Worry shone in Dean’s green eyes as he glanced towards the window. The sunset had arched across the sky with scattered red clouds and a shock of the last rays, but now it was dark and foreboding outside. The roaring pattern of rain started up seconds after the rumble of thunder died down.
A light flickered in the room, and that sealed Dean’s resolve. “C’mon guys, game’s over,” he muttered. He slipped off the edge of the bed, padding over to them on socked feet. He sank to the ground, holding his hand out. He didn’t want to risk them out in the room if the power went out. They were too small, and he was too big.
Lightning flashed outside again, and Sam bounced to his feet in surprise. He ran towards Dean’s hand as the thunder rumbled again.
The second rumble of thunder motivated Oscar to bound towards the offered hand, too. He nearly stumbled on the carpet threads, but he managed to keep his feet and run to Dean’s outstretched fingers. He hopped up before the next flicker of all the lamps in the room.
Oscar crouched down on Dean’s palm, looking wide-eyed up at the human. “Th-the thunder’s a lot louder out here than in the walls,” he said. His gaze strayed to the window in time for a more subdued flash and an upswing in the rain. Oscar’s hand found Sam’s arm almost on reflex, anchoring himself to the other kid and knowing he wasn’t by himself while the sky raged outside. “It’s still loud in there, too, though,” he added in a quieter voice.
Dean lifted his hand away from the ground as the two kids huddled together. Before he went to stand, he cupped his hand against his chest, bringing up his second hand to shield them like he was protecting a flickering candle from the wind. Hidden from sight, another human would never know what Dean had cupped against his chest. Two tiny, fragile children that trusted him.
He stood and made his way over to the bed that was farthest from the window. “You don’t have to worry about a thing,” Dean promised them while he moved. “You’ll be safe with me, I promise.”
Brothers Apart 