Work Text:
Sam looked up from the picture he was coloring as his teacher called the class to attention. Ms. Kline walked to the front of the classroom. Taking a seat on a stool, she picked up a book that she read a part of everyday to the class during story time. Opening up to where they had left off yesterday, Ms. Kline cleared her throat and began to read. The class listened intently to the story, looking at the pictures Ms. Kline showed them from the book.
After Ms. Kline has finished reading for the day, she put the book down and stood up to begin another lesson for the students. Before she could begin talking though, a student next to Sam, Jenny, a girl Sam had become friends with, raised her hand. Noticing, Ms. Kline smiled and called on Jenny to ask her question.
"Mizz. Klien? What was the lady in the story talking about how she couldn't wait to meet her soulmate. What's a soulmate though?" Ms. Kline smiled at the question.
"Well Jenny, a soulmate is a very special person to you, if you have one. Not everyone has a soulmate, and sadly not everyone who has a soulmate gets to know theirs. As soulmate is the person you will love more than anyone else in the world."
"Even more than you're mommy and daddy?" A boy, Grant, interrupted, as if it was impossible to think of loving anyone more than one's own parents. Ms. Kline just chuckled.
"Yes grant, even more than your parents. You will understand if you have, and ever meet your soulmate. They are the person created for you, to go with you perfectly, and better than anyone else in the entire universe. They're you're best friend, they understand you, and love and except you always and no matter what. They make you want to be a better person, just for them. They're a wonderful thing, and I hope each and everyone of you get to experience that sort of love." Another student, one whose name Sam didn't yet know, raised his hand.
"Ms. Kline? How do you know if someone is your soulmate?"
"Well Daren, if you have a soulmate a mark, which we call a soul mark, forms on you. It will be completely identical to your soulmate's, and only you two will have such a mark. They can be of any size or shape, and located anywhere on your body, not always in the same place as your soulmate's. If you're younger than your soulmate, your mark won't be completely visible right away, it takes a few years to form completely, and grow, just like you! All of you should have yours by now, if you have a soulmate. That's not the only way to tell though, of course. You can just feel if someone is your soulmate. You just feel connected to them, if you're close together, you can feel how they feel, their pain, happiness, anger. Does that sort of make sense?" Daren was clearly deep in thought, before he answered with a shrug and a 'sort of'.
"Good, now let's move onto spelling."
As Ms. Kline taught, Sam thought about what she had said about soulmates. Sam couldn't possibly imagine loving anyone more than he loved Dean. Both Dean, and him had a matching mark. Dean's was on his wrist, and Sam's was near his hip. Daddy said it was very important mark, but not to tell anyone that his brother had the same one as him.
Sam could feel what Dean was feeling, he had always just assumed it was because they were brothers. When Dean was angry or sad, Sam knew, and would try his best to comfort his big brother, as it made him sad whenever his brother wasn't happy. In turn, his brother seemed to always know what he was feeling, or when he was hurt, and was always there to make him feel better too if needed. Dean was Sam's favorite person, he loved his big brother more than anyone else. Dean must be his soulmate then! Then Sam became confused. Ms. Kline had said soulmates were very special. So why wouldn't daddy want him to tell people his brother was his? Wouldn't people be happy about it? Sam's young mind couldn't come up with any reasons why it would be wrong for his brother to be his soulmate. Before he could think about it anymore though, Ms. Kline called on him to answer a question, and Sam quickly forgot about soulmates for the moment and focused on the spelling lesson.
Dean leaned against the flag pole, watching the front doors for Sammy to come out. Soon enough, he saw a familiar mop of brown hair coming out, and stood up straighter to wave to Sam. As soon as Sam saw his brother, he broke out into a huge grin, and ran over to his brother. Dean leaned down to meet his brother, Sammy wrapping himself around Dean like he always did in a hug. Letting him go, Dean turned and began to walk back to the motel they were staying at, Sam quickly falling into step beside him, holding onto his brother's hand.
"So Sammy, whatcha learn in school today?" Dean asked, knowing that the question would keep Sam busily talking the entire short walk home back to the motel.
Walking through the front door, Dean shut the door behind him and Sam, quickly fixing the broken salt lines in front of the door. Sam kept talking, telling Dean about his day. Dean nodded, continuing to listen intently while he walked over to cupboards and pulled out some crackers and peanut butter to make for himself and Sammy to have as an after school snack.
"And then Ms. Kline read to us more from her book. Oh! And she told us about soulmates Dean! I never knew what soulmates were before she told us!" Hearing this Dean quickly spun around to look at his brother.
"She told you about what?"
"About soulmates! That they're the most perfect person for you, and very special, and that they love you very much! And she told us that everyone who has a soulmate has this thing called a soul mark, just like you and I do Dean! Dean are you and I soulmates?" Sam asked, clearly very enthusiastic about the idea of him and his brother being soulmates. If only Sammy truly knew what it meant for them.... Dean sighed, he had hopped to keep it from Sam for just a little longer, at least till he understood a little more about it, and why for them it wasn't as great as it was for others. That it was considered taboo, that not many people would be as understanding and OK with it. Sam had clearly already put together that they were though, and Dean wasn't going to lie to him about it.
"Yea, Sammy we're soulmates." Dean said. Sam's grin fell, clearly both seeing and feeling that his brother wasn't as enthusiastic about the prospect of them being soulmates as he was. Dean could feel it too, the moment the happiness was replaced with rejection and sadness, he could see the tears start to well up in Sammy's eyes.
"Do- do you not wanta be soulmates with me Dee?" Sam asked, voice quivering. Dean quickly rushed forward to comfort his brother. Wiping away some of the fallen tears Dean spoke.
"Sammy, no, no that's not it at all! I love that you're my soulmate Sammy! There is just some different circumstances, because sibling soulmates are very rare, and there are some things you don't understand yet Sammy, but you will when you're older, about soulmates and more about what it means. Ms. Kline was correct though about everything she told you, soulmates are very special. I love you Sammy, don't ever question that, OK?" Sam sniffed,
"OK Dee."
"Good." Dean said, pulling his brother into a tight hug.
"Sammy, you have to promise me something though, OK?" Sam nodded.
"You won't understand right now, but try not to tell people we're soulmates, OK?"
"But why Dee?"
"You'll understand when you're older, like I said. Just promise me Sammy."
"I promise Dee."
"Good." Dean said, kissing the top of Sammy's head.
"Dee, how do people find out we're soulmates, if we don't tell them?"
"Well, they have their ways. If they both see our soul marks, sometimes they can just see it between two soulmates, their love for each other I mean, and then of course legal ways. Don't worry about it though Sammy. Just don't mention it."
"Ok." After a few more moments, Dean let go of Sam, and went back to making them a snack.
A few moments later Sam spoke up.
"Hey Dean?"
"Yea Sammy?"
"I love you." Dean couldn't help but smile.
"I love you too Sammy."