'Yo, hey Ro?' 'Hm?' his brother hums back, concentrating on changing the lane to pass the school bus Dean is pointing at. He can't let Roman do that, so he casually puts his hand on the steering wheel, yanking the car back to the median strip.
'The fuck, Dee?' his best friend yells angrily, smacking him on his fingers so he'll withdraw them. He ignores the slight stinging where his brother hit him and nods towards the ugly yellow vehicle. 'Stop complaining and tell me you too see that cute boy over there holding up the sign SOS, hostage, no joke.'
Roman doesn't believe him – of course he doesn't, Dean is someone who loves to cry wolf to prank people since he can get himself out of every jam he gets into and Ro would never leave him alone anyway – but this time it's not something he made up.
'Cute boy? Seriously, Dean, stop ogling children before someone might get the idea you're pedophile.' 'Okay, cute high school kid. Better?' he asks grumpily, once again falling for his best friend's teasing words. It's not his fault he likes his partners a bit younger. Not that young though, he's not a pervert.
'I'd say he's at least seventeen. Besides, I don't wanna fuck him. Not until I know his name. Right now, I'd like you to tell me I'm not imagining this and then call the cops. What if it's real?' Roman sighs, still not convinced but he takes a quick glance, frowning when he sees what Dean means.
'It's probably just another buffoon thinking he's the world's biggest jester. You really should bang him, you two have the same stupid kinda humor.' He rolls his eyes, looking back at the bus beside him. The sign is gone now and the kid stares ahead, though Dean thinks it looks a bit forced.
Like he wants to appear as if he didn't just tip someone off. Kid's got some guts, endangering the lives of his comrades like that.
'We got paper?' he asks, not waiting for Ro to answer him, rummaging around on the backseat to find what he wants. 'You're kidding, right?'
'Nope,' he grunts, twisting his arm uncomfortably to reach his duffel on the floor. 'I believe him.' Roman heaves a loud sigh, sounding more than just annoyed. That's nothing new. The Samoan has been pissed off ever since Dean ate the last Twinkie.
Or it was the fact that he once again forgot to buy new milk and Ro took a large gulp of sour one, spitting it into the sink to lecture him yet another time about the rules of living together. What can he say? He's been on his own for so long that he most likely won't ever change.
Though Roman keeps on hoping that the right partner will knock some sense into him.
'Please tell me it ain't just to give him your number,' his brother begs exasperated and Dean chooses not to answer. Since this is mostly about giving cute hostage guy his phone number. Hey, he never claimed to be a saint. A man has needs and Dean loves a good challenge.
Bus guy seems to be a bit uptight and a smart kid – judging by the nerd glasses and his impeccable clothes; Dean looks like a hobo compared to him – and it'll be his pleasure showing him that a little gay adventure never hurts. Of course he'd wait until the kid's legal. He kissed jail goodbye years ago and he vowed to never walk into one again.
'Dean Ambrose,' his best friend hisses warningly, undoubtedly ready to give him another dressing-down that's about him not taking anything serious and considering everything a game. 'You'd only break his heart.' Says who? Dean isn't exactly boyfriend material but he's an awesome amigo.
No one said anything about ruining the kid for the rest of his life. He's not that kind of a scumbag. 'Don't worry, I let him dump me,' he reassures Ro, scribbling down something after finally finding a pen and some crumpled sheets of paper.
'You– I'll warn him about you and Imma tell him to not get attached cause you can't handle that, always running away. Kid's gotta have a fair chance in this too,' his big brother grouses, voice barely louder than a whisper and Dean grins.
Ro cares way more than is good for him. He won't tell bus kid anything, but he'll watch over him day and night. And he'll remind Dean to be himself instead of the jerk he pretends to be cause he still believes that one day, Dean will let someone get close to him, giving him the peace of mind he's been searching for his entire life already.
'I'll lay him on a bed of roses,' he mumbles back, making sure to write in big enough letters for the kid to see. He has to wait until he looks down at him again, holding Roman's arm to signal he should stay next to the school bus.
Finally, cute nerd guy risks a glance to the side and Dean holds up his message. We'll help, don't worry. Speaking of. 'Call the cops,' he orders, turning the paper around to write something else down. Roman groans, fishing out his phone before it hits him.
'Why don't you do it?' Dean checks if it's safe to let the yellow vehicle out of his sight and stares at his friend. 'Just do as I say. Trust me, I'll need mine in a few minutes. That is, if big nose over there is ready to take another risk.' Roman has no time to scold him, still concentrating on not having a car crash on the Interstate, but Dean can see that there's a sarcastic comment on his tongue.
For the sake of helping these folks he bites it back though, for once doing what he was told while Dean continues his conversation with varsity jacket next to him.
I'm Dean, this is Roman. We'll stay with you.
Can you answer me? Scratch your nose if no.
Brown eyes look into his for a second and something in his chest tingles weirdly. It's gone again when he watches a shaking finger scratch a nose. Good. Or well, not really. It means that there's a kidnapper with blood hound senses or even more than only one.
Either way, Dean needs the kid to be a ninja now, putting his own safety on the line to help his schoolmates out.
He nods, jotting down his phone number on one sheet and the next order on another. They drive for a few minutes directly behind the bus because Roman doesn't want to raise any suspicion by never passing it. He's getting agitated, forced to watch the backs of kids' heads and listen to his big brother talk to a very annoyed woman on the phone.
'How can you be sure this isn't just another prank?' 'I'm not,' Ro replies friendly, reminding her that he's not in the bus and thought so too. But all the kids look rather tense, staring ahead as if someone threatens them to do so or otherwise they'll get killed in front of their friends' eyes.
'This one kid is secretly communicating with us and my brother believes him. That's all I need and should also be good enough for you. It can't hurt to send a car, can it? If it's a joke I'll strangle the boy myself.' Dean snickers, not able to sit still, burning a hole in the back of a blond girl's head with his intense glare.
Can they please drive to adorable jailbait guy, so he can make sure the other is still unharmed and to finally get the confirmation that this isn't just a tasteless joke but bitter reality? Whatever the case, he'd like to make sure the boy gets home safely.
Weird.
In the past ten years Dean didn't worry about somebody else. Ro excluded, obviously. He must be really bored if he willingly goes out of his way to help a complete stranger. After today he can't claim anymore that he's a heartless asshole.
'I will pretend I didn't hear you threatening to harm a defenseless high school child and instead send a car. There will be two officers in it and it'll be a black Chevrolet. If this is really a kidnapping, we shouldn't alarm the culprits with our presence.'
'Thank you,' Ro purrs into the phone, hanging up to focus on getting them next to the bus again. 'Man, she really loves her life. And saving people. Perfect job she got herself there.' Dean doesn't say anything, not wanting to deal with a grumpy Roman right now.
Besides, he's for once way more interested in being a white knight instead of one of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, doing his good deed for the day. This kid better be worth it.
'Talk to him and do it fast. Sooner or later whoever's on the bus will see us constantly driving alongside of it.' He nods, holding the next sheet against the cool glass, waiting for nerd guy to dare take a peek. His eyes widen in shock and Dean can see that he wants to shake his head and flip him off – feisty – but stops himself at the last second to not attract anyone's attention.
Dean nods with a smirk on his lips, trying to make the kid believe it's gonna be okay. That he has to take this risk and that it'll pay off. Honestly? It could kill them all, if their kidnapper has a trigger-happy finger. Dean knows that he's asking for awfully much, but it's the only thing he can think of.
He's always been someone who rather jumps into the unknown than staying in line with all the other boring people. Life's about living it, not watching it pass by.
With an encouraging wink he changes the sheets, holding up his phone number. Before he can see any reaction from the kid Roman lets himself fall back a bit, allowing two cars to get in between them and the school bus. The more seconds tick by without a sign from hot stuff, the more restless Dean gets.
He's rarely cared about someone's well-being and as time flies by he genuinely fears he got the kid into serious trouble by urging him to call a stranger in the middle of a bus hijacking. It's a smart idea, he's still convinced of that, but maybe he shouldn't have persuaded an innocent boy to–
And then his cell rings.
With a proud grin he puts a finger on his lips to signal Roman to not speak until he switched the conversation on mute on their part. For someone who's being held hostage big nose really has a lot of guts. Dean's starting to like the kid immensely.
They both stare at the phone, waiting for someone to talk and reveal their plan – though he's sure Roman also expects an answer to the question is this a ruse or the real deal? –, Dean smacking his big brother on the arm when he forgets that he's still driving and should keep an eye on the road.
Even though they could talk now, they both stay silent, afraid to miss something important. They can hear clothes rustle and Dean suspects the kid hid his phone in the pockets of his varsity jacket, so his hands are free should someone walk up to him.
The fact alone that the boy still has his mobile and was stealthy enough to write the note lets Dean feel something new. Something he only ever had reserved for Roman because he's never left him; not even after all the shit he constantly pulls. And that's respect. He's impressed how sneaky this kid is, how good he can plan ahead, how he sacrifices everything to save many.
Maybe he shouldn't drop him as soon as he's had his fun. This kid sounds too interesting to throw away. He seems to be a rebel at heart like Dean, while he has the presence of mind and tranquility from Roman. Like the two of them he too works best under pressure.
He's probably the school genius and Dean would love to see what else this kid can do, how smart he really is and what other surprises he has in store for him. Not once in his life has he been hooked so easily. The kidnapper better not lay a fucking finger on him or Dean will go berserk.
'Excuse me, Sir,' they suddenly hear someone speak up and even though he can't be sure, he knows instinctively that it's the jailbait. Wow, it's a surprisingly deep and calm voice, considering he's practically laughing danger in the face. Roman shoots him a pissed off glance, hitting him hard on the thigh for making the boy talk to the bad guy.
'If anything happens to him, it'll be your fault,' his best friend needlessly reminds him. Dean is only too painfully aware of that and he's never prayed to a god, but he does right now, so nothing will go wrong – he'd blame himself for the rest of his life and he's so done eating shit.
'Don't worry, he can take care of himself,' Dean mutters, not knowing how he can be so sure of that, but he doesn't doubt what he just said. Mostly because he has to believe the other can deal with anything that gets thrown at him.
'I hope you're right,' Ro whispers, shutting up once cool kid can be heard again. 'If we keep on driving without a pit stop our gas will run out in approximately twenty-three minutes. Give or take two. You also didn't tell us which parent you want to call for the ransom. And I don't intend to annoy you but I'm pretty sure some of us have to use the toilet.'
'He's gonna get himself killed,' Roman shakes his head but they both can only smile. Stunning the bad guy with his exceptionally clever brain and confusing him by talking overly much. Dean is insanely proud of varsity kid, glad that he and his brother decided to make a road trip to Cincinnati today instead of tomorrow like planned.
It's a bit frightening to realize that he couldn't have been here right now, never getting to know someone so unique as Daredevil in the bus. He can't assess yet if the situation is life-threatening or just a simple kidnapping to get easy money but his chest constricts when the image of the kid's dead body flashes through his mind.
'Shut up,' someone far away yells and Dean closes his eyes, somehow sensing that those words have no effect whatsoever. He wouldn't stop running his mouth either.
'But Sir, I only want to help. If you keep us fed and hydrated, if you let us use the bathroom and refill the tank, our parents surely will do everything to ensure we get home in one piece. We have enough cash on us to pay for the gas, if that's your problem.'
What a bratty, little shit that kid is. Dean can't help it, he has to smile because he's completely blown away. And entertained, though he really shouldn't be in a moment like this.
'Ro, I fear I'm falling in love with him. He's risking his neck with his careless talk cause he trusts us enough to put his life into our hands.' 'Not like he got much choice,' his brother mumbles loud enough for him to hear, checking the rearview mirror for the Chevy. No sign of it yet.
'Stop ruining my fantasy,' he shushes his friend, holding up the phone as if that could help him hear better. 'I said shut up. Shut your fucking mouth or I'll make you,' a very angry person barks, the voice getting louder with each word. Oh-oh, seems like he pissed someone off with his smart tongue.
'Sir, there's no need to shove a gun in my face. That doesn't impress me.' 'Is he nuts? He's clearly even dumber than you,' Roman snarls, but Dean can see that he's getting worried too. Cool kid seriously deserves his nick name.
'I said shut up,' comes the third reminder but predictably, it's not enough to convince cute bus guy to suddenly respond well to orders. 'Shir, pleashe take 'e gun out oph mah mouth.' Against his will, Dean starts sweating. On any other occasion he'd laugh about the brazenness of the kid, admire his will to never back down – he'd even use it to lure the other in his bed or let himself be dragged into the boy's room – but right now, it's making him restless.
His fingers start shaking and he has trouble keeping the mobile steady in his hands, so Ro won't notice. Sure, they promised to aid him, but what can they actually do? If he gets shot right now, Dean couldn't help at all. He'd have to continue sit in the car – and he'd be responsible for a dead child.
Suddenly his confidence leaves him and he wishes more than ever that the kid keeps his mouth shut from now on. Dean wants him to live, so they can get to know each other. He sure as hell doesn't want to visit another grave.
'Thank you, Sir,' the guy just won't stop talking trash. Does he have a death wish? 'Now, like I said, the bus is running on fumes. There's a gasoline station five miles ahead. If you want, you can take me as your hostage while everyone else goes to the toilet and you refill the tank. I just want someone to bring me a cool drink and a sandwich. I'm starving.'
'He won't survive this day,' Roman mumbles and Dean can only nod, dread and panic making it hard to breathe evenly. There must be another reason this kid is so damn full of himself. He's obviously smart as fuck, so he must have already come to the conclusion that two strangers in a car can't do shit in case of an emergency.
Either he has a bulletproof plan B or he's suicidal.
'I swear, if you won't stop moving that fucking mouth of yours, I will shoot you right between the eyes.' 'No, you won't,' comes the instant, cocky reply and Dean would love to throttle the boy himself.
The voice of the perpetrator gets louder and Dean imagines him bending over the kid's seatmate to snap at him, 'And why's that?' He probably hangs on the other's lips as much as he and his brother. The kid takes an awfully long amount of time to answer but right before Dean wants to scream spit it out already, dickhead, he replies arrogantly, 'Because I am Seth Rollins.'
Huh. He's missing something here, since the kidnapper goes silent and Roman's jaw drops open. Dean has never heard that name before. Seems like he is the only one.
'Who's Seth Rollins?' he asks, saying the name once more because he likes how it sounds. But just because he knows it now doesn't mean he'll stop with the nick names. Roman blinks confused, groaning a second later because that question is so Dean.
'Iowa's finest,' his friend tries to kick-start his brain but Dean can only shake his head. He doesn't give a crap about rich people, though he might change that attitude after today. Not because of the money, but because of cool kid. Wealth can't make you happy. Living does.
'Davenport's most powerful family. The Rollins Empire?' Ro looks at him incredulous, throwing his hands in the air when Dean only shrugs, 'Like in Star Wars?'
For that he gets another smack on the leg and the exasperated reproof, 'Don't you ever read the newspaper?' 'I read the comics.' He loves riling Roman up, knows exactly how to do it and now that he's quite certain that big nose most likely won't get killed since he's practically Richie Rich and could still be useful for Mister Chowchilla's plans it even makes fun again.
Ha, see? He does read. Just not the stuff Roman or anyone expects him to.
'His parents, Hunter and Stephanie, own like the whole city. The very city we live in, doofus. You're driving past their fucking mansion every morning on your way to work.' Look at that. He never even realized he passes a huge residence, always too busy with singing along to the radio, drumming the rhythm on the steering wheel.
'I don't give a fuck about who you are, snotty boy. I don't need you alive to get your daddy's money as long as they think you're still breathing. So you better shut. Your. Motherfucking. Mouth.' Dean half expects Seth to just glare at the man with a superior smile on his lips, half hopes he'll zip it for a while.
Not that the kidnapper yanks him out of his seat and the phone falls to the floor.
'I will,' cute bus boy speaks on, still calm and collected – there's no hint of fear in his voice and Dean sighs relieved to see the other is so headstrong and gutsy. Not everyone would do that in his place. Dean isn't sure if a gun being shoved into his mouth wouldn't be the fail-safe way to make him shut up. And he's a couple of years older than high school kid.
'If you release the other hostages. Don't even try to fool me, you're only here because of me and some quarrel you have with my parents, Mister Viper.' Roman's eyes are wide open but Dean shakes his head, heart skipping a beat. That's not the real name of the kidnapper – Seth didn't just royally fuck up; he'd never carelessly put his friends' lives in jeopardy like this –, yet it shows that he does know who is standing in front of him, waving a gun around, holding a whole school bus for ransom.
And he's willing to use that against the man.
Dean wonders if he'd do the same if he and Ro wouldn't be here, silently supporting him. He somehow thinks cool kid would.
There's an awful silence in the bus, not a single sound is to be heard until they can make out a feral growl and someone walking away from the phone, stomping on the ground angrily. 'Drop the kids off at the rest stop, fill the tank, buy this piece of crap over there his drink and sandwich and if you alert anyone before you're back here, driving me and him to where I want, I'll blow his god damn brains out. I'm just itching to do it, so please, give me a reason.'
'He did it,' Roman whispers, letting a third car pass them by to keep a respectful distance to the bus even though Dean's whole being yearns to drive to Seth's window to see for himself that he's still there. He feels like he'll never be able to relax again if he won't hold the kid in his arms tonight, once the nightmare is over.
'Yeah,' Dean breathes, his emotions swaying between pride and fear. With only two hostages, this guy doesn't have a lot of distraction anymore, so his focus will only be on Seth, since the bus driver has to concentrate on the traffic. For the first time in his life, Dean wishes he'd be able to say how this day will end and it scares the hell out of him.
'Seth, we can't leave you with him,' a female voice murmurs almost too low for them to catch, the British accent really thick but charming. 'I got this,' cool kid reassures her and Dean can't say why, but he's sure the other is smiling right now – honest and warm. It's a breathtaking sight, even in his mind.
'Besides, I have a guardian angel.'
God, now they have to save him or else these words will haunt him for the rest of his pathetic existence. Seth is only able to go through this torture because he believes in Dean. No one ever looked at him and immediately went yes, I'd lay my life in your hands.
Aside from Roman, not a single person on this earth trusts him, puts so much blind faith in a scumbag like him. He only hopes that Seth won't regret this once they meet in person.
'We should inform the cops, tell them all but two are going to be released,' his brother mutters a bit lost in thoughts, putting his phone in Dean's hand, so he can make the call while they drive off the Interstate to follow the bus. To keep up the appearance, Roman gets out to refuel, smiling carefree at the kids hopping out of the yellow vehicle. Most of them look like they're close to tears, about to break down right there and Dean's chest starts hurting.
He forgets to dial 911, only stares at the cheerleaders and jocks, praying that they won't get Seth into trouble. But then a really tall guy ushers them inside the diner, making sure they get out of everyone's sight. He lets out a deep breath, resting his feet on the dash when the bus driver makes his way over to the car again; a coke and sandwich in his hand.
Roman is right on his tail, looking like he just bought food for a whole company, throwing it at Dean as soon as he got in. He doesn't even have to say anything, his brother knows him better than anyone in the world, taking his phone back to call the police himself, telling them to pick up most of the hostages and all the other information they managed to gather.
'They say anything?' He shakes his head, putting the food on the backseat since he can't stand the sight of it or he'll have to puke, almost despairing because Dean fears the longer Seth and the kidnapper stay quiet, the likelier it is that the kid got hurt or gagged.
After a while though they hear the sandwich being unwrapped and Dean almost laughs out loud; that's how fucking alleviated he is. 'So, Randy Orton, how much do you want and how can I help you get it?' Seth asks, the telltale sounds of munching filling the air.
'Randy Orton,' Roman repeats, dialing the emergency number for the third time today. They finally have a name but what amazes Dean even more is that Seth knew the whole time that this was only about him. He was aware that his life is in danger and that if he doesn't do something his school mates would suffer. Not only today, cause experiences like this can change a person – sadly mostly never to the better.
So smart kid made sure to get them out of there as soon as possible. He is the guardian angel of all his friends, not Dean or Roman.
'Not interested in your daddy's money,' is the one sentence that makes Dean's blood turn to ashes and his stomach drop. They all know instantly what that means.
Seth seems to be the one of them taking the news the best. Seriously, how does he do that at the tender age of maybe seventeen? 'So it is about me. Since we have never met before, I assume you want to have the biblical revenge. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. What did he do to you?'
'Why do you care?' Randy bellows, his voice still far away as if he's staying with the bus driver, watching Seth through the rearview mirror. 'Well, if I have to give my life for it, I would at least like to know what my father did this time.'
Dean's heart beats in his throat and he feels horribly nauseous, too afraid to hear the answer. 'No clue how he does that but kid's got nerves of steel,' Roman remarks and Dean closes his eyes, not wanting to see anything anymore. 'Doesn't he sound like he's already given up?'
There's a hand on his thigh, squeezing him encouragingly, telling him without words that the only one throwing in the towel is Dean himself. If only he could talk to Seth, then he'd surely be ready to rip anyone's head off but this forced silence on his part makes him lose his mind.
'We're not letting him down, ya hear me?' Yeah, though he still has some trouble believing it.
Seth opens the coke and takes a large gulp, stifling a burp with a decent cough. 'God, he's perfect for you,' his big brother says disbelieving, smiling lopsidedly at Dean. 'Which is why we'll do everything in our power to help him survives this. If you ever break his heart, I'm gonna break you.'
He has no words left, just nods because all of this is getting too much for him. Now Roman and Seth firmly believe he'll think of something to save the day. He's never been a hero, but he swears he'll do whatever is necessary to make sure Seth will be there to see another day. A life shouldn't end that early.
'The Chevy is now right behind us,' Ro announces, pointing through the mirror at two police officers in plain clothes and Dean wracks his brain to come up with a solution. 'How much do you like your car?' he asks grinning mischievously, knowing that his friend will bitch and moan about this for a whole eternity.
'More than I like you,' he gets as an answer; his brother understood him perfectly. 'You'll pay for this, I hope you know that.' 'I thought we could ask daddy to buy you a new one. After all, it saved his kid.' Roman grumbles this better works and if he doesn't, I'll force you to rob a bank, waiting for a good opportunity to drive in front of the bus and step on the brakes.
They need to delay the execution of his plan though, since a huge family of trucks just passed them and blocks the median strip. Which gives them more time to listen to Seth and Randy talking about how Hunter stole him all his money so he couldn't pay for his sister's hospital bills anymore, resulting in her taking her own life to make it easier for her only brother.
'I'm sorry, he can be a true monster sometimes. But I assure you, he's a good father. I get that no one can give you your sister back and that nothing I say will ease the pain, but you should ask yourself if my dad is worth it. If revenge is the way you want to throw your life away.'
Fuck, for a teenager Seth is awfully grown up. More than he should be. When Dean dropped out of high school, he never thought about things like death or making other people feel good. He'd wasted his entire childhood looking after someone who abandoned him in the worst way possible, leaving him in the care of an abusive person who almost accidentally killed him in his high and drunken state.
So naturally, he wanted to live after being free of all the bad stuff. Seth though understands the world even better than Dean and he's convinced the kid has already seen way more pain and suffering than is good for him. He sounds as if he knows very well how it is to lose someone you love with all your heart.
'I'm not his real son, you know that, don't you? Killing me won't hurt him as much as you think it will. I lost my parents when I was six; they– I watched them burn in our house. I– I set the fire. It was my fault they died. Because I wanted to play with fire.'
Misery loves company, it would seem.
'They adopted me a year later and life has been giving me a second chance. But I feel like I need to pay for what I did.' He knew it. He had sensed that Seth – as clever and thick-headed as he might be – was giving up. And now he can understand why. They're so much alike.
This weighs heavily on the kid for over a decade already and his sense of justice is so strong that he wants to be punished for it. His heedlessness cost two lives, so he's prepared to give his own to save others.
'Whatever you do, you would help me while ruining your life at the same time. You'll get a sentence for the kidnapping but I would try everything to witness for you. You haven't hurt any of us, you even let the others free. It's not over yet, Randy. But if you murder me, you'll spend the rest of your life in prison. I didn't know your sister, though I wish I did.'
Dean is hella thankful that Seth refuses to say think about what she would have wanted or her last wish surely wasn't to watch over you in jail, pissing Orton off with it.
He knows very well that whatever happens after a passing, you don't want to listen to that. Because no one knows what a deceased love one would have liked and presuming to do it is a huge slap in the face; only adds insult to injury.
'She was your age,' Randy finally admits, voice thin and broken, 'and all I had.' The trucks are still blocking all lanes, but neither Dean nor Roman are eager to cause a car accident, possibly getting squashed to death by a school bus. And Dean would lie if he'd say he doesn't want to hear the rest of this.
Seth seems to be able to handle the situation perfectly by himself. Brave, little soldier. 'I am very sorry. If you allow it, I will make sure she will be honored, Randy. No one, especially not my adoptive father, will ever forget her again.' Dean knows that the kid truly means every word he just said, but he also realizes that this is an awfully cunning strategy.
He's making the kidnapper get emotionally attached to him, builds a connection to save his own skin. Dean can't even say how much respect he has for the teenager.
'She deserves to be remembered. I would gladly give you back the money he stole from you. It's not his.' Usually, rich kids don't care about the way their parents make cash. They only spend it as often as they can. Seth though grew up without it and was still happy, so he doesn't need it.
Money isn't a way for him to get what he wants, he only wishes to help others with it. Seriously, Seth Rollins is the first teenager Dean has ever liked instantly. And his affection is only getting worse, the more he gets to know.
'Thankfully, the bus driver doesn't interrupt this. I bet only the kid can get through to Orton,' Roman guesses and Dean has to agree. The man better continues to stay out of it. If he doesn't they'll immediately have to let him drive into Ro's car, so the kidnapper can't do something stupid.
'Don't think I can't see what you're doin',' Randy smashes all of Dean's hopes, leaving him broken inside. Instead of the man, Dean got attached to Seth; more than he can ever handle. Losing the kid – no matter how; death, distance, life getting in between – would destroy him.
It usually takes years to conquer Dean's heart and a boy on the phone managed that in under an hour. Without even trying to.
'But I appreciate your words. Still, I got nothing left to lose. Not anymore.' Roman whips his head around, shock making him look ten years older and the phone slips out of his hand when Seth screams, 'Randy, no.' A gunshot echoes excruciatingly loud in the car and Dean feels like he's dying.
His insides start to cramp and bile crawls up his throat. His brother doesn't hesitate for a second, just hits the gas pedal with brute force and Dean has to cover his mouth with a sweaty hand when he can see blood and brain spatters on a window. The fact that no one is talking makes everything a million times worse.
'Oh God,' a strange voice – undoubtedly the driver – exclaims and the vehicle gets slower, Roman following suit, until it stops altogether, parking on the side stripe, a man running out and emptying his stomach on the ground. Oh, how he can emphasize with him.
If it'd help him, he'd do it too but right now he's only concerned about squeezing out one name. 'Ro?' There's so much horror in his voice that he doesn't recognize it as his own. His brother rests a protective hand on his head, forcing him to look into those safe, warm eyes.
'It's okay, Dee. He's fine. See.' With that his best friend points towards a blood-covered figure stumbling out of the bus, looking dumbfounded at his shaking hands.
Dean doesn't even wait until Roman has turned off the engine, just rips his door open and dashes towards Seth, hugging him close to find an outlet for the crippling fear that threatened to turn him into a sobbing mess. 'You're two-toned?' is the first thing slipping out of his mouth and Seth laughs surprised – it might just be the most beautiful sound Dean has ever heard –, clinging to him as if they've known each other forever already.
'So perceptive. You have no idea how good it feels to finally hear your voice,' Draculaura mumbles, burying his face in Dean's chest. He seriously should stop watching Nickelodeon with Roman's daughter. He's aware of way too many shows he shouldn't even have any knowledge of.
'I thought he shot ya,' he confesses, a huge weight falling off his shoulders. Seth breaks the embrace and looks back at the bus with a sombre expression. 'No, I don't think he ever would have harmed me. He never wanted to make it out alive. Randy wasn't a bad person, just really, really sad and lonely.'
Seth too has incredibly soft, brown eyes and right now they contain so much sorrow that Dean's heart aches. He, in his place, would hate the man with every fiber of his being for giving him the worst scare of his life, but Seth is different. This kid is able to see the good in people and Dean catches himself hoping he'll find the light that's buried someplace inside of him.
'You look like Carrie,' he teases, not quite sure how else to react in this situation, tearing his gaze away from the big, white scars on the other's wrists.
Seth blesses him with a smile again, nodding at his equally stained own clothes. 'You're one to talk. Hey, this is totally not the right moment but I just made it out of this bus in one piece and you're here, covered in muck and I have to tell you how freaking hot you look with blood on your face.'
'Oh fuck, there are two of you,' Roman groans behind him, adding after seizing them up and down, 'You so won't sit into my car like that.'
Dean grins down at Seth, ready to make fun of Ro – now that his heart beats rhythmically again; way too fast because this kid is all he ever hoped for, that's perfectly fine though – when varsity boy beats him to it. 'Your companion wants us to get naked. Any objections?'
If the police wouldn't swarm them in this instant, he'd suck the air right out of this cocky bastard's lungs but they yank the kid away from him, leaving Dean feeling horribly forlorn and bereft of a part of his soul. Seth turns around, fighting against the grip of the police officer, yelling with a wink, 'I'm going to take you up on that offer, I hope you know that.' He'd like to see this kid try.
Not even a minute later he gets a text, only now realizing he was still on the phone with Seth.
Thank you for staying with me today. I couldn't have done it without you. Knowing you were there, gave me all the strength I needed to make it through this. You're a good person, Dean and I'm very glad you were there, believing me. I would like to thank you again, in person. One day, if you want to.
Definitely. For the rest of his life, Dean will want to make sure Seth is okay. That won't ever stop. Not after today.
By the way, I meant it. You're hot. And don't worry, I'm already eighteen. Since midnight. All legal, all yours :)
Happy birthday to me.
Ro looks over his shoulder, chuckling after finishing the texts, exclaiming amused, 'You two are totally cut from the same cloth. I've been waiting for someone like him. Lucky you.'
Lucky him indeed.
See you guys once I'm back from the hospital. I hope you had fun reading this, because it was hella fun writing it. I hope I'll be able to write/post more short stories in the future. Anyhow, thanks for supporting me in any way possible. I love you!