AN: This is my first and probably last attempt at a songfic. It's far too restricting for my liking, and I don't feel I got the characterization as spot on as I'd like to. But here it is. The song is "Last Request" by Paulo Nutini, beeteedubs.
Dean sat on the edge of his bed, watching as Sam ran around their motel room in a panic, leaving books and paper thrown about in his wake. Dean was down to the one week marker, and God knows he was terrified, but Sam was a whole new kind of scared. Dean swallowed down the fear he was feeling, he had to put on a brave face for Sammy.
"Sam," he said as his little brother stalked past him to pick up a book from the floor, where he'd thrown it after he thought it was useless.
"Sam," he said a little louder when Sam didn't stop, just grabbed the book and went back to his laptop.
"Sam!" he finally bellowed. Sam looked up from his laptop screen, surprise on his face.
"What?"
"Slow down Sammy. You're gonna burn yourself out if you don't."
Sam just blinked at his brother. "Dean, you have a week. We have a week to find some way to save you. Or you're going to hell," he said weakly, lip trembling in just the way that Dean knew he was fighting tears, because his own trembled the same way.
Dean pulled his jacket off and dropped it on the floor, lying back on the bed. He patted the mattress beside him. "Lie down," he commanded. Sam looked at him curiously but took his own jacket off and did as he was told. He slid onto the bed next to Dean, and they squirmed closer. Their bodies fit together perfectly, like they had pre-designed notches. Both on their sides, Dean buried his face in Sam's shoulder. They could both feel the other's heat radiating off their chests, separated by only two thin layers of cotton.
"It's just you and me Sammy. Remember how this used to be? We haven't been able to do this for so long, we've been so intent on saving me from hell," Dean said, words muffled, but Sam understood him perfectly.
"Which is what we should be doing right now," Sam said half-heartedly. He wanted to stay right there on that bed, in that moment, but he wanted to save his brother so much more.
"We can't save me, Sammy. I just want you closer, is that alright? Baby, let's get closer tonight," Dean said, voice pleading. Sam pulled himself away from him, rolling over and sitting up, letting his legs dangle off the bed as he turned his back to Dean, not wanting his brother to see the pained expression on his face as he slumped there.
"Please Sammy? Grant my last request and just let me hold you. Can you do that?" Sam shrugged in response, not trusting his voice to be steady. "Don't shrug your shoulders. Lay down beside me."
"Why do you want this? We're not going anywhere, you're going to be Hellhound chow in a week, right?" Sam asked, peeking over his shoulder at Dean.
"I can accept that we're going nowhere, Sam. But one last time let's go there, one perfect night. Lay down beside me," he repeated.
Sam knew he was bound to wander down that one way road that lead straight to Dean. He'd never get off that road, even if Dean did go to hell in seven days. He realized all Dean's lies, every time he faked bravado, laughed in the faces of demons that tried to scare him with a preview of the pit. He knew it was all fake but he was still no wiser than the fool he was before.
"I just want you closer," Dean whispered and that was all it took, and Sam was back in his arms.
"This is wrong Dean, we need to be spending our time trying to save you," he said, even though he'd already given in.
"Tell me, how can this be wrong?" Dean asked, slipping his arm around Sam's waist and pulling him close. Their lips met softly, and Sam knew Dean was going to get exactly what he wanted tonight.