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Music has a large place in a lot of Sam’s memories. Whether it’s from the earliest (sitting in the back seat of the impala with Dean listening to their father’s choices), or more recent (sitting in the passenger seat listening to Dean blast classic rock) or even the quieter decibels of his own more diverse tastes -it’s there in many of his memories.
A lot of those memories consist of Dean (and sometimes himself) singing along.
When they were younger Dean would purposely sing the wrong lyrics or sing completely off key -usually to make Sam laugh. It always worked too. Sam could never stay angry, sad or upset for very long during those songs.
As he got older he realized that maybe the off key singing wasn’t as intentional on Dean’s part as he’d pretended.
Sam can’t be sure really.
When he knows someone is listening Dean seems to sing more off key than when he thinks he’s alone.
Nowadays it’s a rare thing for him to catch Dean singing out loud. But it happens.
Just the other morning he returned earlier than usual from his morning run and caught Dean in the kitchen getting a cup of coffee. He’d still been in his robe and slippers but he’d also been wearing his headphones (and therefore unaware of Sam’s approach/presence) and singing along to The Temptations “Just My Imagination”, a song that Sam would never have believed that Dean would listen to much less know well enough to sing along with.
Each day through my doorway
I watch him as he passes by
I say to myself
You’re such a lucky guy
To have a boy like him
Is truly a dream come true
Out of all the fellas in the world
He belongs to you
But it was just my imagination
Runnin’ away with me-once again
Seems it was just my imagination
Runnin’ away with me
I tell you I can visualize it all
This couldn’t be a dream, for too real it all seems
But it was just my imagination
Runnin’ away with me-once again
Seems it was just my imagination
Runnin’ away with me
Every night on my knees I pray
And if Sam had stood there listening, imagining that Dean was singing about him, well it wouldn’t have been the first time.
Dear Lord hear my plea
Don’t ever let another take him away from me
For I would surely die
His love is heavenly
But it was just my imagination
Runnin’ away with me-once again
Seems it was just my imagination
Runnin’ away with me
Sure Dean had hit some bad notes but Sam doesn’t care. Whatever songs Dean sings in whatever key he sings them in, it’s music to Sam’s ears because it means that Dean is happy.
And that makes him happy too.