Challenge 14 - Some people call this wisdom

(Set in Season 2)

"Okay, so all you have to do is go up there and buy her a drink. I'm telling you Sammy, this is a done deal!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sam frowned at his brother as the older hunter waggled his eyebrows. "What's wrong with your face?"

Dean looked affronted. "There's nothing wrong with my face! I'm talking about the girl at the bar who has been checking you out all evening."

Sam went to look, but Dean's hiss of warning stopped him in his tracks. "Dude, you can't just turn your head and look. Didn't I teach you anything? You have to play it cool. Here's what you're going to do: you're going to go up there and order another round, pretend to notice her, and then strike up a conversation."

Sam stared at Dean in shocked disbelief. "What? No!"

Dean was nodding, though, ignoring his brother's reaction. "Smile at her, flirt a little and offer to buy her a drink. Just don't laugh too much or she'll think you're already drunk."

"What?"

"You laugh when you're nervous and as your brother I feel I can tell you that your nervous look is completely unattractive."

"Does that mean my usual look is attractive?" Sam asked, bemused.

"No. You're pretty much hideous, but when you're nervous it's worse," Dean replied without missing a beat. "Give the small talk a little time, but not too long, and then suggest you go someplace else. I'll give you the keys to the car and you can take her somewhere nice - not the motel, 'cause that place is a dump and a classy chick like her deserves better. Make sure you hold the door for her-"

"Oh my God, please stop! I don't need the highlights from the Dean Winchester pick-up manual!" Sam hissed as he fought a rush of embarrassment.

"Hey! Some people call this wisdom," Dean smirked. "Works for me every time."

"Yeah, well I'm not you. Maybe you should go and buy her a drink."

"Dude, it's not me she's been watching," Dean pointed out. "Maybe she just has bad taste, but she's been giving you the coy smile all night. She's totally into you!"

Dean grinned and leaned back in his chair.

Sam blushed as he glanced over to the bar where a dark-haired woman was lingering. She was dressed in a short jean skirt with a low-cut top and she was definitely giving him some kind of come-hither smile. Really, though, he was pretty sure she was more Dean's type than his own and he didn't want to start something-

"Seriously?" Dean interrupted him with a huff of exasperation. "You're overthinking this. She's into you, and you haven't been on a date in months."

Sam snorted. "You don't want me to go on a date, Dean. You're trying to pimp me out for a one-night stand."

"It'll be good for you," Dean said with a shrug. "I know things have been kind of rough lately -"

That was an understatement. Jessica's death was still an aching wound and Madison weighed heavily on his heart and mind.

"Dean, I said no," Sam said firmly, stopping his brother from listing all the reasons why hooking up would be good for him. He really didn't need to hear it. He took a swig of his beer, refusing to look in the direction of the woman at the bar.

"Okay. It's okay, Sammy. Sorry."

Guilt flooded Sam. His brother was just trying to help. For Dean, women and booze were a cure-all for anything. Add pie to the mix and Dean would be one happy hunter.

It wasn't so simple for Sam. He couldn't help but feel that anyone he got close to suffered because of it. A relationship was just not in the cards at the moment and it wasn't as though he was prone to one-night stands. Better that he just kept to himself - he could avoid getting any more innocent women hurt or killed.

"There's always that strip club down the road," Dean offered. "You don't have to talk to anyone and you can get completely drunk while listening to music. The fact that there are naked women there is just a bonus."

"You're unbelievable," Sam protested with a grimace. "Get drunk and objectify women? That's your advice?"

"Well, you don't seem to want to be a gentleman and treat one to a night on the town," Dean replied. "And you don't have to objectify anyone. You could just hang out at the buffet table being awkward."

"How about you stop trying to get me to be something I'm not?" Sam regretted the words as soon as he said them. The brief flash of hurt in Dean's eyes was covered almost immediately with another cocky expression, but Sam knew better. With Sam having been pulled back into hunting just over a year ago, the idea of him having no say in his own life was still a touchy one for both of them. "I didn't mean it like that."

Dean lifted his beer bottle in a mock salute. "I know, Sammy." It was a resigned gesture, though, meant to redirect while Dean thought of something else to say.

"You know what I need?" Sam said suddenly. He waited until he had Dean's attention before continuing. "This."

Dean looked confused.

"Just this." Sam picked at the label of his beer, trying to get his meaning across without sounding stupid. "Can't we just hang out? Can't we have a beer and kill time together without anything trying to kill us? Without worrying about getting laid or hustling pool or any of that stuff. Let's just be whatever we want right now."

"What do you want to be, Sammy?" Dean had a strange expression on his face.

Sam considered his answer. "I want to be a guy having a drink with his brother . . . with his best friend."

Dean nodded slowly and raised his beer bottle. "I think I can handle that."

With a relieved smile, Sam raised his own beer and clinked it against his brother's.

And if they were both sporting goofy grins by the time they'd put down their drinks, well, neither one felt the need to mention it.