A.N.: Tag to "Scarecrow" just some good old fashioned bro love between the boys. NO wincest, told from Sam's POV. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own it
Finding a way to pay Dean back for his kind words was really turning out to be a pain in the ass. He had tried half a dozen times to let Dean know that he admired him too, that he understood why he did what he did and mostly that he was proud of him too. It hurt Sam to think when the last time someone had told Dean they were proud of him probably was. But Dean shut him down at every turn.
"Hey," he said softly from his side of the Impala
Dean tilted his face towards him muttering "Yeah?"
"I just wanted to let you know it goes both ways."
"What goes both ways?"
"You know, what you said about me…"
At Deans' confused look he added. "About being proud of me."
Deans gaze slid back to the road as he huffed out an "Oh that."
"Yeah that. I just wanted to say that you know, I feel the same way, you have always looked out for me and I don't know if I've ever told you,"
Deans' embarrassed chuckle cut into his confession. "Dude if the next words out of your mouth are you're my hero, I'm throwing your ass out of the car."
He rolled his eyes and took the hint. Talking about your feelings face to face was not okay.
The next peace offering he tried wasn't received much better. Sam could still feel Dean check to see if he was there every morning, as much as his brother tried to hide it. He felt a clear pang of guilt shoot through him the handful of times he met his brothers' eyes. Dean was clearly waiting for him to take off again. So Sam came up with this great idea, he would get him pie. It was one of Deans favorite things and the town they were staying in had a cute little diner. Perfect plan right? Wrong. Dean took one look at the steaming apple pie and visibly paled for about five seconds. Then he explained that he wasn't really hungry and "Thanks but no thanks." before he turned on the T.V. Sam didn't get it until he was going back over his brothers notes from Burkesville and the memory of him informing Sam without humor "What these people did for their damn apple pie Sammy," crowded his mind, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He wanted to apologize for it, but Deans' body language was most definitely conveying 'leave it alone' so Sam sat on the edge of the bed and watched whatever Dean was pretended to be engrossed in.
They settled back into comfortable companionship after about a week, Dean stopped getting an almost undetectable spark of unease in his hazel eyes when Sam would leave to gather his thoughts, or research, no longer afraid that he would take off. Sam still felt like he had cheated his brother somehow, taking far more than he had given back, and then one day he saw it. The perfect, non girl, acceptable, Winchester way to pay Dean back. There was an arcade about a block away from where they were staying, an honest to God, skeeball having, arcade. Sam could dimly remember the last time they had seen one, he was about 6 and Dean was 10, his brothers whole face had lit up as he rambled to Sam about what games they could play, particularly excited about the whack- a-mole. He was of course quickly shut down as their Dad didn't have time or money for things like that. Dean never said how disappointed he was; only giving Sam a comforting half hug because he had been excited too. Even then Dean had always put Sam first. So this, this was perfect. Sam smiled the whole way to the bank.
Dean raised an eyebrow, opening one eye when his brother plopped down the rolls of quarters on the nightstand.
"What's this?" Dean said taking said object and rolling it in the palm of his hand.
Sam could barely contain his excitement as he said dryly. "Quarters."
"Well thank you Mr. Obvious, I can see that." Dean pushed himself up on the headboard, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "What are they for?"
"The arcade down the street."
That had Dean sitting up with interest.
"What arcade?"
"I guess you weren't paying attention, we passed an arcade on the way in."
Hazel orbs sparkled for several seconds. "Really?"
Sam walked over to the door, held it open, and gestured for his brother to follow. "Yeah really."
When they got to the arcade it was hard to tell which was lit up more, the variety of games, neon colors swirling around the area, painting everything in unreal, childhood colors, or his brothers face, animated and excited and years younger than it had been allowed to be for such a long time. And really, Sam was just fine with that.
A.W.: Dedicated to the best bromance in the world, the Winchesters. God I hate hellatus :/