The Hard Way
The Hard Way
He saw the fist coming before it landed but it was too late. Damn but Eliot was a fast son of a bitch when he wanted to be! Dean took the hit clean, let it move him, let himself use the momentum of it to speed his own and he was throwing his own punch.
He wasn’t sure how long it lasted, how long it took for the two of them to beat each other bloody. In the end, they were about equally matched when it came to a real fight and they were just wearing themselves down.
“What the hell is your problem?!” Dean finally broke down and yelled. He still didn’t know why they were fighting but the adrenaline from the hunt was leaving him and he wanted to get back to the motel to check up on Sam because he knew his brother would be in a state of half-panic since his broken leg kept him from this hunt.
“You don’t get to do that to me Dean!” Eliot yelled back. His eyes seemed wild, like he couldn’t contain what was inside of him and he knew it was true. Sometimes Eliot went a little crazy and you just had to figure out they why of it because otherwise it kept going. Beating the hell out of each other wasn’t going to do it.
“I’m not a child and I’m not Sam!” Eliot continued. “You don’t get to push me out of the way and take the hits for yourself.”
Dean scoffed because seriously? That’s what this was about? “Fine, next time I’ll let the friendly were wolf take a swipe at you. When they’re done I’ll watch them take a bite too. Huh? Sound good to you?” He demanded.
Eliot was in motion again and he was pinned to the ground, too tired and still bleeding all over the place, to try to do anything more than fall. “Don’t you get it Dean? You’re not the only one out here? You’re not the only one that gets to protect people!”
“It was only you and me out here Eliot.” He said and his voice was tired.
Eliot let out a sputtered laugh and the madness in his eyes died away to sadness. When he looked at Dean he lowered his head, forehead against forehead. “God damn it Dean. Can’t you accept that maybe I just want to protect you?” He pressed his lips to Dean’s, taking any response from him before he could even think to make it. “We’re all in this together, me, you, and Sammy.”
Dean took a deep breath and as much as he knew he’d never stop trying to protect his family, he knew that Sam and Eliot would both get their fair share of injuries in time. He didn’t like it, but he also knew that this wasn’t a fight he could win.
“Alright Eliot.”
When he looked up Eliot gave him a small smile. “Besides, Sam’s gonna have my ass when he sees you tonight.”
Dean laughed then, full blown and it seemed to erase a little of the tension and exhaustion from his body. “Oh yeah. And I hate to tell you Eliot… my brother is going to eat you alive. You might have got me on this one, but no way you’re going to best Sam in a fight.”
“You think so?”
Dean laughed. He didn’t answer. Eliot would learn the hard way.