Another prompt fill for 29k. Hope you like it (and sorry that it took so long. I know I'm horribly slow ;_;).
'Dean, I can't lose him too,' he sobs against his will, clutching the phone so hard that it creaks under his grip.
'And you won't. I'm on my way, don't freak out,' his brother reminds him with his calm voice that settles deep in Seth's chest to radiate a comfortable warmth whenever panic threatens to take a hold of him again. Tears are streaming down his face, but for once he doesn't care. There are enough people sitting with him in the waiting room who understand exactly what he's going through and gladly he's not the only one bawling.
When he'd found Kevin in a puddle of his own vomit, unable to lift his tiny head anymore, Seth immediately had a flashback to the day Poopoo died and in his desperation he called Dean, who was sleeping in a nearby motel with Roman.
His friend stayed on the phone with him, talked patiently about what to do next – because screaming and crying and breaking down wouldn't help his beloved dog to get better –, guiding Seth to let go of the crippling fear until he brought Kevin to the animal clinic and had to sit down, so these people could find out what's wrong with his baby and how they can cure him.
'Why won't anyone tell me what's going on?' He's been here an hour already, waiting for the veterinarian as well as for Dean, counting the seconds and praying that Kevin will make it through this. Whatever it is.
'I can't lose him,' he repeats helplessly, watching a little girl cry into her mother's lap. He'd love to do that too. Being utterly alone is a special kind of pain he does not need right now.
Seth can hear a car's brakes simultaneously through the phone and outside the clinic, his heart finally settling down because Dean is here. Whatever happens now, Seth won't have to face it on his own anymore. With his brother by his side, he will be able to survive this.
Just... as long as Kevin will be alright.
'You won't,' his friend greets him after throwing the doors open and barging into the clinic, drawing everyone's attention to him.
Those are the last words Dean says to him that night. Strangely enough, for once Seth doesn't have to listen to the raspy, deep voice. Basking in the other's body warmth, clutching the soft hand, seeking solace in those strong, protective arms to cry shamelessly into Dean's shirt, leaving behind a trail of tears and snot without being reprimanded for it, is exactly what he needs.
No words would make this situation any better and Dean is smart enough to know that. It's why he left Roman behind to be with Seth.
'Mr Rollins?' a young, very tired looking woman calls him, waiting with a faint smile until he untangles himself from his brother to drag him into the small room she leads them to. His throat is impossibly tight, making it hard to not be tongue-tied and getout the question that sends a crushing wave of nausea over him. 'Will he be okay?'
Dean entwines their fingers, giving his hand a gentle squeeze that easily defeats the uneasiness and gives him a short-lived sense of normalcy.
The doctor hides her hands in her pockets, looking at a sleeping Kevin. Seth is infinitely glad he can see the tiny chest move up and down or else he'd crash his car against the next tree. He barely made it through Poopoo's death; Kevin is all he has left and a life without him isn't worth living. It's as bad as losing Dean and Seth is done fighting.
'Your dog has been poisoned.'
What?
Even Dean jerks his head around surprised, eyes showing confusion and anger alike.
'I'm sorry, how do you know he didn't just eat something bad?' Seth asks, free hand running through the short fur and he sincerely hopes Kevin can feel his presence even in his peaceful slumber.
The doctor sighs, sounding as if now will come the part she hates the most about her job. She tucks a strand of red hair behind her ear before she shows them some graphics on the computer screen Seth can't make any sense of. Still, he nods when she stars to point at some curves, explaining, 'We ran some blood tests that showed us that there was rat poison in his system. First, we too thought he may have eaten something on accident.'
He doesn't like where this is going and to make it all worse, Seth can feel the tears gathering in his eyes again. He's not stupid. Dean also knows what she's going to say, standing behind Seth to rest his chin on his shoulder while a hand holds his stomach, keeping him in place and helping him not fall to his knees at the same time.
'To be sure,' she continues in that utterly exhausted, sympathetic tone, 'we did some more quick exams that, as you can see here, showed that your dog has been given poisoned treats for months now. The dose wasn't enough to kill him but soon it would have been. We can treat him and he should recover completely over time, yet I can't promise you that there won't be side effects. You should go to the police and get yourself tested.'
So it's true. Someone hates him so much that they would kill an innocent being just to get some pesky kind of revenge. Kevin never did anything to deserve this, yet he's the one suffering for Seth's sins.
This is so unfair. Why hurt someone who can't defend themself? If Kevin won't recover completely, Seth will tear down the whole world to find this jerk and punish him before the police can.
He wants just two minutes alone with that spineless scum.
Dean nuzzles his nose against his neck, calming the desperate storm inside of Seth in a matter of seconds. His brother even manages to make him believe that it will be fine. Kevin is strong and stubborn – like father, like son.
Without his friend, Seth would have freaked out already, would have screamed and bawled until the doctor would have called the asylum. But Dean is here. He has always been by his side, even when Seth thought he'd be better off alone. Even as he did everything in his power to fool himself into believing he hated his family.
The truth is, he canstand on his own two legs but life is so much more fun and easier if they're together.
'Can I take him home with me?' he whispers, not surprised at all that his voice is shaky. He can feel Dean kiss his shoulder when the veterinarian sighs sadly and shakes her head.
'I'd like to keep an eye on him for a couple of days.'
No. He'll wither away if he can't be with Kevin, if he can't help him get through this. He needs to see with his own two eyes that his beloved dog is getting better with each passing hour.
'But– I mean, I get it, but–' he fumbles for words, trying to tell her that he wants to stay. She smiles at him again, this time her face lights up a bit and the tiredness vanishes out of her blue eyes for a moment. It's only now that he realizes she has freckles.
'If it were up to me, you could sleep here but I really think you should go to the police, shower, take a nap with your boyfriend and come back in a few hours. If his condition worsens, we'll contact you immediately.'
Seth's cheeks heat up and he grins nervously at the woman, a lie already on his tongue. Since Dean makes no attempt to brush the boyfriend thing off, he keeps his mouth shut, deciding to file this away as Dean has finally come to terms with that factinstead of thinking it's only because his brother refuses to argue about this while Kevin is sick and Seth is still wired up.
Going home and calling 911 it is then.
'Ya better take good care of Kev. I'm gonna make sure this dunderhead gets back here safely in a few. Thanks for helping us.'
This is the first time Dean has opened his mouth in her presence and – what a surprise – it genuinely amuses the doctor. Great that she's having fun. By now Seth is unable to hold the tears at bay anymore; there's just too much going on inside of him and he needs a way to let it all out.
The concern for Kevin's wellbeing. The butterflies in his stomach whenever Dean touches him. The relief that his dog won't die. The worry that someone is out to kill him and his family. The love and affection he feels for his partner.
Calling Dean was the wisest thing he did tonight. Begging for mercy and asking him to be more than brothers for the rest of their lives was, by far, the best decision he evermade.
Dean proves every day anew what kind of good person he is underneath all that chaos and wildness. Seth should put a ring on him, just to make sure the next big fuck-up won't separate them once and for all.
His friend walks him to the car, hugging him close once they're sitting inside, letting him cry tears of frustration, elation and happiness while simply stroking his hair; being the silent companion Seth is so thankful to call his brother, best friend and love of his life.
It's going to be okay, one way or another.