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"You take care of Sammy," John said, voice gruff. Tired. He hated having to leave his kids but the job needed to be done.
"Yes, Sir," Dean said and looked back at his 10-year-old brother. He was slumped on the ratty couch, face drooping in an uninterested gaze at the TV.
"Good. Be back in, at max, a week. You have Bobby's number; call him if I'm not back by then." The eldest Winchester shut the door without anything else, leaving Dean and Sammy alone in the motel room. Dean went over to his dufflebag and dug out the bag of popcorn. The crinkle of the package had Sam jumping up from the couch with the biggest grin on his youthful face.
"You got more popcorn!" he squeaked and bounded up to his older brother. "With your five finger discount, too, De?" Sam wiggled his eyebrows and his smile got impossibly wider. Dean's stomach burst with warmth and love for the younger child in front of him and he smiled right back.
"You betcha, Sammy," he replied and put it in the dinky little microwave. "We can watch scary movies tonight, too."
"Awesome! Thanks, De," Sam replied and wrapped his arms around Dean's middle, head nestled nicely above the beating of his heart.
"No problem," the older Winchester said and ruffled the boy's hair.
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"Sammy? What's wrong? Is something there?" Dean's voice was alert. Sam never usually called Dean and their father while they were on a hunt.
"N-No, Dean," Sam said, and if it were possible, Dean would be able to hear his blush through the phone it was that hot against his cheek. "I just... Miss you. D'ya have time to talk?"
"Sammy..." Dean looked over at his Dad, the older man eyeing him expectantly, burger and fries in front of him on the right, research book on the left. "Yeah. I do," he said and could hear the sharp, excited intake of breath on the other end.
"When are you guys coming back?" Sam whispered, biting at his lip. "M'really lonely..."
"Don't you have any friends at that school of yours?" Dean questioned, looking down at the napkin holders.
"Uh-uh. The kid I was friends with moved to Utah."
"Ew, Utah sucks," Dean laughed.
"I know, right?" Sam laughed along with his brother, some of the pressure rising off of his chest. "How is the hunt going?"
"Good, uh, we got a lead and are checking it out after this."
"Please, be careful..." the youngest Winchester whimpered. "Can't live without you, De."
The words punched Dean right in the gut, leaving him breathless.
"S-Sammy, stop bein' such a sap," he countered, but they both knew Dean felt the same towards him. Without Sam, he was nothing. "Cheer up, kiddo. I'll... I'll call you tonight, okay?"
"Okay," Sam murmured and clutched the landline. They decided to stay for three months so Sam could get at least some education out of his freshman year of high school. "I-I love you, Dean."
"Love you, too." And then the line went dead. There were never any goodbyes in their family.
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Dean had one arm wrapped around the shoulder of his brother, hugging the large mass of a man close to his side. He played with the other's hair, gently rubbing his fingers against his scalp and smoothing down the end, occasionally stroking his calloused fingertips against his neck.
Sam's eyes were closed, but one still a puffy purple, the color painted across his jawline with a splash on the side of his nose, as well. The nest of vampires gave them more trouble than they were used to, but they were able to kill them all without getting too seriously injured themselves.
Sam was drooling but Dean didn't quite care. Despite the years of age on the younger, he still looked young. Innocent. Like the horrors of their life never happened. Dean would look down every now and then smile warmly at his sleeping soul mate. His old tapes mixed with Led Zepplin and Bob Seger played softly in the background as he drove through the night to their next job. Even though they never lived in one place for very long, they acted as homes for the other.