Raincheck
by Mariner
"Check it out, dude, they've got Krispy Kremes." Dean grabbed a pair of cardboard boxes off the shelf and examined the contents through the clear plastic lids. "You want frosted or jelly-filled?"
"We have a six-hour drive left ahead of us, Dean." Sam lifted the lid of the mini-mart's one small refrigerated case and examined the plastic-wrapped sandwiches inside with a dubious expression. "Do you really want to spend it having a sugar rush?"
"You're right, that frosting shit is way too sweet." Dean stuck one of the boxes back on the shelf. "Jelly-filled it is, then."
"Whatever." Sam rolled his eyes and reached inside the case, pulling out a bundle of shredded veggies wrapped in a soggy-looking tortilla. He turned it this way and that, looking for the label. "Hmm. I wonder what makes this a 'Greek wrap,' in particular?"
"I wonder how I'm even related to you," Dean said, grinning. Sam's touching and eternal faith that someday, somehow, he would find an edible sandwich in a gas station mini-mart never ceased to amuse him. "Are you seriously considering eating that thing?"
"I don't know." Sam peeled back a corner of the plastic and frowned. "The lettuce looks kind of... wilty."
"Of course it's wilty! It's probably been sitting in there for a year, waiting for the only idiot in the entire fucking country who would buy a Greek wrap in a gas station."
"Good point." Sam sighed and dropped the sandwich back inside the case. "Go pay for your donuts. I want to see what else they got here."
"I'll meet you outside," Dean said, and headed for the cash register.
He got a cup of coffee to go with the Krispy Kremes and went out to sit on the Impala's trunk while he ate. The donuts were a little stale, but not so bad that a gooey jelly filling and a generous dusting of powdered sugar couldn't make up for it. Dean wolfed down the first in two bites, then took time to savor the second. It was probably his last chance of the day to enjoy his food, since they were on their way to check out a possible ghoul infestation in South Dakota, and ghouls were always gross and appetite-destroying.
Dean just hoped that these wouldn't turn out to be some newly discovered species of peacenik hippie ghouls who ate vegetarian and cuddled kittens in their spare time. He really didn't need any more of that shit to think about.
He finished the second donut and was just starting on the third when Sam emerged from the mini-mart, looking cheerful and clutching a brown paper bag in one hand.
"Ready to go?"
"Sure." Dean hopped off the trunk and circled toward the driver's side door. "So I guess you finally found some-- ooph!"
There was no transition at all. One moment he was peacefully eating a donut, and the next, he was on his ass on the ground with his skull ringing and stars dancing in front of his eyes. His baby brother had a mean right hook, and a lot of body mass to put behind it.
"What the hell--" Dean raised one hand to gingerly poke at his jaw. He could feel the beginnings of a lump forming on the left side. There was a sticky smear across his chin, too, but a quick examination determined that it wasn't blood, but jelly. Sam's punch had caught him in mid-bite, smearing the remains of a perfectly good donut across his face. "Ow. What the fuck was that?"
"My raincheck," Sam said, perfectly deadpan.
"Your wha--" Dean blinked at him in dazed (and slightly concussed) astonishment. It had been two weeks. He'd actually forgotten. "Asshole. I didn't hit you that hard."
"Hey." Sam shrugged. "Not my fault that you punch like a girl. Here." He rummaged inside his paper bag and pulled out a plastic baggie full of ice. "Put this on your face, it'll keep the swelling down."
"How considerate of you." Dean climbed to his feet, brushing off Sam's attempts to help. "Admit it, you just did it so I'd let you drive."
"Actually," Sam said, "I did it because you look really funny with jelly smeared all over your face. The driving's just a bonus."
"Asshole," Dean said again.
But as he circled around to the passenger door, he found himself moving with more spring in his step than he'd had in two weeks.