Work Text:
“Hey Dean, can I talk to you?”
“Sure, Sammy. What’s up?”
Sam took a deep breath.
“I want to talk about Hell.”
“Your hell or my hell?”
“Mine.”
“I thought Cas…”
“He took away the insanity,” Sam explained, “The memories are still there, just less vivid.”
Dean pulled up a chair and sat by the younger brother.
“Sammy, you don’t have to…”
“I know,” Sam answered, “It’s not something I like to think about, but…you told me about your time in Hell, so…I thought that maybe you’d like to listen.”
“All right,” Dean agreed, “But anytime you want to stop, just go ahead.”
Sam nodded and continued.
“There was fire,” He said, “Hot enough to incinerate anything. It danced along my face for a while, trickled along my body until I was charred to a crisp. Then, I was healed.”
Sam took a deep breath, then continued.
“It was dark except for the flames. The cage, from what I could see, was an actual cage. Then, Lucifer showed up.”
“Sam,” Dean warned.
“Let me continue,” Sam said, “He had this…stick…he liked to burn me with. It was a game, you know? Fun…He…burned my eyes…my throat…ears…everything. I could only hear him taunting me in my head. He’s an angel, you know? So he can still heal. Heal. Burn. Heal. Burn. Do you like it, Sammy?”
The younger brother shuddered. Tears fell from his eyes, much like when Dean shared his experience.
“Sam, are you okay?” Dean panicked, “Sammy?”
Sam looked up at him.
“Yeah, I’m okay now.”
“Sam, I…why did you do the trials?”
“Because…I belong there.”
“What?” Dean demanded, “If anyone belongs there, it’s me. How could you think that?”
“Two words, Dean. Demon. Blood.”
“Sam, that wasn’t your fault.”
“Even YOU wanted to kill me,” Sam corrected, “My own brother. You should have killed me. And none of this would have ever happened.”
Sam fought back tears. He hated crying in front of his brother.
“Sam…” Dean whispered, “It’s okay.”
Dean hugged and held his little brother in his arms.
“It’s okay,” He repeated, “It’s over now. I’m right here.”
Sam buried his head in Dean’s chest and cried, while the younger brother whispered comfortingly in his ear. For that, Sam was grateful.