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It was dark and quiet in the bunker. Only the sound of the radio playing faintly from the other room mared the night. Dean and Sam were lounging on the couch enjoying some down time in between cases. There was a bottle of Maker's Mark on the coffee table next to where Dean's feet were propped.
"Hey, Sammy?"
"Hmm?" Sam hummed keeping his eyes closed and his head resting on the back of the couch.
"There's something I didn't tell you about when you were off at Stanford."
At that, Sam turned his head and cracked open an eye. Dean was busy staring into his glass and didn't notice the quirk of Sam's eyebrow. "Really?"
"Ummm, I used to go watch you." Dean risked a glance up at Sam but quickly looked away again. "When a case would bring me close enough, I would find you on campus and follow you."
"Uh huh?" murmured Sam. He was enjoying the way Dean was looking flustered by his admission. It was unusual to see Dean feeling so unsure of himself.
"You always looked so happy when I would find you. Surrounded by people and laughing." Dean sighed and took a drink. "But the longer I watched you, the more it seemed like an act. You always got quieter as the day would go on. I could see you pulling away from everyone." Dean glanced up searching his brother's face. "You always ended up alone."
Sam nodded and continued to watch his brother's eyes. He wasn't sure where this was going just yet and he knew that interrupting would be the wrong thing to do.
"I would always follow you back to your place. It was kind of stupid of you to walk alone in the dark like that Sammy. Anything could have been out there watching you." Dean shook his head and took another drink. He couldn't believe how lax Sam had become with his own security back then.
Sam only quirked an eyebrow and waited for Dean to continue.
"I'd waited while you went up to your room. You always turned on all the lights. Like you couldn't stand to be alone. I would watch you pace around your apartment. You looked so sad and lost." Dean ran his right hand through his hair. "I thought I had been caught one night," Dean laughed. "You came right up to the window I was standing under and rested your head against the glass. I thought for sure you were going to start yelling at me."
Sam finished off his drink and sat the glass onto the coffee table. He leaned back into the corner of the couch and leveled a calm look at Dean.
"You never did yell at me though. Guess I was better hidden than I thought." Dean sighed and put his own glass on the table. "You looked so lonely, Sam. Just walking around until you would finally turn off the lights. And then I would leave because I knew you were safe again and not leaving again."
"Were you really that lonely and sad there Sam?" Dean asked quietly.
"Not always," Sam supplied.
"Then why.."
"Because I was waiting." Dean looked up at his brother in surprise. "I was waiting for you to come in from the dark."
Dean only had a moment to blink as Sam reached for him. His left hand snagging him by the neck and pulling him into a soft kiss.
"Oh," Dean mumbled against his brother's lips.
Sam only smiled into the kiss and pulled Dean closer to him. Right where he belonged.