Chapter 14

Gabriel texts him a place to meet sometime during the night; Sam sees it when he gets up. He figures now is as good a time to go as any other and Gabriel is there when he arrives, though what he says is something Sam would never have expected.

"Why are you mated to Lucifer's vessel?"

That … actually makes sense. It boggles Sam's mind sure, but it's another of those things Sam really should have considered and didn't.

This world has no version of him, and with no Sam Winchester to serve as the true vessel for Lucifer, that position was left to Dean Winchester. Ability as a vessel is passed down by blood, with the Winchester blood allowing Michael, and the Campbell blood for Lucifer. In this world the only one left with the Campbell blood is Dean. In fact, now that Sam thinks about it he wonders why he and Dean were split the way they were, why they weren't both true vessels for both Micheal and Lucifer.

But that doesn't matter now, the past is over and done with, Sam's world is gone, war has destroyed it. What matters now is that Sam has even more incentive – as if more was ever needed – to stop the apocalypse. Sam's been pressured to be Lucifer's vessel – to say yes -, and he's been Lucifer's vessel. Neither were things he'd wish on another human being, and both were things he'll do everything in his power to keep Dean from experiencing.

But Gabriel's still waiting for an answer, so Sam gives him the bare truth, misleading though it might be.

"To protect him."

"From what?"

"Heaven, and Hell."

Dean knows today is the day. They're both healed, Sam's been quiet and thinking since Dean woke up, and the beach he and Sam are at has been having mysterious disappearances. They're going back to hunting. The vacation is over.

It turns out going back to their old life doesn't change what's between them. Most of Dean nearly fainted in relief the first time Sam kissed him as they were researching a hunt, but he's not nearly so glad that the odd barrier to further intimacy seems to have stuck around. So yeah, no change.

Or at least there isn't until after their third hunt.

It's a salt and burn, no big deal, no injuries, and Dean is still a little high on the adrenalin rush – yeah he's a bit of a pyromaniac, so what? - when Sam asks him to pull over. It's late evening, and they're on some dirt road in the middle of nowhere, but Dean complies. He isn't expecting Sam to get out of the car. Dean's confused and worried when he scrambles out to follow Sam to the hood, but the kiss he gets pulled into is still extremely welcome.

Sam's kisses can be … drugging … and this certainly isn't the first time Dean's found himself coming back to reality when they break for air in a completely different spot than he started out. Sam's used it before as a method of surprising him with their destination when he transports them somewhere, but this time when Dean comes back to himself he's still on the stretch of nowhere road, he's just situated a little differently. He started the kiss standing up, but he ends it stretched out on his back on the impala's hood, one of Sam's arms stretched under his upper back so the hand can support his head, and the other arm curled around Dean's hips to pull their bodies nice and tight together. Dean's thighs have spread without his knowledge or permission, letting his legs clench around Sam and bring him in close. All in all Dean knows exactly what this position leaves him wanting, and he's cursing Sam as a tease in his head at the same time his body is arching in a clear invitation.

The look Sam sends him – mischievous and teasing – as he straightens up somewhat is enough to send Dean's blood boiling with lust. And that's even before Sam uses the extra space to strip off Dean's shirt and set his mouth to work on Dean's chest. He's moving slowly downwards – his mouth now brushing over Dean's abs, setting the skin on fire – and if the mere fact of that wasn't enough to drive Dean out of his mind, well, Sam's got broad shoulders that taper down into his waist, and in reverse the shape of his body is steadily forcing Dean's thighs apart, holding him open for whatever his alpha wants, and the idea of it is doing surprising things to Dean's libido.

Sam's paused now, playing with the skin at the edge of Dean's jeans, kissing and nipping and refusing to move where Dean really needs him to go. And like a snap Dean realizes what he looks like right now. He's half naked laid out over the gleaming black hood – Dean takes good care of his baby, and she takes good care of him, the waining heat of her engine is even now cradling him -, his hands are tangled in Sam's hair trying to tug him further down, and his hips are rolling, in continuous motion, like maybe if he gets Sam's attention there he'll get what he needs. Dean's absolutely mortified, and the blush that comes with that only makes it worse, because that's the only thing that changes, even the level of mortification he's feeling has nothing on the need building up inside him, and it's that need that's running him now.

Somewhere during Dean's realization Sam has taken pity on him. Dean can feel the tug of his belt, can feel the fingers of one of Sam's hands as he tugs Dean's zipper down, the other arm still cradling Dean's hips, holding him where Sam wants him. And then Sam's mouth is … holy fuck.

Dean goes blank. His mind has no extra room for thought for a while as everything he is seems swamped with pleasure. Oddly enough the only thing that stops him from emptying himself into Sam's mouth are the fingers of Sam's free hand as they start to tease him open. And yeah, this feels good, but there's no way he's going to let himself go now and risk Sam stopping what he's finally started, this may be the only time Sam ever wants to do this and Dean's not willing to gamble that it isn't, not with the stakes what they are.

Sam's fingers are inside him now, slick with lube Dean assumes he pulled from nowhere – damn non-trickster – and they match the rhythm of his mouth, making Dean's hips dance between the two sensations, a completely instinctual movement he knows he couldn't stop if he tried.

Dean nearly screams when Sam pulls away, and he might be begging, he can't really tell. Despite his good intentions he was perilously close to coming, and all he can focus on right now is the promise of release.

Dean's not quite sure of the specifics, but some amount of time later – it's probably only his impatience making the wait seem long – Sam leans back down over him. His mouth seeks out the claim mark, and he finds it at the same moment that he slides inside of Dean. The pause let Dean calm down a little, which is probably the only reason he's able to hold back his release, but he's hanging on by a thread.

Sam is on top of him, inside of him, and when Sam finds some place inside him that takes Dean's breath away, makes his vision go white, that's the end. His entire body locks up, frozen, his muscles clenching around Sam, and his arms clutching Sam's shoulders like he's the only stationary point in the world, and he can feel Sam shudder and shake apart above him before Dean's muscles finally relax.

Dean's got only the foggiest perception of the world right now, and even that is fading into darkness, quiet, and rest.

Published: July 10, 2013