Let Him Sleep A Little Longer
It was a typical all- night chase after demons for Sam Winchester and his brother Dean who sat just across him in blissful, angelic slumber.
Alright so Dean was an unrepentant conman whose idea of fun was women, alcohol and filling demons with rock salt. Still, it was hard to see all that in those barely pouting lips and gently curved lids. His older brother looked just like a child. Behaved like one too, but that was another matter. Dean just looked so innocent and kinda cute that way.
"It must be what endears him to the girls," Sam muttered to himself with a half- grin, "no way he's better looking."
His grin broadened as he suddenly reached for his mobile apparently having thought of something. Chuckling softly he aligned the phone's camera to take in the cherubic slackness when his mirthful lips froze and slowly folded into a pensive line. By the pale car light the dark shadows that marked the skin beneath his brother's eyes seemed more pronounced. Exhaustion. Understandable of course given all the trials they'd been put through but still . . . it was worrying.
These days it seemed Dean was oddly charged and edgy, a flaring fuse whose intensity was unstable and ready to explode, taking him along with it. Though he seemed tranquil enough at the moment, it'd taken Sam three days to persuade Dean to get some sleep and even then he'd had to do it subtly by whining that he hardly ever got to drive their shiny, newly rebuilt Impala these days. Sam could tell Dean hadn't bought it but he'd given in to the tacit concern.
"Just for a couple of hours . . . maybe add a couple more," he had murmured softly while settling beneath his jacket.
Dean had fallen asleep as soon as he lowered his lids, deep bone- worn sleep. That was nearly four hours ago but Sam wasn't inclined to rouse him now. Besides, it was a nice change from the hyper commando mode hunter. Sam turned to watch Dean's face and realising what he was doing couldn't help but smile. In between the gruesomely horrific scenes that fully hit you in the dawning light and the sweat- scented terror of sleepless nights it was these moments of uncovered love that he treasured the most. He cherished the swelling warmth in his chest that he had once lost and once believed never more would be his. Sam was determined not to lose it to the teeming darkness ever again.
So he was more than content to stay awake a couple more hours and maybe another couple on top of that. If Sam could watch over him a little longer, what was a few trifling hours of sleep? What was anything compared to protecting the one thing that felt so right in a reality that seemed all wrong?
Dean had taught him that. Revenge, anger, grief, fear, they weren't worth living for. Life was a precious gift from God so that Man could live for the ones they love. Since Dean had forgotten that now, it was his younger brother's job to remind him. He had to remember, what a great lover he is. Until then . . . well, until then Sam would let him sleep a little longer.
Porticulis, 2006-10-20