Category: short story

Graduation

On By nightmares06In short storyLeave a comment

Anonymous prompted:

Prompt: Can we see Sam and Dean from the Brothers Together universe at Dean’s high school graduation (and basically Sam’s too since he helped so much)? 😀

This is canon in the Brothers Together AU.

Way in the back of the class, Dean Winchester couldn’t help but fidget impatiently while he waited for it to be his turn to approach the stage.

Mary Winsor gave him a look, and asked him in a know-it-all tone that he knew all too well, “What bee flew up your ass?”

Dean had long ago learned that comparing her name to his mother’s was not the best way to go about getting a date, and knew it was she was a lost cause as far as he was concerned, as soft as that matte black hair looked like it would be under his fingertips. 

He sent her a flat glare back. “What, don’t tell me you enjoy standing out here in hundred degree weather?”

Mary sniffed and turned away, looking back towards the podium.

The names had gotten all the way through to the S’s, but that still left quite some time until Dean was called. The one small accomplishment he nursed was that he would get his diploma before Mary, who had her nose stuck so far up in the air that–

Dean’s thought process was interrupted by a small voice in his ear, a familiar one that had been by his side for years.

“It’s almost our turn!”

The excitement in Sam’s voice was enough to melt Dean out of his annoyance, and he couldn’t quite hide a grin. “You bet it is, Sammy,” he muttered under his breath, making sure that the others around him wouldn’t overhear what he was saying.

Dean had never expected to make it far enough through school to graduate with a diploma (and honors, as Sam liked to remind him repeatedly), but here they were. In a few short minutes, Dean would be saying goodbye to this chapter in his life and they would be free.

If it wasn’t for Sam’s persistent help and encouragement, Dean knew that he would have succumbed to his father’s expectations, and thrown more effort into what they called ‘the family business,’ hunting and helping their dad save people.

This was more Sam’s graduation than Dean’s, and he wouldn’t miss it for the world.

When Dean’s name rang out through the field, he tilted his chin up, matching the look that Mary had on her face, and he strode to the podium. It was with some pride that he accepted the diploma and shook hands, a glow of warmth spreading through his chest.

As he walked back to his spot in the graduates, Dean knew that it didn’t matter that their dad had missed this day. All that mattered was he could go through it with Sam. 

Trapped

On By nightmares06In short storyLeave a comment

theirishwarlock prompted:

Smolders Dean & Big Sam going on a hunt after they’re back together for the first time & maybe one gets hurt and/or captured and have to help the other, just an idea

Technically, this story would be a part of the Cursed Dean AU.

Sam woke with a jolt, and immediately fell backwards, his head throbbing.

Blinking in confusion, he tried to wipe the tears of pain out of his eyes so he could see where he was, try and figure out what had happened before he was knocked out.

The ceiling was low overhead as the blurry vision cleared, which explained why his attempt to sit up had gone so terribly. It was lower than three feet, giving Dean little room to stretch. 

Lengthwise, the end of the cage wasn’t touching Sam’s boots. He tried to stretch out his toes, but found only empty air there. Trying to squirm around, he discovered his confinement was too narrow to turn around.

If it wasn’t in the open air with bars, Sam would think he was in a coffin.

Whoever had trapped him wasn’t in the room, but they had ensured that Sam, short of a miraculous yoga move that he suspected was not humanly possible, could not reach the cage door that was at the other end of the cage. They apparently didn’t trust their search earlier, when they’d taken away his lockpick.

Sam huffed in annoyance, then his eyes widened as he remembered another detail.

Dean!

His older brother, thought dead until just recently, had come on this case with him. Sam couldn’t remember what happened to Dean after he was captured, and he had to hope that the much smaller hunter, cursed to live at a fraction of his original height, was free and clear of the monster.

Searching through his pockets, Sam made sure that he hadn’t missed Dean somehow, in case his brother had been knocked unconscious– or worse, his mind whispered insidiously– and then sagged back, at the same time relieved and concerned that Dean wasn’t there.

There was always the chance that Dean had been taken captive just like Sam, only he was far easier to contain.

All those thoughts fled Sam’s mind when he heard, loud and clear from next to his ear, “Didja miss me?”

Sam whipped around, his eyes wide. Dean couldn’t help a step back at the fast movement, standing only inches away from where Sam had been laying.

“Dean?!” Sam couldn’t help the gasp of relief he felt at the sight of his older brother, hale and hearty and as full of attitude as he ever was. Reflexively, Sam brought up his hands to cup around Dean, wanting to make sure there were no hidden injuries.

With a look of annoyance, Dean tried to shrug off the fingers that cupped around him. “Do you want me to break you out, or are you just going to waste time?” he snipped.

Sam gave Dean a half-hearted grin, knowing how independent his borrower-sized brother could be. “I guess I’ll let you get to work,” he said dryly, lifting his hand so Dean had room.

“Good.” Dean started on his jaunty way to the cage door, a paperclip in his hand. Not as effective as a lockpick would be, but definitely workable. “Now stay still, Gigantor!”

“You got it,” Sam promised. He rested his head, trying to see Dean every step of the way. 

Working together, they’d be out of this mess in no time. 

Prompt – Check It Out

On By nightmares06In short story1 Comment

Briana prompted:

Maybe something from the brother’s together universe? I feel like there must be so many good moments during their childhood that we haven’t seen yet!

This combined with another prompt gave me the idea to write a scene  from the perspective of smol Dean/big Sam and also from the perspective of tol Dean/smol Sam! That way I get some practice in on the differences between Brothers Saved and Brothers Together, and we all get some cutes.

So here we have teenager Dean, who snitched Bobby’s whiskey from where it was hidden in the house, and now they’re going to share!

(You can find the other half of the prompt here)

“Check it out.”

Sam lazily stretched to work out the kinks in his back from laying flat on the desk for so long while he did homework. Not his homework, naturally, as he hadn’t been able to go to school for a few good years now. He was helping with Dean’s, to try and keep in practice so he didn’t lose his touch for the day he was able to return to class.

Not that he held out much hope that his curse would be lifted after so long like this. 

Dean was standing in the doorway of their shared room, and when Sam spotted what he had in his hand with a shit-eating grin, he straightened in place. 

“Is that what I think it is?”

“You bet!” Dean proclaimed. He glanced over his shoulder and closed the door to the room, bouncing onto the bed next to the desk Sam was using. “Bobby and dad are going to be out all night, I figured we could take a break from classwork.”

“Dean, you know they’re going to figure out it was you,” Sam scolded, but the look he sent the flask of whiskey was longing. He hadn’t snuck a drink in years, not since their dad’s hunter friend, Fred, had given them some. 

“Chill, we’ll be fine,” Dean assured Sam. He twisted the cap off. “They’ll never know the difference, we just have to put it back where it came from and that’s that.”

Pouring out a tiny amount into the cap, Dean judge that to be more than enough for his younger brother. Neither of them was of drinking age, but that didn’t much matter when they were sneaking around behind their dad’s back.

“Give it a shot,” Dean said, sliding the cap over to Sam. 

Sam tentatively reached out to pull the cap closer, peering uncertainly into the strong-smelling liquid. He wrinkled his nose, then picked up the cap to take a sip. 

And sputtered, spitting out the drop. “You like this stuff?!”

Dean smirked as he took a swig from the flask, partially wishing he was the small one this time, just so he could have more whiskey than was in the small container. “You bet, short stuff,” he said teasingly, able to swallow the bitter drink without flinching.

Sam sighed, sending the bottle cap a disconsolate look. Why couldn’t Bobby have left the beer unattended? At least Sam had that before, and knew he could drink it without a problem.

Taking a deep breath to build himself up to it, Sam scooped up a drop of whiskey in his hand, and determinedly drank it. Again, he nearly spit it out, but forced himself to swallow, the drink leaving a burning trail down his throat.

“Got it,” Sam rasped, having a hard time talking after such a sharp drink.

Dean took pity on him and nudged over a second bottle cap that had been sitting across the desk with Sam’s possessions. It was the cap that held his water from lunch, and Sam quickly grasped it to suck in a drink to cool his throat. 

“Maybe it’s stronger because you’re smaller?” Dean mused out loud, taking another drink from the flask.

“No… I can do this,” Sam said, determined. He wasn’t about to miss out on the one chance they got to drink!

Clothes shopping

On By nightmares06In short storyLeave a comment

@wolfie180g prompted:

Sam giving dean advice while clothes shopping because he’d been stuck at the motel watching a channel devoted entirely to fashion the whole day he was home sick.

“Really? That’s what you’re going with?”

Dean hesitated with his hand halfway towards the shirt he’d chosen– one that looked comfortable, and was cheap enough that it wouldn’t dip far into his savings.

“Yeah?” Dean said suspiciously, wishing he could tilt his head to catch sight of Sam, currently hidden in the edge of his collar.

Outside, the snow was coming down strong. They had meant to be back to the motel before the storm hit, but it had blown up while trying to pack up the supplies they needed to stock up on.

When they found that almost everyone had left, leaving the mall and surrounding stores with only a few die hard customers and the exhausted cashiers to keep an eye on them, it had looked to be the perfect time to get in a little shopping without the ever-present concern that Sam would be spotted.

“You could at least buy something with style one of these days,” Sam said dryly as he judged the outfit Dean was looking at.

“Hey,” Dean complained. To anyone else in the store, it would appear that he was arguing with himself there, no phone in sight. “I’ll have you know that my outfits are perfectly acceptable.”

“Sure, for shopping at the Army Navy surplus store,” Sam sassed. “Trust me, you could use something with a little more flair for your interviews.”

“Since when are you an expert on fashion?” Dean complained as he wandered over to another rack to browse.

“Since you left me at the motel that day with the shopping network on! All I watched all day was the outfits they were selling!”

Dean smirked. “Next time, remind me to leave it on the beef jerky channel.”

Sam jabbed him in the neck. “Next time, I’m using your credit card. I’m sure Bobby will appreciate getting some packages for you.”

“Don’t even think about it.”

The AU of the Halloween story

On By nightmares06In short storyLeave a comment

kajensen07  asked:

Is the ‘Just Another Halloween’ story from this new AU (Brothers Unexpected) that you just started posting? Obviously, it is after they have grown up a bit and met, but it seems like Jacob knows Sam really well in it… maybe more than he would in Brothers Found? And Dean with Oscar also seems that way. Just curious. 😀 Also, I am loving the new story. Thank you for putting so much time and effort into all your stories!

Oh my, we weren’t expecting anyone to piece this together just yet!

Congrats, you are the first person to realize that Just Another Halloween actually takes place in the far distant future of Brothers Unexpected, long after many shenanigans that these four will be going through while they grow up!

Brothers Saved: TV Time

On By nightmares06In short storyLeave a comment

Last short story for the moment!

Brothers Saved is far from over, so be sure to stay tuned for this AU! It has stories planned with both @neonthewrite​ and @borrowedtimeandspace​, and I’ve slowly been working through their future relationship with each other and John (you can find a quick peek of that here).

So there’s plenty more coming! In the meantime, I’m still looking for prompts for this story, so feel free to send them in! 

Submit prompt ideas here

Dean had grown somewhat adjusted to the heights he saw constantly from Sam’s hands, but he felt he might never adjust to being so easily picked up and moved around by his younger brother.

When Sam stood, he had Dean standing in one hand and the other hand was occupied by the flashlight they had used to attempt to probe the inside of the walls with. Unfortunately, the entrance to the walls was too small for the flashlight or Sam to fit, and Dean could only make out the details to the edge of the area the light filled. Beyond that was solid darkness, where anything could be lurking.

Though he had a silver knife and his colt, Dean didn’t want to chance getting attacked by any rats or pests in the walls while he was unprepared, and Sam was already anxious about the entire idea of Dean exploring out of sight, so he had decided to pass up the chance and instead stick with Sam to watch some cartoons while they waited around the house.

John and Bobby were out again, but their trips to try and track the witch down grew shorter and shorter as time went on. The trail had grown cold and no new evidence had been found.

It was as though, after laying her curse on Dean and being thwarted from doing the same to Sam, she had given up her attack on the Winchesters and vanished into the wind.

From the last update they’d received, Bobby would be returning that night. He had other cases to deal with, and other hunters clamoring for help with research. Due to Dean’s delicate situation, Bobby had essentially closed for business with the others temporarily, not wanting to chance the tiny teenager being mistaken by a hunter as a threat and…

Dean shut down that line of thought. It wasn’t going to happen, so he shouldn’t dwell on it.

With everything on his mind, Dean was almost able to ignore the fact that Sam had to go down the stairs to get to the room with the TV. Dean was solidly convinced that anyone would be wary of the way the ground rushed up at them while the ten-year-old kid went downstairs. At only a few inches tall, Dean ended up clinging to Sam’s nearby thumb for balance and security. As usual, Sam said nothing about it and merely curled it around Dean’s waist for a better grip.

Adjustments like this were almost becoming second nature.

When they arrived downstairs, Sam stuck the flashlight on the coffee table and grabbed the remote instead. As he clicked the TV on, he flopped down onto the couch and kicked up his feet.

Dean didn’t much expect when the surface he was on went sideways. Sam’s grip remained secure throughout the transition, but Dean’s stomach flipped and he clung tight.

When everything fell still, Sam gently uncoiled his hand from around Dean, finding his brother ghost white and attached to his thumb. Lifting his hand to try and dissuade Dean from hanging on, Sam looked at him in concern. “You okay?”

When Dean didn’t answer, Sam had to bring his second hand over and gently wind a finger under Dean’s arms and carefully pry him off. When the finger he was gripping vanished from between his hands, Dean blinked rapidly, coming back to himself with a gasp when he realized he’d been holding his breath. 

“What was that?! ” Dean burst out indignantly.

Sam shrugged, his shoulders awkwardly situated against the couch cushion. “Just getting ready for the show.”

Dean jabbed a finger at Sam. “Next time you want to pull something like that, give me some warning. Geeze.”

With that, Dean collapsed backwards, laying down and staring up at the ceiling far over his head. Sam eyed him for a few seconds to make sure no further outbursts were incoming, then returned his attention to the TV and began to flip through channels to search out the cartoons that usually aired this late in the afternoon.

Considering how shaken Dean was from Sam’s quick drop to the couch, it was understandable that it took him several minutes to realize the surface he was on wasn’t flat, or solid the way the coffee table would have been. In fact, it was remarkably comfortable, and heated.

When Dean realized it was also moving, he jolted to his feet in shock and stumbled to see where he was.

Distracted from the show by Dean’s sudden movements, Sam blinked at him in confusion. “Show’s on,” he reminded Dean, gesturing at the TV.

“The show’s on?” Dean repeated in disbelief. “The show’s on.” He stomped a foot into Sam’s chest, the place he’d been casually deposited minutes before. “Whatever happened to personal space, dude?”

Sam grinned at that, hardly paying attention now that he knew why Dean was indignant. “Thought you’d like to be somewhere we can talk,” he pointed out tiredly, glancing between Dean and the TV set. The show was obviously drawing at his attention more. “Can’t hear you on the coffee table.”

“Yeah… well…” Dean didn’t have a ready comeback for that. He had to settle with “Next time, warn me before you just drop me here!”

Sam poked Dean in the side. “The good part’s coming on,” he reminded Dean. “You don’t want to miss it.”

Dean sent Sam a look, but couldn’t help glancing back at the TV. Sam wasn’t the only one who enjoyed a good episode of Sonic, even if Dean rarely admitted it. 

“Fine,” Dean said in a huff, sitting down in aggravation. “Just because I can’t have you using any more excuses for not listening.”

Sam smiled, relaxing into the couch. He wouldn’t admit it out loud to Dean, considering the situation his older brother was in, but it was nice to have the couch to himself, with plenty of room to stretch.

“Whatever you say, Dean.”

Brothers Saved: Hidden Entrances

On By nightmares06In short storyLeave a comment

Brief time jump! Things are settling down, John and Bobby keep searching for a cure, and the boys spend their days getting used to Dean’s new height and exploring the old house!

Lucky for you Brothers Saved fans, I forgot this part of the story is split into two parts, so tomorrow we get ONE MORE CHAPTER! After I get home from work tomorrow you will be treated to Brothers Saved: TV Time

“Whaddya think’s in there?”

Sam squinted his eyes, flat on his stomach in order to see where Dean was gesturing to.

The smaller Winchester was peering into a crack they’d found in Sam’s room at Bobby’s house. They’d never noticed it before, after years of staying in the place. Not until Dean, reduced to a fraction of his height, had begun investigating the room while Sam read a book on the floor, relaxing in the summer heat with a glass of water nearby to help keep cool. 

Exploring the house at his new height was turning out to be a good way to pass the time while John and Bobby continued to try and track down a cure for Dean.

Sam stayed nearby, always keeping an eye out for any possible dangers for Dean. He was just as fascinated as Dean was at the new way of looking at the house, and kept pace with his older brother whenever they found something new and unexpected.

Like this crack in the wall, just wide enough for Dean to slip through, but too thin for Sam to fit his hand into.

“Think we should grab a flashlight?” Sam asked with a faint frown. The inside of the walls was pitch black, too dark for him to make out any features. If they couldn’t see, they couldn’t know what else might be in there.

“Yeah!” Dean said enthusiastically, glad for anything that would break the tedium that came from staying at a house that only had basic cable and he was too small to work on the junk cars out back.

Moments later, Sam had rustled up one of the clunky flashlights that Bobby had his place stocked with, and flicked it on. The sudden onset of bright light left Dean blinking to get rid of the glare, and keeping his hand up to try and block it. “You mind?”

“Sorry!” Sam hissed between his teeth, fumbling for a second before he had it correctly pointed at the dark hole. Lying flat on the floor again, he still could only make out the first few inches before darkness ate away at the light.

“Cool,” Dean said, leaning in and looking around. 

If Sam hadn’t pinched Dean’s shirt at the last second, he might have vanished into the walls there and then.

“Hey!” Dean protested, his arms pinwheeling as he nearly lost balance. 

“You’re supposed to stay where I can see you,” Sam pointed out. “Remember? Dad’s gonna get mad if you get stuck in the walls and I can’t get you out.”

Dean rolled his eyes, batting at Sam’s big fingers. Sam didn’t relent, keeping his grip on Dean’s shirt firm. “I’ll be fine, Sam, I’ll just go a few inches!”

Chewing the inside of his lip, Sam considered. “Where I can see you?” he asked.

Dean scowled. “Yes,” he huffed in annoyance. “You know, I can still take care of myself, I’m not an infant!”

Sam’s resistance crumpled. “I’m just trying to help,” he insisted, his voice cracking with guilt. His grip on Dean’s shirt vanished.

“Shit, Sam,” Dean took a few steps towards Sam. “I didn’t mean it like that, right? I won’t let you get in any trouble, I promise. I just wanted to see what’s in there.”

Sam nodded glumly, his hazel eyes staring at the ground under Dean instead of meeting his gaze. ” ‘Kay,” he said, his voice subdued. 

“I won’t go out of sight, promise,” Dean said, nudging Sam’s hand with a boot. “Dad can’t get mad at you.”

As much as Dean hated the way John had put the sole responsibility of the brothers on Sam’s shoulders now instead of his, he didn’t want Sam to suffer because of it. It wasn’t Sam’s fault any of this was happening. 

Sam half-heartedly nudged Dean back, giving him a ghost of a smile before it fell. 

“After this, we can go watch some cartoons, okay?” Dean coaxed, determined to cheer Sam up. “I’ll even let you be in charge of the remote.”

Sam’s eyes lit up. “Let’s watch Sonic!”

“Deal,” Dean agreed easily. “As much as you want.”

With Sam’s agreement obtained, Dean inched to the dark opening. As much as he wanted to dive in and check things out, he was cautious as he stuck his head into the walls. 

The light from the flashlight went several inches before it hit the wall in front. In each direction, Dean could see that the inner walls stretched out from where he was. Small motes of dust floated in the air, and he tried to wave them away before giving up. All his motion accomplished was causing more to swirl up from the floor and walls.

The sights reminded Dean of the hallway of an abandoned house. He’d gone with his dad on a few of the smaller hunts. If they just put some furniture and hung pictures on the wall, this would fit the view of any one of thousands of old homes out there.

The floor shook a little under Dean’s step, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Sam fidgeting. The kid might have been won over by Dean’s bargain, but he was obviously still nervous about losing Dean in the walls. Dean backtracked out of the walls, coughing away some of the dust and shaking his head.

“How was it?” Sam asked, unable to hide his envy.

“Dusty,” Dean said. “And dark.” He grimaced. “Let’s go watch Sonic.”

As Sam gathered Dean and the flashlight up in his hands, Dean sent a longing look at the wall entrance. He didn’t want Sam to worry, but he also wanted to see what it was really like in there.

One day.

Brothers Saved: Burgers, Bacon and Bobby

On By nightmares06In short storyLeave a comment

Bobby, naturally, has his own way with the kids, and likely understands how Dean is feeling a lot better. He’s here to support them both!

Tomorrow the story will continue, in Brothers Saved: Hidden Entrances.

Sam and Bobby were quick with the meal. Throughout the preparation time, Bobby hadn’t pried about what upset the young kid, his cheeks bright and splotchy while he blinked more often than usual. It was obvious Sam was trying to recover from whatever John had told him, but Bobby couldn’t hear what had gone down in the library.

Nudging Sam in the arm, Bobby winked at him. “Got some of Dean’s favorite,” he said. “Why don’t you be the one to bring it to him.”

The creases in Sam’s face vanished as he looked up at Bobby finally. Up until then he’d just been punching the ground meat and forcing it into the shape of a patty. Nothing a kid couldn’t handle.

The expression on Sam’s face was so hopeful, Bobby couldn’t stop a faint smile of his own. “You bet,” he said, answering Sam’s unspoken question. He gestured at the bag of food that he’d brought in. “Plenty of bacon he can put on his burger, and some pie for later.”

Sam’s shoulders fell again. “But Dean’s too small for a burger,” he said petulantly. “How’s he ‘upposed to eat it?” His voice hiccuped as he talked, giving Bobby insight that Sam was more upset than he was letting on.

John Winchester needed to figure out a way to relate to these kids without being so hamfisted. Bobby silently swore. One kid was too small to defend himself and the other was much too young.

“We’ll make one special for Dean,” Bobby said, trying to make light of the situation for Sam’s sake. “Just you watch.”

He chided the kid to the sink to wash up, then gave Sam one of the juice boxes they’d picked up on the way back. Considering that John had planned on just leaving the kid with the hot dogs and water for however long it took to hunt the witch down, Bobby had prevailed on him to pick up more useful provisions. Kids needed more than meat and water, whatever John thought they could survive on.

Sam sat at the table, watching with watery eyes as Bobby took one of the burgers and diced it down into much smaller segments. He tested with several, ended up with Sam eating a few of the pieces that didn’t work out, until he had one that stayed together and fit on a small pinch of bun that Bobby judged would come close to the size Dean would need to eat. 

Selecting one of the pieces of bacon sizzling in the pan next to the burgers, Bobby handed it off to Sam, keeping the kid involved. “See what you can do with that for Dean,” he encouraged Sam. “He’s probably starved for some real food.”

This got Sam’s first real smile since Bobby had come, and while he finished up the last few burgers, Sam sat there, biting his tongue and delicately putting together the smallest burger so it was just right. A sliver of tomato, the tiniest bit of lettuce, several crumbs of bacon, and the bun pinched around everything.

Bobby was glad to see some life in the younger Winchester boy as he worked diligently on the food for Dean. When he finished prepping the other sandwiches, he handed one off to Sam. “Don’t forget to bring Dean some ketchup,” he advised, adding a bottle cap to the pile and a second juice box. “He’ll feel the better with food in him.”

” ‘Kay,” Sam replied blithely, the pad of his feet running to the library echoing behind him as Bobby followed, suppressing a smile as he heard Sam loudly proclaiming the meal they had ahead of them.

Then Bobby was in the room, handing off a burger to John before he could say a word to Sam about only bringing food for the two of them.

“Hey, Dean,” Bobby said, keeping his voice soft. 

Dean glanced up, obviously stiff as he nodded in Bobby’s direction. “Thank you for the food, sir,” he responded.

Bobby had to hide a frown of disapproval at the formal way Dean was talking. It wasn’t like the kid, normally so cocky and full of confidence.

Not a word was said when they shared out the food, but Bobby could see the way that Dean inched his seat closer to Sam’s, sticking close to the person he knew the best.

Bobby would have given anything to be a fly on the wall while Dean and John had been in there alone, just to hear what the man had told his son, considering how fragile Dean’s position currently was and how delicate his state of mind must be. 

Brothers Saved: Homecoming

On By nightmares06In short storyLeave a comment

And we’re back!

It’s been a while since we visited the Brothers Saved pair, and we left them before John Winchester returned home with Bobby Singer, which is right where this fic pics up! 

Tomorrow the story will continue, in Brothers Saved: Burgers and Bacon and Bobby.

You can find the rest of their story at Archive of Our Own.

“Sam, we’re back!”

The thunderous voice echoed around the Winchester brothers. Sam perked up as he glanced towards the front door, not noticing the way Dean stiffened to hear their father’s deep voice for the first time since he’d woken up just a few inches in height.

John was an intimidating figure on the best of days, and with Dean’s height cut down to a fraction of his original, that would only be heightened. 

“In here!” Sam called, letting the hunters know they were in the library.

Without the ability to go picking through the junked cars out back, there was very little that Dean found interesting to do at Bobby Singer’s house. Due to John’s orders given to Sam before leaving, Dean had stuck close to Sam the entire time since waking up. It helped them both, in a way. Sam didn’t worry so much when Dean was in sight and Dean used it to reassure himself that things weren’t as changed as they felt.

Times like this made Dean doubt that assertion. 

Thudding footsteps made their way through the house. One set split from the other, and Dean could hear Bobby in the kitchen, likely fussing over all the calls he’d missed since joining up with John to help the Winchester family.

Part of Dean wished that Bobby had come to see them in the library, the other part of him knew he would have a hard enough time with just one new giant, never mind a second.

He’d adjusted to Sam over the last two days, spending a lot of time within arm’s reach of the younger Winchester kid. Sam had stayed true to his word, and kept the amount of handling Dean to a minimum, letting his older brother decide if he wanted to change rooms or stay where they were. Only a few times had Sam forgot himself and reached for Dean before offering a hand. 

They were both adjusting, as best as they could.

When Dean has asked about John and Bobby’s extended absence, Sam had shrugged. “They checked in once a day before you woke up, and Bobby made sure to keep the kitchen stocked,” he’d explained. “They’ll be back soon.”

Now that they were, Dean wasn’t ready.

Plodding footsteps preceding him, the threshold of the door to the library filled with John’s formidable figure. Just over a week ago, Dean was only half a foot shorter than him. Now, he found himself craning his head back to just keep his dad in sight.

“Hey, Sammy,” John said, exhaustion in his voice. “How’re things with–“

Trailing off, John’s brown eyes focused on Dean. Having expected to see the small teenager comatose, it was almost comical to see him do a double-take at the sight of his elder son sitting up on his own, clearly alert.

“Sam! I told you to call us if Dean’s condition changed!” John scolded.

Sam hung his head, his cheeks changing to pink as he flushed. “I forgot,” he mumbled at the ground.

Dean couldn’t stop reaching out and patting the arm Sam had resting near him. With everything going on the last few days and the adjustments he was making, Dean was as much to blame for forgetting to call as anyone. He didn’t want Sam shouldering the blame on his own.

Yet there was a small amount of intimidation that coiled in his stomach and prevented him from speaking up about it as John walked to the table.

All of that fled Dean’s mind as John sat down in the chair next to Sam. Compared to the scrawny ten-year-old, John Winchester was massive, and he leaned over to get a better look at Dean.

Sam sheepishly moved his arm out of the way, trying not to fidget in the seat where he was nearly forgotten about in the wake of Dean’s miraculous recovery.

“How ya feelin’, dude?” John asked in an uncharacteristically soft voice. It was a tone of voice Dean couldn’t remember ever hearing out of the man, at least as far as he was concerned. 

Dean clenched his jaw, forcing himself to meet John in the eyes. “I’m fine, sir,” he said stiffly. “No injuries, and Sam’s been careful the whole time.”

John nodded, reaching a hand towards Dean. Dean didn’t let himself flinch away, hating how helpless he felt near his dad.

None of this was right.

All John did was carefully check Dean’s arms and chest for injuries, much like he did with either kid after they took a particularly big fall. Dean had seen him do the same after a hunt, and had even helped patch John back together several times.

Fat lot of good he was now. A needle would be half his size.

John pulled back, and his face clouded over. “I told you to keep us updated while we were gone,” he scolded his younger son, resuming the same conversation as though they’d never stopped.

Sam’s shoulders slouched. “I didn’t mean…”

“You can’t go forgetting something like that,” John said sternly. “Now go help Bobby get the food together. I’ll help Dean.”

Blinking fast, Sam scrambled out of his chair and nearly ran from the room.

Dean watched Sam leave, an odd feeling weighing down his heart.

Not once had John asked him about how things were over the last few days. 

Almost as though he didn’t trust Dean.

A Briefing

On By nightmares06In commissioned art, short story1 Comment

( A Brothers Consulted short story, and the prequel to A Burglary at Baker Street )

Stan Baker hadn’t thought about the word ‘borrower’ in ages.

He vaguely remembered a series of stories of the same name that he read when he was in primary school. They depicted tiny little people, inches high, managing to survive by living alongside human beings and picking tiny amounts of food and supplies from them. That much he could recall, so evidently the stories had more of an impact on him than he thought…

The last place he expected to experience nostalgia for a children’s story was during a surprise meeting with his employer.

At first Stan thought he’d misheard; he had been winding down for the night before receiving his summons. He’d hurried over so fast he hadn’t had time to brush away all the dog hair from the cuffs of his trousers and the hem of his dark wool coat, perhaps he was still reeling from the rush to his employer’s office.

No. The boss was completely serious. Apparently, the existence of people so small came to his attention through Sherlock Holmes, of all people. The consulting detective had become involved with some of the (actual, real) tiny people.

A pair of brothers called the Winchesters.

Stan didn’t get to learn much about them before his employer got down to business, unfortunately. As fascinating as the stuff about borrowers was, it was only a small part of the mission.

The agent thumbed through the file given to him and listened to the briefing in a bit of a haze. All the information was in his hands, allowing Stan to quietly marvel at the revelation of tiny people. A concept so fantastical that it was universally consigned to childhood imagination.

The others are never going to believe this…

Artwork by kittybaka-chan!