You wake up to Dean's off-key singing, and you can hear that he's in the shower. You smile and burrow deeper into the blankets, unwilling to wake up yet.
When you remember Winch, you do sit up, rubbing your eyes and looking for him. You raise your eyebrows when you see him lying peacefully between the bed and the bathroom door. He's not dancing, or whining, he just lifts his head and thumps his tail when you sit up.
"Hey, buddy, do you need to go out?" you ask as the shower turns off.
"No, he doesn't!" Dean shouts through the wall. "I already walked him."
You blink, then tears come to your eyes. He walked my dog? If that's not the sweetest thing that anyone's ever done for you, you don't know what is. Some unidentifiable emotion is welling up in you, making you all squishy on the inside when you think about the tall, green-eyed man in your bathroom walking your dog in the morning.
You wipe your eyes and run a hand through your hair, hoping you look halfway presentable. Winch jumps up on the bed next to you, and you automatically run a hand down his back.
And it's a good thing you have a touchstone, because when Dean walks out shirtless, all of the blood rushes from your brain and down to your core. He's perfect. Every muscle is clearly defined, his shoulders are strong and broad, and your mind has gone completely and utterly blank.
You want to trace every ridge of his stomach with your fingers, then with your tongue. You want those hips in your hands, and between your legs, you want to watch him tilt his head back into the pillow in pleasure as you take him into your mouth.
Your wide eyes travel up to his face, and his knowing grin has you blushing and jumping out of bed. "Oh-kay," you say cheerfully, avoiding his gaze, "I'm gonna go take a shower, and then we can head out to get the wraith."
You grab your bag and run to the bathroom, narrowly avoiding crashing into Dean, who's still grinning, the jerk, and you slam the door behind you.
Okay, cold shower for you, you tell the naughty part of you, who is currently a drooling mess on the floor, then we have to hunt. Mind out of gutter.
It turns out, that's easier said than done.
xxxxx
"I can do this."
"God dammit, no, not an option."
You are going to kill him. It's a shame, it will be quite the loss to lose that face, but it's the only thing you can think of. After all that big talk about "maybe you can take care of yourself," Dean fucking Winchester is still trying to get you to sit this one out.
You press your fingers to your temples, trying to control your temper. "Sam?"
Sam's eyes are wide, he's been watching the exchange silently. He turns back to look at you from the front seat. "Yeah?"
"Are you going to kick me out if I shoot your brother?"
Sam grins. "No, I get it."
You ignore Dean's indignant noise to look at the younger hunter. "Will Bobby?"
"Bobby definitely understands the urge to shoot Dean."
You nod and smile. "Good." You turn back to the grumbling driver. "Dean, I'm going to have to hunt at some point. You may as well let me do it now, so we can really start getting stuff done."
He glares at you through the rearview. "What do you even know about wraiths?"
You stroke Winch's big head as you count on your fingers. "They're stronger than humans. They feed on brain fluids, which they get by using the spike in their wrist. Brains flooded with dopamine seem to be their favorite, so they tend toward psychiatric hospitals, like the one we're going to now. Mirrors will show their true form, and they're weak to silver, so a silver blade to the heart will kill them."
Sam's grinning, admiration shining in his eyes. Dean is still grumbling, but you can sense that he's going to give in.
Jackass.
xxxxx
They're filling up at a crappy little gas station on the way to the psychiatric hospital. Dean is watching her walk the dog, observing again the easy way Winch walks on a leash. Good dog.
"Dean, when are you going to stop arguing with Y/N about hunting?"
Dean turns to his younger brother. "When she stops wanting to jump into this shit lifestyle."
Sam rolls his eyes. "I doubt she wants to be a part of this. But she's trying to help."
Dean shakes his head, frustrated. Sam doesn't get it. If she does this, she'll be in danger. The thought of her being hurt makes his chest ache. No way.
"What are we talking about?"
Dean jumps a little and spins, glaring at her. She's standing there with wide eyes, the beginnings of a smile on her lips. She's wearing tight jeans, a tank top, boots, and a leather jacket, and he'll be damned if she doesn't look like a hunter. A sexy hunter, but a hunter nonetheless.
Which makes him frown a little. "Nothing."
She rolls her eyes and walks around him to let the dog into the car. "Please, you were talking about me. For men who hustle pool for a living, you guys have terrible poker faces."
Dean glares down at her when she comes to stand next to him, trying not to be distracted by her proximity. "I have an excellent poker face."
She laughs. "Whatever you say, hot stuff."
xxxxx
That night, you're at the motel with Dean. You're still irritated, but a full day in the backseat with Winch has given you some time to think.
You get where Dean is coming from. He's being an asshole about it, but you get where he's coming from. Plus, you're not sure he has any other mode than asshole.
When he comes back inside from pouting by the car, you smile. You're hoping for peace, you're tired of arguing with him. "Hey," you say softly.
He grunts in response. Drama queen.
You roll your eyes. "So you're not talking to me? That's how this is gonna work?"
He just looks at you with raised eyebrows in response.
You take a deep breath, trying to gather your thoughts to talk to him. Winch is by your side and moves to rest his head on your knee, his big brown eyes flicking back and forth between you and Dean.
"Dean, you can't use the fact that you want me to be safe against me." He frowns, but you ignore him. "It's not fair. It's, like, actually killing me with kindness."
He comes to sit next to you on the bed, and you suddenly find looking at him a little overwhelming, so you look down at Winch when Dean speaks.
"Y/N, we're in a war. This isn't just a regular hunt. It's a battle, and I… I don't want you to get hurt."
That has you looking back up into his eyes, but this time you're a little irritated. "Dean, do you think I want you to get hurt?" He just blinks at you. "I'm just as worried about you as you are about me," you continue, "So why is it that you get to go out and fight, and I have to just stay here and wait for you?"
"Because I'm a hunter, Y/N, and you're not."
"I could be, if you'd teach me how."
His frown deepens. "Y/N, this life… Fucking sucks. You don't really want to be part of it."
You place a hand on his arm, not breaking eye contact. "Obviously. I don't want to be here, I just... " You take a deep breath. "Dean, I'm here. There's no going back, and I don't know if I would even if I could. I'm here, so you may as well teach me to defend myself."
He's watching you closely, and something in his eyes makes your heartbeat speed up, more than it already was. You become extremely aware of the heat of his arm beneath your fingers.
"Why wouldn't you go back?" He asks, his voice low.
You look at him for a moment, wrestling with yourself. You decide on honesty. "Because you're not there."
Your words seem to flip a switch in him. He wraps a hand around the back of your head and pulls you close to kiss you. You whimper and move your hands to fist them in his shirt, pulling him closer.
He moves slowly, pressing you back to lay on the bed. You go willingly, so ready to have his weight pressing down on you you can't stand it.
This time feels different. This isn't flirty, or playful, or light. This is heavy and real, this is you wanting him so bad you can barely breathe, and him apparently wanting you the same way.
He rests his weight on one arm and settles himself between your thighs. You moan a little and wrap a leg around his waist, pulling him into you. His soft little growl sends heat shooting down to your core, and you can feel yourself start to tremble.
He moves away from your mouth to lay a trail of burning kisses down your jaw until he's at your neck. You tilt your head back and whimper as he runs his teeth lightly along the vulnerable skin there.
His other hand is resting on your ribcage, and it moves up to cup your breast. You arch your back, desperate for more. You have no idea what's going on, you've never wanted someone like this, but you're pretty sure if he's not inside you soon, you'll just up and die.
His heavy breathing in your ear is killing you a little bit at a time, just as the way he slowly thumbs your nipple is doing the same. "Tell me you want me, princess," he says roughly in your ear, making more heat spread through you. "Tell me you want this."
You turn your head to meet his eyes, those insanely darkened green eyes. "Yes, oh, God, yes, Dean, I want you, I want this. Please."
His slow, predatory smile makes you a little dizzy, and you lean forward to kiss him thoroughly, one hand on his face. He nips at your bottom lip, and you open for him eagerly, still unable to believe that you're underneath Dean Winchester.
His hand moves down to the hem of your shirt, and his warm fingers push up under the fabric, his callouses sending shivers up and down your spine. His hand moves up your stomach, and you're whining into his mouth when he gets up to palm your breast through your bra.
He pulls away from your mouth. "Fuck, princess," he growls into your ear, shallowly thrusting against your core and kneading your breast.
You nod and press little kisses to his jaw. "I know, I know." This is so much more than it's ever been… You think that the two of you might actually explode.
He nuzzles your neck leisurely, and you close your eyes and give yourself up to the feeling of his hands and his lips on you, making you crazy.
A cold, wet nose on your cheek has your eyes popping open. You look over to see Winch looking at you expectantly. As you start to get irritated, you hear the Impala pull up.
You push on Dean's shoulder. "Dean, Sam's back."
He groans and lets his head drop to your shoulder. "God dammit."
You laugh softly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I feel the same way, handsome."
xxxxx
Later, you're crouched outside the psychiatric hospital, waiting for the wraith to leave. You're a smidge nervous, but you have a plan. It's a good one, you assure yourself, but you're nervous anyway.
She walks out, purse slung over her shoulder, and you take a deep breath to steady yourself. You look over at Winch, whose tail is already starting to wag. "Winch, buddy," you whisper, "I think she wants to play."
He immediately leaps into action. He bounds up to the wraith and barks playfully. She screams a little, then her eyes go wide as he stretches his front arms out and puts his butt in the air, a universal "let's play" signal.
"Oh, God, nice doggy," she says nervously.
"Zeus!" You shout, coming out from your hiding place. "Oh, my God, Zeus, come here, boy!"
Winch's ears flick back to you at the familiar command, but you didn't say his name, so he ignores you.
The wraiths eyes are wide as she looks at you. "Is this your dog?"
You nod and give her an apologetic smile. "Yes, I'm so sorry, I don't know what's gotten into him today." You approach her, keeping your smile in place. "I'm so sorry, he can get rowdy."
When you're close, you start analyzing her, finding the best way attack her and keep Winch and you safe. This is something you didn't really know anything about in your old life, but apparently God wanted you to know how to hunt.
You're finally close enough, and you bend down to grab Winch's collar. She gives you a strained smile, and you feel the wind at your back pick up, sending your scent straight toward her.
Dammit.
Her eyes widen a fraction of a second before you move. You curse inwardly, but pull the silver knife from your belt and quickly move to stab her.
She backpedals, hands up. "Hunter," she snarls as you advance. You say nothing, just keep coming, looking for another in. Before you can get one, she rushes forward and backhands you across the face.
Pain bursts in your cheek, and you fly backward from the force of her hit. Stronger than humans, you remind yourself, dragging yourself back to your feet.
Before you can do anything else, a huge, terrifying growl explodes from Winch. He's circling her, all bunching muscles and long teeth. Her eyes are wide and watching him. You trust Winch, so you don't worry. He's fast as fuck, he'll get out of the way if the need arises.
He leaps at her, and he's too big to stop. His paws land on her shoulders and drive the wraith to the ground.
"Winch, subdue!"
He snarls at her, the deep sound coming from the middle of his chest. She makes a small movement, and his jaws snap shut centimeters from her nose. The wraith freezes.
Before she can hurt him, you kneel and shove him off, plunging the knife into her heart at the same time. It takes a surprising amount of strength to get to her heart, but you do it grimly. Sorry, lady, but you're killing people. Can't have that.
Once you're sure she's dead, you sit back on your heels and grin at Winch, whose eyes are bright and happy. "Good boy, Winch, you did great."
He barks and tackles you, and you laugh quietly and push him off. "Come on, bud, we have a body to get rid of."
"That was pretty good, Y/N," Sam says behind you. You turn and smile at the brothers as they approach. "Thank you, Sam."
Your cheek hurts like hell, and you can only assume it's starting to bruise, because that's what Dean is looking at when he crouches in front of you. His hand brushes your face, and you see his features start to darken in anger, and you grab his hand before he can start yelling. "Dean, I'm fine," you say stubbornly, meeting his eyes. "We got her before she got us. I'm fine. So no yelling, or macho bullshit, or telling me to go home. Heard?"
He gazes at you for another minute, and you feel yourself fall deeper in love with him. "Yeah, princess," he says roughly, "Heard."
xxxxx
Winch watches his WOMAN and his MAN dig a hole in the ground. He wants to help, but the WOMAN told him no. No is Winch's least favorite word.
Even though he must sit and watch the WOMAN and the MAN work, Winch is glad they are all back together. He did not like the WOMAN'S scent when they were away from the MAN. It was sad.
Winch thinks about the strange-smelling humans he's met. First, the MAN who smelled of sulfur and suffering who could not move. Winch did not like his scent.
And then the WOMAN tonight, who smelled of innards and conniving. Winch didn't like her scent very much, either, but he very much enjoyed helping his WOMAN kill her. Winch sees no problem killing humans who smell like that. Humans who smell like that are no good.
He lays his head down on his paws and watches his WOMAN push his MAN playfully. Winch wags his tail to show his approval, even though they cannot see it.
Winch very much likes his MAN, and he loves his WOMAN. He hopes they all stay together forever.
xxxxx
Hi everyone! Here's my notes:
I don't own Supernatural or the characters. (heartbroken)
Reviews and comments give me the warm fuzzies and keep me going.
If there are any mistakes in continuity, canon, or geography, blame me.