heading his way had they been in the same room. He instantly regrets his poor sense of multi-tasking and grips his phone tighter as he moves away from the crowded table.
“I’m sorry. I swear I wasn’t laughing at you. I’m not alone, is all. Long story. I’m sorry. Please, go ahead! What happened? You sneezed? How the fuck did you hurt yourself while sneezing?”
“I don’t know! It hurts so fucking bad, Dean!”
Sam sounds like he’s pleading Dean to make it better. The latter knows it’s pretty much why his brother is calling. Sam doesn’t complain about pain unless it’s bad.
“I know. It’s gonna be okay. Take deep breaths. You been to the doctors?”
There goes the triage process. Dean wants to know what they’re dealing with.
“No need to. I have a buddy who studies physiotherapy. He checked me out. Said there was nothing broken or anything. I just gotta lay low for a few days.”
Dean feels a rush of sympathy for his kid brother. He knows all too well Sam doesn’t do idle.
“Okay.” He’s considering. The triaging process carries on in his head. “You taken anything for the pain?” he continues as he pictures what he would do if his brother were next to him.
It’s as if Sam has been expecting the question. He groans approvingly before Dean has time to blink. “My friend is out to get me the good stuff. He said he was gonna get me muscle relaxants.”
Dean is instantly reassured by the idea that his brother is surrounded by good people. “That’s good,” he finds himself saying. His little brother isn’t helpless and that’s very good.
“Yeah…” Just like that Sam takes a pause and the suspense proposes there is more to it. Dean waits. “It’s just that…”
Just like that, Dean knows his kid brother is expecting something more. Hope emerges deep down. If he could teleport, he’d be by his brother’s side in a heartbeat.
“That what? Do you need anything?” Maybe he can be a big brother. Maybe his kid wants him to.
“I just… I miss you, man. And it hurts. And I just don’t feel like going it alone.”
There it is. Dean couldn’t be happier.
“Sure, Sammy. I can be there by tonight. Do you want me to come over?”
He hears his little brother’s relief over the phone. It feels good to be needed. He wishes he could be there sooner but California isn’t next door and he already has something going on. Making it by the end of the day sounds like a plan and he’s glad his brother sees things the same way.
“I’d appreciate it. I mean I know you probably have things to do, but…”
He won’t hear any of that. Of course, he will be there for his brother.
“I’ll be heading your way. Don’t strain yourself in the mean time,” he warns. Sam’s soft laugh brings a smile to his lips.
His little brother’s hiss of pain instantly robs Dean’s smile away. He can only imagine what his kid must be going through. Hurt ribs sting like a bitch.
“Won’t. Thanks, D. I really appreciate that.”
Dean’s big brother esteem is taking a leap towards the sky. “Sure thing, kiddo. I’ll be there as soon as I can. See you later.”
He hangs up and shakes his head to stave the overwhelming rush of sensations off. Only Sam can manage such a silly accident. They’ve been there before and it’s probably going to happen again. What matters is that he wants to be there just like he’s always been and like he always will be.
SPN
It’s Sam’s roommate that greets him at the door. He won’t admit that it feels strange to be guided into Sam’s home by a stranger. He used to think that he was Sam’s home.
Fortunately, the guy seems nice and he seems to take good care of his brother. Dean catches himself thinking that there wouldn’t be much left of the guy if he did any wrong to his kid.
“Dean!” Sam cheers happily when he sees his brother.
Dean studies his brother from where he is standing. Sam is incapable of getting up by himself and every move seems to bring on a wave of agony. His little brother grimaces and cringes as he tries to shift toward the edge of the couch he is resting on.
“Hey. Hold it, buddy. I gotcha,” the roommate guy informs as he walks over to Dean’s brother and grabs him in a funny hold. Sam makes all kinds of faces until the other guy gets him up. Dean can’t help the frown that spreads on his face when he sees his kid in pain.
“Don’t hurt him,” he blurts out when Sam whimpers reflexively. He would like to be able to keep his mouth shut but his brain is hard-set when it comes to protecting his little brother.
“It’s okay, Dean. I gotta get up, anyway.”
That damned kid tries to act tough. The eldest has a hard time digesting the fact that Sam thinks it’s okay for him to suffer. He won’t accept that.
“I know, but he’s doing it wrong.” He knows the other guy is only trying to help, but he won’t let someone else do his job if they won’t do it right.
Sam walks like a penguin considering his every muscle is obviously stuck. Dean can’t help but wonder if there is more to it than his brother is letting on.
“It’s okay. I’m so happy to see you!”
The youngest painfully raises his arms in an attempt at a hug. Dean lets himself be wrapped into a weak embrace. He wraps his arms around his brother’s fragile back and tries not to jar at anything that would worsen Sam’s condition.
“You’re such a porcelain doll,” he jokes softly into his kid brother’s ear. Sam snorts and the small effort seems to pain him.
“Dude, don’t make me laugh. It hurts,” Sam whines quietly. They loosen the hug and Sam turns back to the couch.
Dean’s stomach twists uncomfortably. He feels useless while he’s standing there and watching from the side. He hasn’t seen Sam in a while and although he’s glad his brother called, he still feels strange about being the third wheel.
Sam slowly plops back down on the couch with his roommate’s help. The guy then introduces himself as Zach, the friend and roommate. Dean barely acknowledges him.
“You said this happened when you sneezed?” He’s trying to validate the story; to make sure he got the facts right. He can’t deny that Sam’s expression looks sincere.
“Yeah, I know. It sucks. Call me whatever. I can’t get any stupider.”
Dean doesn’t see things that way.
“It’s not stupid. It just doesn’t make sense. I mean you and I…”, he stops because he realizes we’ve been through worse doesn’t sound like something he should casually pitch in front of Zach. “…You’re the only guy I know who can screw himself up while sneezing!” This sounds like a way to say things. He knows his kid brother understands.
Sam smiles softly since laughing is out of the question. Dean takes it as a small victory. His brother is still the guy he has known and taken care of for so many years despite the fact that they have parted. He realizes then how much he misses his kid.
A grimace of displeasure comes up on Sam’s face and his big brother is instantly on alert. “Fuck this shit,” Sam curses.
Dean is stuck between empathizing and worrying. “What’s going on?”
Sam pulls up a bitchface. His older brother prepares to laugh. He knows that face all too well; his little brother is embarrassed.
“I gotta take a leak.”
The admission almost has Dean bursting in laughter. Sam is so helpless it’s almost funny. Who would have thought a guy his size could be more delicate than a sick puppy?
“We can glue your ass to a bucket. You wouldn’t have to worry about getting up,” Dean proposes with a lopsided grin. He has to bite the insides of his cheek to keep from openly mocking.
Sam doesn’t seem to be laughing as much. “Very funny. Help me up? Please?”
The begging pout and puppy dog eyes will always get the kid anything he wants. Dean can’t resist such a sight.
Zach starts toward his roommate but Dean stops him with a move of his hand. Sam’s big brother is back and he’s handling the situation.
Zach seems to understand so much because he takes a step back.
“I’m gonna go easy on you so I don’t hurt you, alright,” Dean announces as he kneels in front of his little brother.
Sam smiles sadly. “I appreciate your concern but it hurts when I breathe. Don’t take it personally.”
Dean will, even if he’s been warned. That’s just who he is. It doesn’t keep him from trying.
He places his feet on both sides of his brother’s and wraps Sam’s arms around his neck like a necklace. He brings his own arms to circle around his brother’s back and leans backwards; shifting his weight backward. They’re halfway through. He just needs to stand straight.
He shifts his weight again until he’s standing face to face with his giant kid. There is no pained grimace; no nothing except maybe surprise.
“You outgrew me, you little fucker!” It’s the first thing that comes out of Dean’s mouth. The kid is indeed taller and he can’t help the sting of disappointment he feels inside.
Sam’s surprise is still written all over his face. Dean sends him a questioning look.
“That didn’t even hurt! I’ve been moved around all day and everyone just kept hurting me. You’re the first one to get me up without breaking a sweat and it didn’t even hurt.”
Pride spreads like vines inside Dean’s chest. Of course he didn’t hurt Sam. He has been raised not to hurt his brother; has been taught to do the exact opposite.
“I told you I wasn’t gonna hurt you. What, you thought I was lying?”
Obviously it’s not what the youngest thought but after a day, he grew to accept that it was going to hurt to be manhandled around. Sam realizes then just how much he has missed his brother.
“We still need to get to the bathroom though,” he sheepishly points out.
Dean nods with a smile. “Sure. Do you need someone to hold it for you as well?”
He winks at his offended brother.
Frustration doesn’t fit Sam, but it doesn’t make it any less fun for his big brother.
“I’ll be fine, jerk.”
“Whatever you say, bitch.”
SPN
Dean left Sam at his apartment to get a motel room. They both agreed that it would be nice for Sam to spend a little time with his brother and Dean instantly proposed that they got a room. In fact, what he didn’t say was that he wasn’t ready to become the third roommate. The sole idea of butting in was awkward enough while it remained an idea.
The plan consisted in Dean getting back to pick Sam up before driving them both to the room where they would spend the next few days.
Dean parks the Impala in front of Sam’s door and waits. He writes a text message to his brother informing him that he is waiting. He gets no answer. After a while, he thinks that, with Sam unable to stand on his own, he might need help.
He walks up to the door, knocks a first time and waits. There is no response. He waits a little more; imagining his turtle-speed brother coming from the other end of the apartment.
After a minute, he decides to knock again. He still isn’t dignified with an answer.
Annoyed, he grabs his phone and calls his brother. Of course, Sam doesn’t pick up. Dean curses under his breath and knocks again.
He leans his ear toward the door and waits. There is no sound coming from the other side of the door. After another minute, he decides that he is tired of waiting.
His fingers graze over the handle. He doesn’t like the idea of barging in, but he hates waiting even more. Luckily, he finds that the door is unlocked.
He pushes it slightly open and waits.
“Sammy?”
There still is nothing remotely close to an answer. Worry takes over. He pushes the door further and slides in.
There, on the couch, is his slumbering brother.
He rolls his eyes. He hasn’t even been gone so long and he had warned his brother to get ready. “You fell asleep on me. That is so nice of you, Samantha!”
He walks over to Sam who appears to be deeply unconscious. Dean wants to wake him up but shaking him doesn’t seem like an option. The kid is hurt enough as it is.
Dean reaches for Sam’s leg and rubs circles on his brother’s jeans. “Wake up, sunshine,” he coos. Sam doesn’t even flinch.
Dean rubs wider circles on his brother’s denim-clad leg. Sam still doesn’t stir. His breathing remains slow and deep.
“Sammy,” the eldest calls a little louder than he has before. His attempts remain fruitless. He moves from rubbing Sam’s leg to rubbing his shoulder.
Dean grows impatient as Sam sleeps on. The former rolls his eyes in annoyance. “Don’t make me kiss you, sleeping beauty!”
His threats have no effect on his brother. Dean sighs deeply. He pulls out the ultimate trick of patting Sam’s hair. “Wake up, you little shit. C’mon!” Dean demands to no avail. His brother is still dead to the world.
Dean looks around desperately when his eyes fall on the plastic container on the table. He grabs it and peeks at the label. He is unfamiliar with the name, but he does have a strong idea of what it is his brother took.
“Great. Now I’ve got you in a drug induced coma. Will you wake up for Christ’s sake?!”
Dean rubs Sam’s arm hard enough to get his brother’s eyes fluttering. He breathes in relief when the kid’s eyes fully open. “Finally!”
Sam looks around in confusion. He frowns when he spots Dean. Recognition fills his glassy eyes a few seconds later.
“D’n…” Even his voice is slurred. Dean is starting to get a pretty good idea of what is going on.
“I thought you were waiting for me, but then I found you asleep on your couch. It’s a good thing your door was left unlocked…” he trails off when he spots how distant Sam’s dilated eyes are.
The youngest straightens on the couch and stretches his muscles as much as he can without hurting himself. He switches back to a slump in a heartbeat. Dean watches as his brother’s stare falls onto distant horizons.
“I got us a room. You ready to go?” He pats his brother’s knee in a gentle display of affection.
Sam looks down at his brother’s hand then up at Dean. “You’re here.” It’s a factual statement. Sam appears to be saying it to himself as if he can’t trust his own eyes.
Dean forces a smile. No shit captain obvious, he wants to say. “Yeah. You ready to go?”
Sam looks at him with heavy-lidded eyes. Dean can only tell how stoned his brother is. He is starting to apprehend the rest of the night. His kid is out of it.
“Go. Sure. M’ready,” Sam echoes with an absent gaze.
He doesn’t make a move. Dean is caught between laughing and growing impatient.
“C’mon big guy. We won’t get anywhere if we don’t start moving.” He realizes then that he is actually uncomfortable while he’s not home, wherever home is. A motel room surely feels more like it.
“I think I fell asleep.” Sam looks up with guilty dewy eyes.
Dean realizes how slow his brother is on the uptake and he wants to laugh and to wrap him up in a hug at the same time.
“No shit. Did you? I’m lucky the door was open. Anybody ever tell you you sleep hard like a fucking log?” Dean bites his bottom lip.
It really doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that he has spent over ten minutes trying to wake his brother up.
“I know that,” Sam replies absentmindedly. Dean thinks his brother looks so big yet so innocent in that lanky slouch of his.
“Good. I’m glad we sorted that out. C’mon, get up. We’re leaving.”
The direct order sets Sam into motion. If Dean had known, he would’ve used it sooner. His little brother paces like he doesn’t know his own bearings anymore.
“You’re doing good, bud. Just pick up what it is you wanna bring with you.”
Sam nods and starts piling clothes into his duffel. His movements are sluggish and slow.
“I’m sorry, D’n. I was in pain… took a whole pill when you left,” Sam admits quietly. He stares at the bottom of his bag for a whole minute.
“Yeah, I can tell. How would I miss that you’re so fucking high, Ozzy?”
Sam lets out a quiet snort to reply the teasing. He finally seems to remember what it is that he wanted to bring and leaves to get it from his room. He hardly lifts his feet off the floor.
When he returns, he looks even more tired as if the little movement has drained him completely.
“Do you know what muscle relaxants do?” It’s as if he’s accusing Dean of not understanding. Or maybe he’s experiencing something that he wants to share with the class.
“Yeah. They turn your brain to mush,” Dean replies with a smirk. Sam looks like he is actually content with the explanation.
He finally nods. “That’s pretty much it.” He smiles slightly. Dean chuckles. He has forgotten how much of a funny drunk his brother was.
Sam packs the remaining belongings he wants to bring with him and Dean watches with a careful eye and a light smile.
“IIIIIIIIII-I-I have become comfortably numb,” he starts to sing as Sam slouches next to his bag. The latter looks up incredulously.
“What?” he asks with genuine confusion.
Dean giggles heartily. “Aw, Sammy.”
There is much affection in his tone despite the fact that his brother doesn’t seem to comprehend the reasons why. Dean smiles before grabbing his brother’s bag. Sam wouldn’t be comfortable carrying it anyway.
They get to the car and Dean makes sure his brother is settled cozily. Sam sinks into the leather seats. His head appears to loll on his neck. His big brother settles behind the wheel and guns the engine.
“Your roommate’s gone?”
His question remains unanswered as Sam doesn’t look like he’s into it enough to understand his brother’s language. Dean smiles before he pulls the car out of the lot and back onto the road.
Sam is quiet on the way and Dean can’t blame him. From time to time, he casts sideway glances in his brother’s direction. At some point, Sam seems to be a little more aware.
“I’m hungry. You hungry?” Dean asks as a way to start the conversation. Sam grunts, which his big brother takes as an absence of negative answers.
“There is a diner right there. I’m stopping. We can get something to go.”
Sam nods quietly. He’s not chattier but at least he is awake.
Dean turns into the parking lot. “I should take the handicapped parking lot right next to the door,” he proposes. Sam doesn’t give him an answer, but the eldest can see a smile from the corner of his eyes.
To their luck, there is a spot near the door. Dean turns the engine off with a grin. “I’m that awesome! You won’t need to overuse your fragile legs. Who knows, you might drop a fart and sprain your ass too,” he teases with obvious amusement.
Sam rolls his eyes. He’s obviously amused as well. “Dumbass,” he mumbles as he turns to his brother with a grin.
They get out of the car and start the trek to the diner.
“I should get you a wheelchair and push you around, princess.”
Sam smiles like he buys the idea. “That’d be fun.”
Dean laughs his way to the top of the handicapped ramp. “It was about time you wake up when you did or I might have turned you into a frog.”
Sam stops to stare at his brother with a puzzled look. “Dude, what the fuck?”
Dean busts out laughing while leaning toward the door.
He opens it like a good-mannered bachelor. “Ladies first,” he chimes. Sam giggles softly as he goes inside. Dean follows behind.
They walk up to the counter and study the menu. Of course, Dean goes for the burger as soon as he sees the words on the board. Sam goes for a soup and a light sandwich instead. As soon as their order is out, so are they.
They reach the car and settle back in. The motel was indeed nearby and it doesn’t take long until Dean stops the car for good.
“Is the food too heavy for you to carry?” There is mocking in Dean’s question and his little brother sees right through it.
“I can take care of it. Thank you for your concern,” Sam assures.
Dean turns serious eyes to his brother. “Oh, but I’m not worried about you. With the money I spent on that dinner, I wouldn’t want you to drop it and waste precious food.”
Sam’s eyebrows knit uncertainly. “You mean, you wouldn’t want me to fall and break my ribs entirely?” There is a hint of doubt in his pouting expression.
Dean’s smile spreads. “Nope. As long as the food is intact, I don’t care.”
The youngest forces a smile as he steps out of the car. Dean chuckles at his own joke. He follows his brother quickly enough.
Once they’re both inside, Dean takes care of everything while Sam settles in slow motion. Seeing the hard mattresses and old wooden chairs, he knows he’s in for a rough night. Luckily he has effective meds at his disposition.
The bed seems like a better place to rest than the table. At least, Sam can use the pillows to cushion his sore back. There is no way he is getting into the tiny chairs with how stiff he is. He wouldn’t even make it on any other given day. Obviously, designers don’t have a care for people who range out of the normal standards.
“D’you need a hand?” Dean shoots when he spots Sam’s initiative of sitting himself.
The youngest waves him off with a dull hand. “M’good.”
Dean can’t help but watch. Even if he is sympathetic to his brother’s pain, it doesn’t make it any less fun to see his ten feet tall brother walking around as if he had no joints at all.
“Dude, you’re walkin’ like you got a stick stuck in your back door!”
Dean’s cheeks fill with air he just wants to blow out in laughter. He has to bite hard on his bottom lip. Sam’s snort makes it all the more difficult.
“Don’t make me laugh, you jerk!” Sam has tears in his eyes from the pain, but it doesn’t match the crooked smile that’s on his lips.
His big brother can’t imagine what it would be like to not be able to laugh. He feels glad for the fact that he still can even if he feels guilty doing so.
The youngest manages to sit. A painful wail escapes his lips and his eyes squeeze shut in pain.
“Fucking back of my ass!” Sam curses through tears. His breathing has picked up, leaving him with hardly enough air to fight the pain.
Dean’s eyes widen with surprise. It confuses his little brother for a moment.
“Sammy? Your back is up your ass?” He says it with so much innocence his brother doesn’t know if he should get defensive.
“With how many times I’ve hurt it, yeah.”
Sam is reluctant to engage any further. He can’t tell what his brother has in mind and what he is going to come up with.
“Well then how do you position yourself when you take a dump?”
Dean tries to remain serious, but his brother makes it hard for him. Sam flashes the mother of all bitchfaces to show how clearly unamused he is by his brother’s level of humor. It only makes Dean laugh more.
Sam repositions himself on the bed. It doesn’t go without a hiss but after a few minutes, he is settled and he seems comfortable enough.
Dean gets his brother’s sandwich and sets everything on the night table so that Sam can have easy access to it from where he is, without having to move.
“Thanks, Dean. I appreciate everything you’re doing.”
The sincere gratitude takes Dean off guard. He turns around long enough to hide his blushing cheeks. When he finds sufficient composure to face his brother, his smile is humble.
“It’s what brothers do, right. Do you wanna watch a movie or something?”
Sam catches the change of subject. He knows his message went through and that his big brother isn’t usually comfortable under praise. He lets it slide.
“Sure.”
Dean flicks through the three channels that aren’t static or linear rainbows. There isn’t much on, but the way Sam’s eyelids droop like he’s about to pass out makes it less of a big deal.
They pick reruns of an old comedy show. Neither of them is really watching, but they’re relishing in the simple act of enjoying each other’s company.
“Hey, Dean,” Sam says to break the silence.
“Yeah, Sammy?”
“It’s Sam,” the youngest corrects. Dean smiles because his kid will always be his Sammy no matter how old he gets.
“What were you going to say?”
Sam suddenly turns timid and it makes him look so young. Dean can feel the upcoming chick-flick, as he calls it. He’s about to warn Sam against it, but something stops him. For a split second, he doesn’t mind it so much.
“It feels good to be here with you. I missed you,” Sam admits with dewy eyes.
The eldest instantly knows he’s going to regret it if he lets it get any longer. “Aw, c’mon. You know I’m always just a phone call away, right?”
Dean would love to say that he’s missed Sam too, but he can’t get the words out. Hopefully, his brother will understand anyway.
Sam smiles softly. “Right. Thanks for coming over even though you were in the middle of something…” As he says it, his smile fades out gradually until no traces of it remain.
There comes the moment when Sam’s emotions go all over the place. Dean knows it has a tendency to happen when his brother has been hurt and on drugs. To prevent further damage, he moves away from his bed and closer to his kid.
He solemnly stares at Sam. “Stop that right there. No matter what I’m doing, if you need me you call. Got it?”
Sam puts on a brave face, like a spooked kid trying to be tough, and nods. Deep down, he knows it’s the truth. His big brother will always have his back. Still, it feels good to hear it.
“Yeah. You’re the best Dean.”
Warmth explodes within Dean’s chest. “I know I am. That’s just how lucky you are.”
Sam knows it’s his brother’s way of saying thank you. He can see pride in Dean’s eyes. Nothing else has his big brother’s greens shining like they do when Dean takes care of him. Despite the fact that his brother said it as a joke, he knows he truly is lucky.
He’s going to get better and Dean will be there to make sure of that. Just how luckier can he get?
“Have some rest, Samantha. Otherwise we’ll both end up crying in each other’s arms.”
Dean cracks a smile and Sam flames him with his eyes. Without a warning, he stretches his leg and pushes his brother away with his foot. The motion jabs at his ribs. His big brother laughs on.
“Even if you’re taller, you still can’t beat me and that’s true when you’re firing on all cylinders. Don’t hurt yourself now, it’s not worth it,” Dean teases.
Sam flashes a look of hurt. “You know what? I take back what I said. You’re awful and you’re a jerk! When I get better, I’ll kick your ass!”
Dean laughs at the threat. He can’t wait to see his brother try. “Call me when you’re ready. I’ll come straight up.” He gets punched in the shoulder as a reply.
“Anybody ever tell you you hit like a girl?” Dean grins like the Cheshire cat.
“Fuck you!”
“Yeah, I know. Truth hurts, doesn’t it?” He’s still giggling.
“You want truth? You’re way too old to laugh at the words shit, penis and vagina.” Sam is pissed. Or is he?
Dean doubles over in laughter.
“Retard!”
“Nerd!”
“Jerk!”
“Bitch!”
Sam laughs with his brother and he can’t stop and his ribs hurt, but he doesn’t give a crap because he’s happy and it’s all that matters.