Hoodie Blues

Sam had dragged Dean to the mall because they both needed new clothes. Though he kinda regretted it because on the ride over his brother didn't look so good. That and he kept on sneezing and coughing constantly. Now as he was looking at the price tag on a pair of jeans on the clearance rack, he finally thought to look around and see if he could catch sight of Dean. He'd only been shopping for an hour, but he couldn't seem to remember Dean being around for even ten minutes. Damn, he thought, I'm such an idiot. It wasn't like his brother to just wander off like that, it was like him to hang around Sam and joke about the clothes he wanted to buy, calling them girly, and picking out the most ridiculous shirts for him to wear. Like, Hey Sammy come try this hat on it suits you, and you look good in pink Sammy, it matches your rosy cheeks. Sam had been so happy he wasn't around to bug him, because he was often the reason why he rarely bought any new clothes in the first place, that he hadn't noticed that his brother was acting strange. He shook his head and put the pants down, looking through the aisles and fitting rooms of the department store.

"Is there anything I can help you with sir?"

He looked up at a smiling brunette and got an idea.

"Yeah, could you please direct me to where the restrooms are?"

"Of course, go down to the men's shoes and they're to your right."

"Thank you."

He walked as fast as he could without looking too suspicious. But it didn't matter, cause when he looked back the girl was gone anyway.

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Dean stared at Sammy, who was looking at some long sleeved shirts, completely oblivious to what Dean was doing. So he walked away. He didn't want to put this on him anyway. How sick he really felt. Like he was gonna die. So he was gonna go somewhere nice and private and curl up in the corner and die. He walked towards the bathrooms, hands in his pockets, and suddenly he felt really hot. Great now I have a fever, he thought as he coughed and moaned in sudden pain. He yanked the jacket off and threw it on the ground. And ever since then, he was out of it. He had absolutely no idea what he was doing, or where he was going anymore. His feet just led him quickly away from his oblivious brother. Towards quiet and comfort. Well, as comfortable as a department store bathroom was ever gonna get.

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Sam was getting frantic. Really, really frantic. He burst through the bathroom doors only to find himself wrong. So he headed down the escalator and tried to find the ones down there, which took him a while.

"I should have asked", he mumbled to himself angrily.

He started to run now. Where the hell was Dean? And more importantly, was he okay? Oh no, his mind raced back and forth so fast he wondered why he didn't have a headache by now, what if Dean's hurt, what if he's…No. He shook his head and refused to believe. Dean was probably just looking around, trying to play hard to get. Maybe hitting on a girl in the high heel section, or trying to find a new leather jacket. But the more Sam raced around and thought of all the places Dean could be, the more he believed his brother was in trouble. And he had to find him. He was so worried now. Sam caught a glimpse of the sign up ahead and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He sped through the hallway and swung the door open to find his brother huddled up on the ground, eyes closed and arms and legs hanging limply to his side.

"Dean!"

Dean's eyes slid open to find his little brother shaking him. He was on the floor in his lap, looking down at him with huge worried tear filled eyes.

"Wha?"

"Oh Dean. You scared me to death."

"What am I doing on the ground?"

"I don't know. I found you in here like this."

Sam placed a hand on his forehead and winced. He gently brushed back his brother's hair, even more worried now that Dean wasn't even trying to get some personal space and attempt to stand on his own.

"You're freezing. What happened to my jacket?"

"Dunno. It got really cold and I guess I lost it. Sorry Sam."

"Hey, it's okay. That's why we're here, Dean. I'll just buy a new one."

Dean shivered under his grasp and sick of Sammy looking at him like that, managed to get the words out but didn't intend on acting on them just yet. He was tired as hell, getting a headache, and his nose was killing him. So he just lay there in Sam's arms, still struggling to work his way back to reality and simultaneously trying to man up. What the hell was wrong with him?

"Let me go, Sam. I can walk."

Dean hated himself when he moaned in pain and pressed more into the warmth of his brother, the only one holding him up right now.

"Yeah right, Dean. You can hardly sit up let alone stand."

"You calling me a girl?"

He gasped as his body started shaking violently. Sam pulled him closer and he gave in, internally still cursing himself but there wasn't much he could do. His savior patiently waited until the shivering stopped, leaving a comforting hand on his cheek the entire time. Then Dean went limp and found himself barely conscious. His eyes were still open, which was a good sign, thought Sam. But it still didn't look good.

"You should have told me you were sick, Dean."

"Didn't want to worry you."

Dean's voice cracked and he hated Sam for not letting him stay at their motel, for sparing him this utter humiliation that he was going through in a public bathroom. Of all places in the world where this could have happened, why here? They were more than an hour from the motel, and Dean's didn't think, no, he knew he would not make it. He needed to lie down in a bed, not go shopping for new pants and shoes. But more than anything, he could never find himself to tell Sam when he was feeling under the weather. After all, he was certainly more of a man than that. So he let his brother drag him to this hell hole. He should have just told Sam. He would have listened, he always listens. And right now he hated himself for being here, and he hated himself for putting Sam through this. They didn't need this, times were stressful enough. Dean was sick of being a burden.

"You think I'm not worried now big brother?"

"I'm sorry. I don't want to be a burden."

"Don't, Sam let a tear fall onto Dean's clammy cheek, "Don't apologize. I love you and you really scared me. And you'll never be a burden. I love taking care of you."

Sam saw a faint flicker of a smile on the face before him and smiled back down at him lovingly. Dean tried to get up, he really did, but he couldn't. It was hopeless.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, Dean. You're gonna be just fine."

Sam looked around desperately for a jacket, something, anything at all. Nothing.

"Okay, he took charge, I'll be right back. I'm gonna get you something warm okay? Then we're gonna get out of here."

He very reluctantly let go of Dean and headed out the door.

"Right back okay, Dean?"

His older brother nodded and Sam ran. He ran like hell.

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He ran back to where he had been looking at the pants. He went up to the girl, who was now at the register.

"Do you have any hoodies?"

"Sweatshirts?"

He nodded and she led him deeper into the men's clothes. The first hoodie she took off the rack he pointed at accusingly and said…

"That's the one."

She was shocked, opening her mouth and waiting for words to come out.

"This one? It looks like a size too small for you. We have plenty of others to choose from."

"It's perfect."

She nodded slowly and he quickly walked back to the register, her struggling in her black high heels to catch up. He tapped his fingers on the counter impatiently, credit card out and ready to make the purchase. He knew it would fit Dean, he was about a size or two smaller than him. It was thick and looked warm, which was all that mattered in the long run. He paid for it, thanked the girl and ran like hell back to Dean. He just hoped he was still conscious by the time he got there.

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Sam pushed the door open to find Dean exactly where he had left him.

"Hey Dean, he walked over slowly, I'm back."

His brother, on the floor looking so small and helpless, moaned in response as Sam gently pulled him up on his lap once more.

"I bought you something."

Sam displayed the hoodie to Dean, who looked at it like it should be burned.

"Dude, it's burgundy. I don't wear burgundy."

"Well I didn't have much time to look. So just wear it for me okay?"

Dean nodded and Sam noticed that his face had gotten paler. He brought the sweater over his head and then put the hood up, so it covered most of his face and provided him with some ounce of comfort. Sam grinned at his older brother, noticing how adorable he truly looked in dark red. He positioned his arms so that they were ready to pick up his legs.

"Sammy, I don't want to be carried."

"Well too bad, cause you can't walk and I'm not staying in here."

Sam smiled reassuringly, looking down at Dean to give him fair warning what was coming in the next few seconds. He slowly lifted him off the ground, cradling him close and walking as fast as he could without causing his brother further discomfort. When he got out to the parking lot he adjusted the hoodie better onto him. Dean's eyes were closed but he moved a little, proving to Sam he was awake.

"Just hold on."

Sam struggled with the weight a little now, the last of his adrenaline fading away. He pushed his brother into the back seat so he could lie down.

"I want to go home, Sammy."

"I know, Dean. But it's gonna take about an hour."

He hopped into the front seat and looked back to make sure he was cozy and warm.

"I'm so sorry. I never should have taken you here."

"It's fine, Sam. Just forget it."

Sam bit back his further concern and focused on the task ahead. Driving the hell out of there and getting Dean curled up in the fluffy sheets of the motel bed.

"Like your new hoodie?"

Sam grinned as his brother gave him a pathetic little death glare, the best he could do in his fragile condition.

"Bite me."

The youngest Winchester pulled out of the parking lot and made a mental note never to take Dean shopping again. Even though his big brother did look adorable in that burgundy hoodie.

FIN