The pain had subsided but the ache was still there. He could feel the throbbing in his face around his eye. Where the other teens fist had connected with him leaving him falling to the floor.
A few times Dean had felt weak in his life. This time he felt completely vulnerable.
All he had done to rile them all up was kiss some boy. They had been found behind the bleachers, kissing and innocently touching each other. Nothing more, nothing less. Just a little experimentation though Dean could still feel the others lips on his own, the strange tingle that told him that he did not just like girls.
He had thought the other boy was cute for some time now, and it was not until prompted that he pushed forward on his curiousity. Feeling the softness of the other under his own skin, his hands held above his head as the other made him lay back on the grass. The way the others eyes stared into his own…
They had been separated violently by yelling. The other getting up fast and running for safety leaving the assailants to focus only on Dean, the new kid.
With fists and feet they attacked. Each spitting on him and telling him he was disgusting. Calling him things Dean would rather not remember. Things that made him huddle tighter in the leather jacket his Father had given him as if it would provide some form of protection and comfort.
Just thinking on it brought tears to his eyes…
It was not enough he was always the new kid, the one who was weird. Too much of a womanizer, too dumb, too smart, too this, too that…
He had to be some kind of fa-
Could not even think the word with out bile rising in his throat, pushing over to the side of the motel to hold his hands against a wall. Staying over the garbage can so he would not get vomit all over the side walk.
What would his Dad think if he found out…?
Swallowing hard he blinked a few times to push back the tears before pressing on towards the room he and Sam were staying in. Naturally the kid greeted him as soon as he entered. Thirteen, bright and glowing though sick with chicken pox he looked up at Dean like the elder boy was his sun and stars.
The expression fell seeing the bruise on his one eye.
"What happened!" raising himself up on tip toe he touched it gently, pulling back as Dean winced.
"Just protecting some girl from being harassed, no big deal really. Go watch cartoons, I'll make something for us to eat, okay?" smiling he ruffled the others hair, watching him go completely trusting of Dean.
Dean Winchester, always the hero. Never the victim.
His smile wavered looking down at his hands before checking what little money he had from doing errands around town. Might get some cover up and food for Sam next time he was out.
He was not going back to school though. Not after that. He could finish his grade twelve some other way. But he would never be that vulnerable again. Sam needed him more anyway. More important to put the kid through school. Give him…
Give him what Dean could never have.
Right now though he had to make sure Dad never found out what happened.