Sam knows Dean isn't having an easy go of this, what with the archangel banging around in his head and all, but he can't help but be thankful for every hour they have left together. Nor help dreading when the time comes that he'll have to lock his brother in a ma'lak cell and pretend he doesn't have the key.
Having Dean teach them the ropes had been Sam's best idea since he'd thought up this insane project.
As it turned out, the guy was a lot better than Sam'd expected at the whole welding thing, and had the patience necessary to teach a Stanford book worm and an angel of the Lord a skill for which they were definitely not cut out.
Not that either Sam nor Cas were necessarily ill suited for the job; just that the two of them had dedicated their lives to the pursuits of some far removed professional skill sets.
Still, by the end of the day, there were three people in the bunker who could make a straight weld and not burn themselves horribly in the process and Sam couldn't help it when the words 'unqualified success' floated across his mind at the realization. After all, the closest thing to an arc welder Cas had ever used before had been a coffee machine in a gas and sip, and while both machines possess the ability to burn the user, one of them was at least reasonably safeguarded against such. And not even vaguely gun shaped.
For Sam though, the weirdest thing about the whole experience was the unexpected smile on Dean's face when they broke to get ready for dinner and the impromptu teacher realized that the other two hadn't accidentally killed themselves playing around with their new toys.
Seeing his brother smile like that? That was how Sam knew that putting his and Cas's education in Dean's hands had been the best idea he'd had in quite a while.
The three of them could use all the levity life had to throw at them. Considering what it was Dean was helping them build. And how soon they needed to have it finished.
Dinner was a rousing success which, like breakfast, all three of them ate in the kitchen, Sam doing his best through it all to hide just how bad he wished he could order some sort of salad to go with it.
Dean was under enough stress as it was and Sam figured the guy didn't need his own brother adding to the load. So instead, Sam smiled, chewed, and backed up every compliment Cas payed the admittedly well prepared, thoughtfully seasoned food. Because it was good, and it did fill the belly. It just also added to any existing plaque buildup their arteries were already suffering from.
But for that proud, accomplished look on his soon to no longer be free brother's face? Sam could go salad free for a day or two.
After dinner, it was back at it and this time Dean had his 'pupils' doing more than just practicing on scraps they weren't going to be using on the actual project. No, this time they were laying out and welding the floor, starting at the center and working their ways out. The 'teacher' of the group flitting nonstop between the three of their ongoing parts of the soon to be flat surface. Making sure nobody lost a finger and correcting technique where necessary.
Thankfully, as the evening and then night wore on though, all that worrying got turned down a notch and Dean allowed himself to focus on his own work, which in turn made everything move faster than was previously possible. Before long, even Sam was confident he knew what he was doing. Mostly.
Cas was a bit of a different story but Dean was keeping an eye on him, so Sam wasn't concerned about the angel maiming himself or burning something horribly. For the most part.
Eventually, even Cas got the hang of things and before 'late' had a chance to turn to 'early', all three hunters were welding at maximum efficiency. Or, at least, at their own 'noob' versions of such. Dean was still, understandably, more competent and therefore faster. Until around the time that the younger brother noticed they were suddenly all working at a similar pace.
Not because Sam and Cas had improved that much that quickly, but because the guy who'd given two first timers a crash course in the fine art of welding was getting tired. Finally.
"Dean?" Sam asked of a heavily padded individual who hadn't moved for the past... several seconds.
"Wha?" Exactly the kind of twitch-answer combo Sam had been expecting. He'd just been expecting it a little earlier. Seeing as they'd worked practically straight on through to morning by that point.
Tell the truth, he was a little surprised he hadn't caught Dean spacing out more than he had. Having something to do with his hands must have helped keep his mind off... other matters.
"Maybe you wanna put down the torch for a while? You look like you're dead on your feet," Sam said in one of his less 'mother hen' tones.
"But there's an ass ton of stuff we haven't even started on yet," Dean said, with more than a hint of 'hell no' coloring the statement.
"Well, we've got the foundation, the uprights, the struts, and the cross beams in place," Sam pointed out as he raised an arm and wiped some sweat off his forehead. "Why don't you go get some shut eye while Cass and I start on the paneling?"
The obstinate look Dean gave him at the suggestion had Sam ready to launch an argument about taking care of yourself and how the guy with the archangel in his head wasn't going to be much use if he fell asleep in the middle of a weld, but the expression broke before either of them could get going.
Instead, Dean looked between the two other torch wielders, every inch as singed and filthy as him, far more so in Cas's case, if Sam was being honest, and sighed.
"You two gonna burn the bunker down if I leave you alone in here?"
"Dean, you taught us everything you know. I think we'll be fine," Sam said with a good-natured huff.
"Yes, and even if we were to set fire to something, the sprinklers would put it out before any real harm could befall these halls," Cas added with a reassuring nod.
"...Alright then," Dean said as he began peeling himself out of his protective gear, reluctance clear in every movement. "But remember to check Billie's book when-"
"Yeah, Dean, we know," Sam assured. Not needing to hear the rest of it on account of how many times Dean had already told them exactly the same thing.
"Alright, but call if you have trouble with the translations or-"
"That's what I'm here for, Dean," Cas reminded, taking the apron and gloves and mask from Dean when it became obvious the tired hunter had no idea where to put them.
"Right, right, but if-"
"Seriously, Dean, we have everything under control," Sam insisted, having to try to keep a chuckle from bubbling out at his brother's ridiculous reaction to being offered a break.
"...Cool," said Dean as he gave his hands an errant clap. "So, I'll see ya later then, I guess."
"Yeah, later," Sam agreed, watching the other Winchester inch his way for the exit.
"Don't break anything important while I'm gone," the last thing the guy who looked like he really needed some shut eye said before disappearing from sight completely.
"Should I check on him in, say, ten minutes?" Cas asked from where he was storing the extra safety gear.
"Better make it twenty. He might take a shower before laying down," Sam said with a nod.
"I should hope so. Otherwise he'll need to launder his bedclothes."
Sam gave a short laugh but at the look Cas gave him for it, he really wasn't sure whether what the angel'd said was meant to be funny. So he cleared his throat and pointed to the next piece that needed work and the two of them got back to it. Hoping the while that the guy who'd given them a crash course in the fine art of welding went straight to his room for a nice little lie down.
Dude deserved it after all.
XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXx
"Woah," came the very impressed voice of none other than Dean Winchester. Looking like he might actually have gotten some quality sleep while he'd been away. "You even got the ceiling on!? How'd you manage that?"
"Sam's 'crew' came in to help with the heavy lifting. And with holding the higher panels up while we tacked them in place," Cas explained before Sam could even open his mouth. "How are you feeling, Dean? Was your rest productive?"
"Well, good morning to you too," Dean said, one eyebrow raised. "You weirdos get any sleep?"
"Sam has introduced me to a thing called 'Monster' and it has certainly done as the can promised: I am fully energized," Cas said. As if it wasn't one of the strangest sentences he'd ever put together.
"...Okay," Dean said, after an incredulous blink. "Well, either of you Speedy Gonzales starving? 'Cause I-"
"Sam's 'crew' brought snacks and food from the surrounding towns when they came in. There is plenty for you as well," the angel Sam only then realized was sounding noticeably jittery said with a hand pointing off to one side.
"Huh," Dean commented as he followed the gesture, "complimentary continental breakfast? Awesome."
"Yeah, they figured we could use some fuel, and this way we can keep up our blood sugars without needing to break as often," Sam agreed. Brows furrowing to match his brother's when Cas pulled a single Twizzler from one pocket and bit off about half of the red licorice candy with a satisfied face. Before sticking the remainder back in said pocket.
"Swell, but I'm making lunch," Dean insisted, directing at Sam a meaningful, pointed look. Before making eye contact with an over sugared angel.
"Maybe no more 'Monster' for the rest of the day, 'kay?"
"I can make no promises, but I shall take your counsel into serious consideration," Cas assured. While eyeing what appeared to be an untapped bag full of nothing but the offending, neon colored cans.
"That's all I can ask," Dean said as he made a beeline for their breakfast of champions. Sam cringing when the guy dismissed the few prepackaged salads out of hand, but breathing a subtle sigh of relief when he also passed over the half dozen remaining donuts in the pink, grease dotted box.
"So," started the hunter with the majority of an egg and ham sandwich in his mouth, "what're we doing next?"
"More panel welding. Lots more," Sam said with a gesture toward a metal wall in obvious need of professional help.
"Well, back in the saddle again," Dean said, right before he shoved the rest of the breakfast sandwich in his mouth.
Several hours later saw every panel locked down tight and the three welders coming back to their build site from a protracted dinner break, refreshed and ready to at least attempt another all nighter. Having worked straight on through to dinner seeing as Dean had gotten up not long before lunch time anyway.
"You're the only one who's done the sigil work before, wanna just show us the first couple?" Sam suggested, face pointed in his brother's direction.
"Just line 'em out in chalk first, so you can't screw it up halfway through," Dean said as he shrugged into his slag peppered apron.
"Of course!" Cas said on a surprised breath. "Why didn't I think of that?"
"Maybe 'cause you're on your fifth 'energy drink'?" Dean posited, shoving his hands snug down into his safety gloves.
"Yeah, Cas, maybe we can take it easy on those the rest of the day?" Sam suggested as he picked up his own apron and gloves.
"You mean, until midnight?" Cas asked, clutching the can tighter between his just perceptibly vibrating hands.
"He means 'stop drinking that junk', period," Dean interjected, settling the helmet onto his head even as he gave his 'little' brother a disapproving look.
"What? I'm not the one who brought all that stuff down here," Sam defended with a gesture toward the largely exhausted heap of convenience store snacks and prepackaged 'food' items.
"Yeah, well you didn't stop it from being brought down either, so this one's on you, compadre."
And that was the end of that, for before Sam had the chance to counter the argument, the senior worksite welder had picked up a large chunk of chalk, turned on the drop light they'd set up inside their project, and was already hard at it, marking out the Enochian sigil for containment. Billie's book balanced open in the crook of his off elbow as he referenced it for correct shape and placement.
With a perplexed huff, Sam grabbed a similarly sized hunk of chalk, stepped inside what would soon be a Ma'lak box so big that it needed warding on the inside as well as out, and peeked at the instructions before starting on a little warding graffiti of his own. Cas joining them as soon as he'd drained and crushed the offending can of turbo sugar which he promised would be his last. For the day.
Understandably, that night, around the time they started on the outer wardings, it was Cas who fell asleep on his feet. Finally crashing from the unbelievable level of caffeine he'd managed to pump in his veins in barely a day's time.
Unlike Dean though, the angel was somehow able to get his shut eye standing upright, smack dab in the middle of a noisy build site. Weirder still, the angel was back at it again after about an hour, picking up right where he'd left off. As if he'd never dozed off to begin with.
Sam knew that he was pushing it too, seeing as he couldn't remember the last time his head had touched a pillow, but there was no way he was stopping now. Not when all three of them were working in perfect sync and getting so close to finished.
Besides, he was only seeing double once every handful of minutes. He'd had worse more than once throughout his life. Far worse at one strikingly unpleasant, Lucifer hallucination filled point.
Giving his head a good shake, Sam replanted his feet and finished with the divinity negation sigil he'd probably taken a little longer than necessary with, checking around to make sure the others were too engrossed in their own welding to have noticed his momentary brain fart.
After all, he was allowed one of those every now and then.
XxxxxxxXxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxx
With the inscription of the last Enochian sigils, the whole team agreed that showers, naps, and a meal were all mandatory. In that order.
Hard to argue when there wasn't a one of them could keep their eyes open much longer, so Sam staggered off for his much needed shower, buoyed by both a strong swell of accomplishment, and an equally strong undercurrent of dread.
The Room would be finished anytime now and considering how eager Dean was for its completion, Sam was pretty sure that meant he was saying goodbye to his brother a whole hell of a lot sooner than he'd have preferred.
Of course, Sam thought as he took the turn into his room, he'd have preferred to stave off goodbye forever, but since when did he get what he wanted? When did any of them for that matter?
With an exhausted full body sigh, Sam flopped down on his bed and allowed himself a few quiet moments to bemoan his and his entire family's horrible, rotten, completely unfair luck.
Then, deciding that a shower could wait until he stopped seeing double, Sam rolled his filthy, filthy self over and fell fast asleep. Hoping, even as his eyes closed with a clunk, that Dean and Cas were well on their ways to doing the same.