SPN: Someone Else's Life by Legoline
Title: Someone Else's Life
Author: legoline
Notes: PG-13, 1,200 words. Even though this is technically Dean/Lisa, I think it's more of a Gen piece, really.
Summary: After the demon war and the hunt is over, Dean drops by for Ben's 10th birthday--and stays.
Someone Else's Life
by Steffi
She opens the door and this time, she doesn’t only look surprised to see him but profoundly happy as well. There’s a smile that lights up her face and she wraps her arms around Dean’s neck briefly, before she steps back and bids Dean to come in.
Laughter is floating in from the backyard and Dean says something about a ‘hell of a party’. She chuckles and shakes her head, before she walks over to the terrace door and Dean hears her call into the garden, “Ben! You have another guest!”
A moment later Ben comes storming in, face all red and sweaty-maybe they’ve been playing football or baseball out there-and when he spots Dean, his face brightens up so much he could illuminate a baseball stadium. He yells Dean’s name and flings his arms around Dean’s waist, and Dean pats his back just enough so it won’t seem girly.
Ben’s taller than Dean remembers him but it’s been two years to the day since Dean first saw him, and kids that age grow a lot. He reaches up to Dean’s chest now and later Lisa mumbles something about Ben being quite tall for his age.
“Here,” Dean says when Ben finally lets go off Dean, and hands him a wrapped present.
“Thank you,” Ben replies, “It’s so cool you came.”
“Had to be here for your tenth, didn’t I?” Dean smiles.
That moment, someone calls Ben’s name from the backyard. He glances up at his mom, unsure whether he can go or not, and she allows it with a nod. He runs off, present against his chest, and cries another “Thanks!”
“I hope you don’t mind,” Dean says to Lisa with a shrug. “I wanted to come last year but stuff happened.”
She looks at him as if she knows-not the details of course, but as if she has no doubt that it’s not just an excuse, that Dean would have dropped by if it’d been doable. He doesn’t have to tell her about the demon war, about the hellhound that nearly ruined his right leg. He doesn’t have to make excuses, because she believes the truth.
Dean stays for the night with Lisa’s arm around his shoulders and that’s new too, because usually he’s the one doing the holding. The house is quiet and everything’s still, and it feels strangely comforting just lying here, for once without all the lies about who he is and where he comes from and what he does for a living. He’s Dean Winchester, hunter of the supernatural, who’s never had a steady home in all his life.
“Where is Sam?” Lisa asks into the stillness.
“Visiting friends from Stanford,” Dean answers. Her fingers are entangled in his short hair and he kind of likes that. “We’re done with the hunt.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know,” Dean admits, because there is no reason to lie to her. “Can’t really keep hunting with the leg being as it is. I have nothing else I could do.”
***
Dean stays for more days after that. Days become weeks and weeks months. Sam moves to Chicago and starts working for a small newspaper. He likes the work, he tells Dean via the phone, as long as he doesn’t have to write about missing persons or unsolved deaths. Dean grins when he hears that and Sam promises to drop by soon. It becomes their ritual. Every third weekend in the month Sam comes by for a visit. Lisa doesn’t mind, she says, she knows how close Dean and his brother are.
Dean has to get used to that at first, too. Sam’s living on his own and holding a job, living an as normal life as he can. But this time there are no arguments and no resentments and they speak on the phone once or twice a week. This time, it’s not like the other one has dropped from the face of the world.
It takes a while until Dean realises that he doesn’t need to be afraid to lose Sam just because he isn’t with him all the time. That Sam calls and keeps him updated, that Sam has no intention of leaving Dean behind anymore. Dean has to settle into the new routine and that’s probably the hardest part of it.
Ben’s friends like him, because he knows things that they think are pretty cool. He shows them how to track animals, how to do first aid and how to survive in the wilderness. He teaches them the basics of man-to-man combat, and makes them promise not to tell their parents. He explains to them how a car engine works and why Led Zeppelin was the greatest band ever. He helps Ben with his homework and practises baseball with him and all in all, he likes this new life of his, even when it still feels like someone’s else, unreal somehow.
He tells Lisa that he started hunting when he was twelve and that he’s been taking care of Sam since he was four years old. When he mentions to her that he should look out for a job, some regular work to do, all she replies is that maybe, just for once in his life he shouldn’t have a job to do.
He loves Lisa, and he tells her one evening when they’re sitting in the backyard watching Ben play with his new electric cars. It’s the most natural thing in the world to say, like telling her what she already knows, and she kisses him and tells him he’s wonderful. He doesn’t quite believe the last part, but he’s beginning to.
***
Dean wakes to someone tucking his sleeve gently. He blinks and spots Ben with a smile wide as the Grand Canyon on his face.
“Happy birthday, Dean,” Ben whispers and claps his hands in excitement. He bends over and picks up a small present from the floor, wrapped in green paper with a blue bow on top.
Right, his birthday. Nothing special planned, Sam’s coming over later and then they’ll all be heading out for dinner. He knows Lisa’s thought of something special for him, and Sam’s probably come up with some geeky present as well. But Dean really didn’t expect Ben to give him something. He’s just a kid, after all. He should be more concerned with getting presents.
Dean sits up and takes the present into his hands. The surprise must be written all over his face.
“Open it!” Ben urges and Dean does as he’s told. He unwraps the present, and underneath the paper a miniature Chevy Impala surfaces. It looks just like Dean’s car, down to build and colour.
“Where...where did you get the money for that?” Dean stutters. Model cars are expensive, he knows that.
“Mom let me help her, you know. Take the garbage out and that sort of stuff, so I could get the money.” He glances up at Dean doubtfully. “Do you like it?”
Dean nods, and holds his arm out in an inviting gesture. Ben springs into a hug and Dean presses him against his chest, kissing the top of Ben’s head briefly. “It’s awesome, buddy. Thank you.”
They remain like that for a moment, before Dean lets go of Ben and stands. “Come on, let’s make breakfast.”
-end-
A/N: For various organisatory reasons (like me always asking on very short notice :D ), this hasn't undergone a beta. I hope it's readable though; I've read it over three times and all mistakes still in here are probably due to the second-language thing. If you spot any, let me know. :-)
Author: legoline
Notes: PG-13, 1,200 words. Even though this is technically Dean/Lisa, I think it's more of a Gen piece, really.
Summary: After the demon war and the hunt is over, Dean drops by for Ben's 10th birthday--and stays.
Someone Else's Life
by Steffi
She opens the door and this time, she doesn’t only look surprised to see him but profoundly happy as well. There’s a smile that lights up her face and she wraps her arms around Dean’s neck briefly, before she steps back and bids Dean to come in.
Laughter is floating in from the backyard and Dean says something about a ‘hell of a party’. She chuckles and shakes her head, before she walks over to the terrace door and Dean hears her call into the garden, “Ben! You have another guest!”
A moment later Ben comes storming in, face all red and sweaty-maybe they’ve been playing football or baseball out there-and when he spots Dean, his face brightens up so much he could illuminate a baseball stadium. He yells Dean’s name and flings his arms around Dean’s waist, and Dean pats his back just enough so it won’t seem girly.
Ben’s taller than Dean remembers him but it’s been two years to the day since Dean first saw him, and kids that age grow a lot. He reaches up to Dean’s chest now and later Lisa mumbles something about Ben being quite tall for his age.
“Here,” Dean says when Ben finally lets go off Dean, and hands him a wrapped present.
“Thank you,” Ben replies, “It’s so cool you came.”
“Had to be here for your tenth, didn’t I?” Dean smiles.
That moment, someone calls Ben’s name from the backyard. He glances up at his mom, unsure whether he can go or not, and she allows it with a nod. He runs off, present against his chest, and cries another “Thanks!”
“I hope you don’t mind,” Dean says to Lisa with a shrug. “I wanted to come last year but stuff happened.”
She looks at him as if she knows-not the details of course, but as if she has no doubt that it’s not just an excuse, that Dean would have dropped by if it’d been doable. He doesn’t have to tell her about the demon war, about the hellhound that nearly ruined his right leg. He doesn’t have to make excuses, because she believes the truth.
Dean stays for the night with Lisa’s arm around his shoulders and that’s new too, because usually he’s the one doing the holding. The house is quiet and everything’s still, and it feels strangely comforting just lying here, for once without all the lies about who he is and where he comes from and what he does for a living. He’s Dean Winchester, hunter of the supernatural, who’s never had a steady home in all his life.
“Where is Sam?” Lisa asks into the stillness.
“Visiting friends from Stanford,” Dean answers. Her fingers are entangled in his short hair and he kind of likes that. “We’re done with the hunt.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know,” Dean admits, because there is no reason to lie to her. “Can’t really keep hunting with the leg being as it is. I have nothing else I could do.”
***
Dean stays for more days after that. Days become weeks and weeks months. Sam moves to Chicago and starts working for a small newspaper. He likes the work, he tells Dean via the phone, as long as he doesn’t have to write about missing persons or unsolved deaths. Dean grins when he hears that and Sam promises to drop by soon. It becomes their ritual. Every third weekend in the month Sam comes by for a visit. Lisa doesn’t mind, she says, she knows how close Dean and his brother are.
Dean has to get used to that at first, too. Sam’s living on his own and holding a job, living an as normal life as he can. But this time there are no arguments and no resentments and they speak on the phone once or twice a week. This time, it’s not like the other one has dropped from the face of the world.
It takes a while until Dean realises that he doesn’t need to be afraid to lose Sam just because he isn’t with him all the time. That Sam calls and keeps him updated, that Sam has no intention of leaving Dean behind anymore. Dean has to settle into the new routine and that’s probably the hardest part of it.
Ben’s friends like him, because he knows things that they think are pretty cool. He shows them how to track animals, how to do first aid and how to survive in the wilderness. He teaches them the basics of man-to-man combat, and makes them promise not to tell their parents. He explains to them how a car engine works and why Led Zeppelin was the greatest band ever. He helps Ben with his homework and practises baseball with him and all in all, he likes this new life of his, even when it still feels like someone’s else, unreal somehow.
He tells Lisa that he started hunting when he was twelve and that he’s been taking care of Sam since he was four years old. When he mentions to her that he should look out for a job, some regular work to do, all she replies is that maybe, just for once in his life he shouldn’t have a job to do.
He loves Lisa, and he tells her one evening when they’re sitting in the backyard watching Ben play with his new electric cars. It’s the most natural thing in the world to say, like telling her what she already knows, and she kisses him and tells him he’s wonderful. He doesn’t quite believe the last part, but he’s beginning to.
***
Dean wakes to someone tucking his sleeve gently. He blinks and spots Ben with a smile wide as the Grand Canyon on his face.
“Happy birthday, Dean,” Ben whispers and claps his hands in excitement. He bends over and picks up a small present from the floor, wrapped in green paper with a blue bow on top.
Right, his birthday. Nothing special planned, Sam’s coming over later and then they’ll all be heading out for dinner. He knows Lisa’s thought of something special for him, and Sam’s probably come up with some geeky present as well. But Dean really didn’t expect Ben to give him something. He’s just a kid, after all. He should be more concerned with getting presents.
Dean sits up and takes the present into his hands. The surprise must be written all over his face.
“Open it!” Ben urges and Dean does as he’s told. He unwraps the present, and underneath the paper a miniature Chevy Impala surfaces. It looks just like Dean’s car, down to build and colour.
“Where...where did you get the money for that?” Dean stutters. Model cars are expensive, he knows that.
“Mom let me help her, you know. Take the garbage out and that sort of stuff, so I could get the money.” He glances up at Dean doubtfully. “Do you like it?”
Dean nods, and holds his arm out in an inviting gesture. Ben springs into a hug and Dean presses him against his chest, kissing the top of Ben’s head briefly. “It’s awesome, buddy. Thank you.”
They remain like that for a moment, before Dean lets go of Ben and stands. “Come on, let’s make breakfast.”
-end-
A/N: For various organisatory reasons (like me always asking on very short notice :D ), this hasn't undergone a beta. I hope it's readable though; I've read it over three times and all mistakes still in here are probably due to the second-language thing. If you spot any, let me know. :-)