Sam leaving for college had been less than unexpected for Dean. He may not have rocked it in school, but he was no idiot. He had seen the pamphlets and school websites Sam had been browsing. It was only Dad, too wrapped up in his crazy mission to see past his own nose, who was blindsided. Not that Dean was supportive of Sam wanting to go to college, but it didn’t hit him like it could have. And then Dean found Sam’s t-shirt in his duffle. It was balled up and horribly wrinkled, shoved down under all the other clothes. It was that perfect shade of flat, dark green that it wouldn’t be easily noticed. When it finally reached the light of day for probably the first time in months, Dean had just thrown it on, sniffing at it to see if it was foul enough to put aside for laundry. When he deemed it wearable, he tugged it over it head.
Dean had worn the same clothes for years so he could tell when something fit differently. He could feel the extra material folding over itself around his waist and sag in the shoulders. It was bordering on
( ... )
filled: Salt Lines 1/3sandymgMay 12 2011, 17:36:17 UTC
Salt LinesSam’s first several months in Stanford were a blur. Passing as fast as the scenery used to flash by the Impala’s window. There was orientation and meeting his roommate and avoiding questions. That last was so much more draining than he’d ever imagined it could be. Only good thing was that folks made assumptions, filled in their own blanks when information wasn’t provided. His roommate, Ed, thought Sam was an army brat. Sam had only mentioned that his dad had been in the service and that they traveled around a lot. Well … maybe the assumption wasn’t that big a leap
( ... )
Re: filled: Salt Lines 2/3sandymgMay 12 2011, 17:39:50 UTC
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“No … I just … wondered.”
Sam nodded. He was confused but let it go.
Instead, he rose to ensure his salt lines were straight and solid.
He dreamt of the Impala that evening. Shiny and long and gleaming in the sun. Sticky seats and smell of sweat and food and gasoline. Nothing smells anymore he thought in the dream right before he woke up.
Ed stayed uncharacteristically chatty as the week continued. “Seems like we just finished midterms and now we just got through finals.”
Sam grunted a yeah. Maybe if he didn’t go along things could return to normal. He liked quiet Ed better. He was idly thumbing a book he didn’t need to read any longer. Finals were over. It was all winding down. Summer semester was going to start soon. Couldn’t be soon enough for Sam. He didn’t want to stop.
“Can’t believe summer’s here. You going home, Sam?”
The words he’d been reading swam into a swirl.
Sammy?“What?!” Sam practically yelled, reeling himself in upon sighting Ed’s pale, blank stare
( ... )
Re: filled: Salt Lines 3/3tmn1966May 13 2011, 12:58:13 UTC
First off, I love reading about Sam's time away from his family while he's at Stanford, since it's all kind of fill in the blank for us. Secondly (and I'm putting this here so I don't forget, 'cause I have a tendancy to do that), I don't know if I'm reading too much into it, but I love your choices of icons (Sam alone the first two parts, then Sam and Dean together for the third), and it really pulled the story together for me and made it all the more poignant.
Your descriptions are so wonderful, as always, with how Sam compares the differences in Ed from Dean. Also loved the bit about the bed being made for elves, but not really because that would be dangerous. LOL
Made me sad to see the To be safe. in there, but yeah, that's part of what it was for Sam, and being normal. And I'm so glad you had this centered around Sam putting down salt lines. That may have faded after a while, but I can't see all those years of knowing what's really out there in the dark would have prevented Sam from taking some basic precautions when he
( ... )
Re: filled: Salt Lines 3/3sandymgMay 13 2011, 13:31:41 UTC
Thanks so much! Gonna post a slightly edited version on my journal. But the gist will stay the same. I think Sam might have immersed himself at first in school to keep from thinking of his family. And then eventually he met Jessica and that also helped fill in some holes in his life.
Acknowledging Dean to Ed in the story was important as it meant Sam allowed himself, at least for that moment, to really feel his loss. And miss Dean.
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Not that Dean was supportive of Sam wanting to go to college, but it didn’t hit him like it could have.
And then Dean found Sam’s t-shirt in his duffle. It was balled up and horribly wrinkled, shoved down under all the other clothes. It was that perfect shade of flat, dark green that it wouldn’t be easily noticed. When it finally reached the light of day for probably the first time in months, Dean had just thrown it on, sniffing at it to see if it was foul enough to put aside for laundry. When he deemed it wearable, he tugged it over it head.
Dean had worn the same clothes for years so he could tell when something fit differently. He could feel the extra material folding over itself around his waist and sag in the shoulders. It was bordering on ( ... )
Reply
Reply
“You don’t know?”
“No … I just … wondered.”
Sam nodded. He was confused but let it go.
Instead, he rose to ensure his salt lines were straight and solid.
He dreamt of the Impala that evening. Shiny and long and gleaming in the sun. Sticky seats and smell of sweat and food and gasoline. Nothing smells anymore he thought in the dream right before he woke up.
Ed stayed uncharacteristically chatty as the week continued. “Seems like we just finished midterms and now we just got through finals.”
Sam grunted a yeah. Maybe if he didn’t go along things could return to normal. He liked quiet Ed better. He was idly thumbing a book he didn’t need to read any longer. Finals were over. It was all winding down. Summer semester was going to start soon. Couldn’t be soon enough for Sam. He didn’t want to stop.
“Can’t believe summer’s here. You going home, Sam?”
The words he’d been reading swam into a swirl.
Sammy?“What?!” Sam practically yelled, reeling himself in upon sighting Ed’s pale, blank stare ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Your descriptions are so wonderful, as always, with how Sam compares the differences in Ed from Dean. Also loved the bit about the bed being made for elves, but not really because that would be dangerous. LOL
Made me sad to see the To be safe. in there, but yeah, that's part of what it was for Sam, and being normal. And I'm so glad you had this centered around Sam putting down salt lines. That may have faded after a while, but I can't see all those years of knowing what's really out there in the dark would have prevented Sam from taking some basic precautions when he ( ... )
Reply
Acknowledging Dean to Ed in the story was important as it meant Sam allowed himself, at least for that moment, to really feel his loss. And miss Dean.
Reply
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