Yes, another fic... But this one has been sitting on my hard drive for a year and I know myself. If I don't start posting it, I won't work on it anymore. And I really don't want to drop this project.
'Rome asks if we'd like to fly home with him next week after the Smackdown tapings,' Seth mutters before yawning heartily, squinting his eyes at the blinding lights of the gas station. 'Says Jojo misses us. Did he tell her it was all fake and I am not actually the bad guy?'
Dean stops the car and unbuckles the seatbelt, searching in the glove box for his wallet. Of course Seth won't move to pay half the bill. He might not be the bad guy, but he's definitely Scrooge McDuck. That knucklehead better hand over some cash for the plane tickets or Dean will let his brother walk through the states from now on. He's not a taxi driver.
'No, she still believes you turned on us, which you did,' he points out, groaning when he realizes he threw his wallet on the backseat in a hurry earlier. It'll take years to find it. All cause Seth ran out of the arena, screaming start the car as if the devil himself was chasing him. Dean can't even tell how much he's come to hate this game of hiding. But accepting Seth's apology – after letting him suffer for what he did, of course – meant the beginning of a double life and Dean has to admit, having his baby brother back, playing hide and seek with the Authority and the world still tops being alone.
'But you know Jojo, she got the biggest heart on earth, jus' like her dad. Never stopped loving you, so ya better stay in your prick role next week, but heaven help me, if you're not nice to her, I'm gonna choke you right in front of her.'
Seth rolls his eyes and moans, 'How am I supposed to do that? Why would I ever show up with you?' Really? Seth, the King of Liars, the Man – as he calls himself so arrogantly –, the mastermind and Architect can't come up with another cheap-ass, fake story to tell a little kid that for some reason believes every word coming outta his mouth?
Dean shoves his brother to the side to awkwardly climb to the back instead of getting out of the car like a normal person would. 'Tell her I kidnapped you, blackmailed you, whatever. She'll forgive me for forcing you to see her,' he grumbles, letting out a triumphant aha when he finds his money under a pile of dirty clothes and empty bottles. Fuck, he needs to clean this shit up as soon as possible. Carpooling is only funny till he gets left behind with all the junk to drive his puffed up boyfriend through the country.
'Fine, we could use our handcuffs, make it more believable,' Seth muses, opening Ro's message again to write back. 'Hey, don't forget to buy me something to eat? I'm starving. And if they have Kill Cliff, I'd like a can.'
Sure, Dean will just hop on the rollercoaster to get to his vault in Gringotts. God, sometimes Seth is so pretentious, it's horrible. Makes him doubt why he ever forgave that idiot in the first place. Oh right, feelings and all that. If they hadn't been screwing, Dean probably wouldn't've let him back in his life. Though, it was more than just fucking. He can try to deny it all he wants, he'd always beg on his knees to have Seth by his side. It's pathetic how much he's attached to the kid.
'Anything else, your Majesty?' Seth looks up and smiles – and God damn, all of Dean's anger just flies straight out of the window –, bending over to give him a quick kiss before he readjusts his hoodie in case someone they know pulls up at the gas station too. 'Actually, yes. Hurry up, I need to pee and I won't use the toilet here. Ew. And don't you dare tell me I should take one of those bottles.'
Dean sighs, though he can't stop grinning. 'I hate you too,' he mumbles, shaking his head to express both his annoyance and gratefulness that Seth allowed him to say that instead of the words he still chokes on. They would mean taking the next step and after all the shit they went through, Dean isn't ready yet to make it. He likes the way things are going now. Easy, comfortable, familiar.
'Don't forget some condoms,' Seth screams once he's thrown the door closed, waving at him like a kid that just entered the candy store and resumes to write their big brother while Dean refills the tank, eyes drooping shut the longer he stares at the numbers flashing by. It's been a rough day. A rough one and half years, to be honest.
Dean doesn't pay any attention to the five figures rushing past him, nor does he follow the happenings inside. All he does is bang on the rooftop to startle Seth and chuckle while checking how much money he has left and if it's enough to still pay for their room tonight. Looks like they need to find the cheapest motel out here.
He hears the cha ching of the cash register when he enters and immediately catches up on the weird silence in the room. It's only then that he looks up and stares into the barrel of a loaded gun. His last thought is a mix of I better not be the only one about to get shot and Seth won't ever get over this and then the weapon fires and his chest flares up.
After that, it's only unimaginable pain and fading lights, his little brother's face, waves of overwhelming panic, worry and love for Seth rushing through his weirdly numb body and a desperate voice trying to reach his ears.
And just like that, it's over.