Warnings and disclaimers see chapter 1
Many thanks to rascalflattsgurl43 for the speedy beta on this story
Chapter thirty seven Confessions
Sam laughed then offered the plate to Dean. "You sure you don't want some."
"No I'm cool."
Sam frowned. "You should eat some Dean."
"You feed me up so much at lunch I doubt I can eat too much for a few days."
"Hmm. But I did see you put your belt on this morning."
Sam learned forward and pulled Dean's T shirt up and grabbed his belt and pulled it forward.
"You are way too thin for my liking."
"Sam! No wonder they think you're gay. It's cool, I've always been a little on the lean side, unless that changed when I got older. I know, Sammy left for university and I went on an eating binge."
Dean's face had a wiry gin but his voice held a slight edge of steel and uncertainty to it.
"I don't think you went on an eating binge, in fact I think it was quite the opposite."
Dean looked at Sam like he was dumfounded. Sam moved up beside Dean and put his arm around his shoulder.
"It's all right Dean, I've known for a while you didn't take me going off to school easily."
"How…What…How?"
"You called a couple of times. I'm sure once you were injured and you rambled a bit. I figured it out then. You were drinking a lot and pushing dad into hunt after hunt. When he needed a break, he up and left you to finish the hunt. From what I gather you spent your time alone drinking, eating just enough to survive. I know you took a few hunts around here just so you could check up on me. You left money and salted the doors a few times. We only talked twice before the robbery. You didn't have much to say but I saw it in your eyes. You were hurting bad and I did try to talk to you about it but you said you would be fine like you always do."
Dean frowned. "I got an idea I kept the hunts to this side of the country. In fact, my notebook shows I only did one hunt east of Texas since you started out here. I don't know about the drinking, sorry Sammy, or the staving myself."
Sam turned so he was facing Dean. He was shocked to see Dean's eyes glistening brightly with tears. He had quite forgotten he could hurt him so easily at the moment.
"Shit Dean, I'm sorry." Sam closed the gap and grabbed Dean up in a crushing hug. "I didn't think man, I'm sorry. I'm just guessing what things were like I have no right to say anything. For what it's worth, I was hoping to see you on my birthday and try to mend some fences and I think you might have too."
Dean stepped as far back from Sam as Sam's arms would allow.
"Did I say that to you?"
"No, but I had the feeling the last time we talked."
"When was that?"
"Two months ago."
Dean's face fell and the held back tear ran down his face.
"Sorry Sammy, I can't believe I don't talk to you much. I wish I could remember. It seems pretty stupid that I don't talk to you."
Sam leaned forward and hugged Dean again. Dean allowed the hug and even leaned into Sam a little.
"It's okay Dean. I know this stuff has been hard on you. I am just worried about you that's all."
Dean took a step back and Sam let him go. Dean had his head tipped down to the floor and Sam was expecting to have to lift it and tell Dean to cheer up but Dean lifted his own head and smiled up and Sam.
"You still wondering why the girls think you're gay?"
"Very funny Dean. It's okay for brothers to hug, especially when they need it."
"I didn't need a hug but I know you did so it's cool. Eat your food before it goes cold."
'Okay moment over.'
They moved into the living room. The guys sat in the chairs and watched TV for an hour before Dean headed to bed. Playing ball in the park had tired his body out more than it normally would have and his left shoulder and right arm hurt a fair bit so he took painkillers and fell into a restless sleep quickly.
The next morning, Dean was up early and had breakfast ready for Sam when he got up. Dean served the food and left him to it while he showered and cleaned up. When Sam had eaten, showered and dressed, they left for the hospital. Sam insisted he be allowed in with Dean when he met Doctor Marshall. Sam was quiet while the doctor did his examination only speaking up when the doctor noticed Dean's back was a bit tender. Sam told the doctor how far Dean had walked two days previous and Adam all but scolded Dean like a child. It seemed while Dean was healing he was okay to walk small distances. The doctor had almost finished with Dean and about to send him for a scan on his back just to be sure it was healing properly when Sam had to speak up about Dean's arm being sore.
Dean tried to deflect it as worrying over nothing but the doctor grasped his arm quicker than Dean anticipated causing him to gasp in pain. After a thorough look over, he grabbed his blunt nosed scissors and deftly removed the cast. The doctor was surprised how swollen it looked after all the time it had been in the cast. He told the guys he wanted it scanned at the same time as his back. While the doctor left the room for a wheelchair he insisted Dean use, Sam apologized to Dean for dobbing him in but not for getting him treatment. Dean grudgingly admitted his arm didn't feel right and that he should have said something himself. Especially since it had swollen up quite a lot in the small time the cast had been removed.
TBC