Quick disclaimer because legal reasons - Sam and Dean aren't my characters
"Don't throw any parties while I'm out."
Dean Winchester glanced over his shoulder at his half asleep brother. He sighed and shut the door to the motel room quietly. He trudged over to his Impala, running his hand along her side as he made his way round to the driver's door. As he opened the door he felt a drop of rain land on his hand. He climbed into the car and shut the door. He put his hand on his throbbing shoulder.
Werewolves could be a bitch. Especially when there's seven of them and your gun's the other side of the room. Dean glanced to the empty seat beside him, grimacing at the blood on it. He closed his eyes, once again seeing the werewolf launch itself at Sam. He opened his eyes, jamming the key in the ignition and revving. He sped out of the parking lot, heading for the take-out in town and turning the wipers on when the rain settled in.
Dean pulled up in front of the take-out. He turned the engine off and shoved the keys back into his pocket. He threw the door open and stepped out, not minding the rain. He shut the car door and made his way towards the shop. He threw the door open and stepped inside, surprised at how different the building looked on the inside.
The tiled floor looked at clean as it could be. Posters and advertisements lined the walls. There were several high tables set up, either with two or three chairs. A young couple were seated at one. They were sitting opposite each other, a plate of food in between them. Their heads were close together, talking in low voices. There was a small old fashioned radio on the counter next to the cash register.
Dean glanced at the menu boards as he approached the register. He ordered a pizza, not really in the mood for a burger and knowing Sam hardly ever was. As he waited, a news broadcast started up on the radio. He listened to the story about the group of teenagers who were found with their hearts ripped out, covered in claw marks. He tried to picture the faces of the werewolves, though all he could see was one of them digging its claws into his brother's chest. They had been a family, the parents being the alpha pair. Three of their children and two uncles.
"Here's your pizza," the guy slid the pizza box across the counter, the receipt on top.
Dean dug a note out of his pocket and slammed it on the counter, picking up the box with his other hand. He spun round and walked out the take-out. He threw his car door open and slid the pizza box along the seat. He was about to get in when he heard something whimper. He frowned and turned around.
At first he didn't notice anything strange. There was a metal bench opposite the take-out, rain bounced off it. Every dip in the side walk was noticeable as rainwater pooled everywhere the concrete dropped slightly. There was a black garbage bag at the front of the take-out that was tied in a knot at the top. Something pointy was sticking through the bottom of it at the corner. Next to the bag were several boxes. One of them was on its side, the others all folded up and laying on top of it. Dean was about to look away when he caught movement inside the box. He watched as a black nose poked out the front of the box. Slowly, more and more of the creature's body became visible.
No, not a creature, Dean thought, his eyebrows coming together, a puppy.
The puppy eventually came all the way out of the sodden box. It was a golden brown colour, save for a black mask on it's face and the tips of it's flopped ears. The once white patch on it's chest was a muddy greyish colour. The puppy stared up at Dean with red brown eyes. For a second, he could have sworn he was looking at his brother instead of a stray puppy. The puppy whined again.
"I am not taking you with me," Dean declared, "No way in hell."
The puppy's tail began to move slightly side to side. It continued to stare at the hunter, whining again.
"Not happening," Dean repeated, turning round.
He went to get into the car but stopped himself. He glanced back over his shoulder to find the puppy still staring at him with big eyes. It's tail had stopped moving. It seemed indifferent to the rain soaking it even more. Dean looked forwards and closed his eyes. He ran a hand down his face and swore.
He whirled around, marching to the trunk of the Impala. He could feel the puppy's eyes following him all the way. Dean opened the trunk and shoved a duffel aside, reaching for the blanket that had been underneath it. Once he grabbed it, he slammed the trunk shut and went back to the puppy.
He sighed and crouched down, the blanket ready, "Come here,"
The puppy tilted it's head, gazing up at him.
"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not made of stone," Dean said, double checking no one was around to hear him, "Come on,"
After a second of watching Dean, the puppy padded over to him. He held out his hand and stroked the puppy briefly before wrapping it in the blanket and scooping it up. Dean straightened up and climbed into the Impala, the puppy cradled against his chest. He shut the door and laid the bundle on the seat beside him.
"Touch the food and I'll dump you right back out that door, you hear me?" he glared at the puppy, who tilted it's head in response.
Dean smiled slightly and looked forward, turning the keys in the ignition.
During the drive back to the motel, Dean became increasingly aware of the lack of space between him and the soaking wet ball of fluff. The puppy stretched its head up and laid it on Dean's leg. He tried his best to be annoyed but couldn't help smiling at the dog.
He pulled up in front of the motel room and turned off the engine. The puppy lifted its head and looked up at Dean. The hunter opened the car door and scooped the puppy up in one arm. He took the room key out his pocket and balanced the pizza box on the same hand.
Dean slid out the car, kicking the door shut behind him. He set the puppy down in front of the room door and put the pizza box in the hand that had been holding the dog. He unlocked the door and pushed it open.
"Go," Dean gestured for the puppy to enter the room. He sighed when it just tilted its head at him, "I'm not standing out here all night with the door open," the puppy continued to stare, "Have it your way."
Dean walked into the room, leaving the puppy behind. He placed the pizza box on the table and dumped the keys next to it. He turned around, almost smacking himself in the face when he realised the puppy had not moved.
"I will shut the door on you," he threatened.
Dean crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at the puppy. He sighed and walked up to the door. He began pushing it shut. At the last second, the puppy dashed in. Dean groaned and shut the door. He looked around the room, not believing he'd lost the puppy as soon as it entered the room.
There was a crack of lightning, closely followed by thunder which had the puppy darting under the table with its tail in between its legs. Dean sighed and crouched down in front of it.
"Hey, it's alright. It's just a little thunder," Dean said in a hushed voice, using the same tone he'd used years ago when Sammy had been afraid of thunderstorms, "You're safe in here. Promise. And I'm talking to a dog."
Dean shook his head. The puppy crept out from under the table towards Dean. He reached his hand out. Just as he touched the puppy there was another round of thunder. The puppy yelped and ran. It leapt up onto Sam's bed and tucked up into a ball beside the sleeping hunter.
Dean smiled and stood up. He went to the fridge and took out a beer from the box they'd bought the other night. He popped the cap off and took a swig. He put the bottle down next to the pizza and opened the box. He grabbed a slice and took a bite.
"Dean... you see the dog too, right?"
He smiled at his half asleep brother, "Yup."
"Cool," Sam muttered as the puppy shoved its nose under his hand, "Wait, what?"
"Homeless puppy," Dean bit back a smile at the look Sam threw him, "Oh come on, even I can't leave that cute little bastard in the rain."
"Okay... but why is it here?"
"I thought you liked dogs!" Dean pulled back a chair at the table and sat down..
"I thought you didn't," Sam sat up, wincing slightly. The puppy immediately scrambled to sit in his lap.
"Look, if you're that against it I'll drop him off at the pound tomorrow..."
"No!" Sam exclaimed, "I mean, I just didn't think you were serious about keeping him."
Dean watched as the puppy started licking his brother's face, "Yeah why not? But keep him off my bed and out of my stuff. And when we get back to the bunker, out of my room. And the kitchen. And if he shits in my car..."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Sam grinned, turning his full attention to the puppy, "What should we call him?"
"I really don't care," Dean dead panned, hoping Sam didn't call him something like 'Lucky' or 'Fluffy'.
"So you wouldn't mind if we called him Thor?" Sam asked.
"Why d'you gotta go straight to Thor? What's wrong with Loki? Loki's a cool guy" Dean blurted out, kicking himself afterwards.
"Fine we can call him Loki if it means that much to you!" Sam smiled at the scowl he received from his brother.
Dean finished off his first slice of pizza and reached for a second, "Are you gonna eat any of this? Cause if not I don't have an issue eating it myself."
"Can dogs eat pizza?" Sam asked, swinging his legs over the end of the bed and reaching for the box.
"Probably not," Dean replied, looking across at the puppy as he stared at the pizza slice in Sam's hand, "I think they can eat the crust. What can dogs eat?"
"Nothing we have here," Sam said, ripping a small bit of pizza crust off and offering it to Loki.
"Everything will be shut by now," Dean declared, "We'll stop somewhere tomorrow and buy dog stuff."
Sam nodded, handing Loki another bit of crust. Dean smiled. The still wet puppy laid his front two paws on Sam's leg. He rested his head on top of his paws. He looked across at Dean. He smiled at the puppy. Loki blinked and continued to stare at Dean, his big eyes seeming to say something.
Dean watched their new puppy close his eyes and fall asleep on Sam's lap. He finally brought himself to look the seemingly permanent, five-year-old-on-Christmas-morning grin on his brother's face and couldn't help smiling back. They both looked down at the now sleeping puppy, wondering how anyone could leave him on the street.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed - leave a comment if you did (or didn't). Or don't. I don't mind X