Dean had to endure two more hours on the road with this stifling frustration. The lady at the motel have him a strange look. She hesitated to give him a room at all, judging by his gruff behavior and whimsical pink hairstyle. But he managed to convince her it was just a college prank, and no ma'am, he wasn't a part of those goth cults.
Finally behind the closed door of a lower manhattan motel room, Dean almost immediately slumped with relief.
Privacy. Beds. TV.
"At least the bathroom's a decent size." He announced, dropping his bag on the floor along with Sam's. He didn't know why he bothered bringing it; it wasn't like any of his clothes fit him right now.
He scooped his brother off his shoulder in a fist and let him off on the pillow. Then he collapsed on the other side with a loud sigh. Dean folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes.
Sam momentarily became airbourne as Dean's body hit the mattress. Sam inhales sharply, and feels his heart ramming against his ribcage. As he exhales, he seems to calm his nerves somewhat. God what he'd give for this to be over.
Looking over at Dean, Sam felt the weight of the situation fall on him. Now that he was finally able to sit and think, it seemed to all fall on him. He was small. Not just small, he was tiny! Dwarfed by his brother that he once towered over... This whole situation... It made him feel so pathetic. So utterly useless.
No. He wouldn't let Gabriel get to him. Hadn't he just argued that he was still a hunter? Still capable? So he was small. So what? Its not like this was the first time the odds weren't in his favor. Though, he didnt need to prove it to himself... it was Dean that needed to know he was just as capable as ever.
Turning to Dean, his pink hair looking oddly florescent in the light of the nightstand lamp, Sam half smiled. Had he really dozed off that fast? Or was he just messing with him?
Sam wasn't exactly a chatter box on a good day. But this kind of quiet isn't normal. It's annoying, and yet makes Dean feel guilty for some weird reason. He keeps his eyes closed for a bit, knowing it was probably a relief for his little bro. Sam looked at him mostly now like he was a monster. "a walking skyscraper". It wasn't his fault of course, but it was rather disheartening. Especially when he knew this went behind the size thing.
He inhaled deeply, lets it out again. Shower sounded good right now. Hot shower. But the bed was comfortable..
"You keep staring at me like that, people are gonna get the wrong idea." Dean didn't move from his position.
Sam jumped at the sudden voice, and mentally scolded himself right after for being so skittish.
"Well, keeping your brother in the Sam bed with you doesn't really help either," chirped Sam, raising an eyebrow. " and neither does the pink hair."
In all honesty, Sam was still on edge around Dean... around everything. His instincts begged him to hide... to find somewhere safe... but his mind pushed those thoughts away. This is safe.
Dean cracked an eye open, turning his head to look at him.
"'The Sam bed'?" An amused smile tugged at his lips, momentarily forgetting to be disgruntled about everything. He chuckled genuinely. "Heh, I hope you don't mind me using the Sam Pillow."
"Yes, the Sam bed! This," he gestured to the bed length, "Is mine. This is the Sam bed." He pointed with a dramatic gesture to the other bed,
"Thats the Dean bed." Sam marched up towards his Dean's face, wearing a playful smirk.
"Cause I need the leg room." Sam stood directly infront of Dean's side turned head, and placed his boot somewhat roughly against his brother's massive nose.
"And you, Pinky, are most certainly NOT touching my pillow."
Dean made a face and turned his head away for a moment- out of reaction, not that the kick had really done more than agitate.
"Uh-huh.." When he faced him again, his big green eyes were alight with jackass mischief. "But.. I'm so tiirrred..dunno if I can get up." He sighed exaggeratedly as he rolled onto his side, dropping a hand over Sam and getting comfortable on the bed.
As a natural reflex Sam pushed at the fingers, but they didnt give way. Sam momentarily panicked, as a sudden claustrophobia engulfed him. Taking in a deep breath, he calmed his frantic heart and let a mischievous smile crawl across his face.
Eyeing the Dean's sleeve, Sam slipped out from under the hand, and darted up the flannel passage way, half ducking half crawling, as he climbed his way up the dark tunnel of his brother's clothing.
"You really think you'll catch me that easy?" laughs Sam as he continues his way up Dean's arm.
"Whoa. Dude!" Dean's startled voice reverberated loudly through the air. "Not okay."
The hand previously covering him flexed as Dwan suppressed shivers from the ckmpelte willies he was getting from the tiny hands , knees, and feet dug into his bare skin. He sat up halfway, raising his arm. With a small sluumph, a Sam-sized lump slid to the crook of the shirt sleeve, at his elbow. But he didn't stop.
Sam's only reply was amused laughter as he struggled to continue towards Dean's shoulder with the fabric becoming tighter around Dean's bicep. The higher he went the tighter the fabric became, and as Sam reached the shoulder, he came to the embarrassing realization that he had gotten himself stuck under the taut fabric.
"You're kidding me." Dean immediately shot down at the lump protruding from the bottom of his shoulder. He could feel the tautness, too. He flexed his arm quick for kicks.
"Okay, now you're good.." He gave a short laugh, then started unbuttoning his shirt. Bit by bit the sleeve loosened enough that Sam could move again. But brides he could get much further, Dean shoved a hand down and snatched Sam up in a first. "Whoa there, cowboy. I don't need you climbing all over me with your tiny little self." He gave a visible shift of discomfort, shaking off the sensation.
Sam's muffled reply seeps out from between Deans fingers in a snarky, sarcastic little voice,
"And I don't need a giant flamingo in MY bed."
Dean grins. Now that sounded more like his Sammy. He unfurled his fist to reveal a slightly squished looking Sam.
"Puh-lease. This bed is lucky to have me." Dean replied, not even caring if it made sense.
Sam just rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, sure Dean." yawned Sam rubbing his eyes. His energy had burned out pretty fast. Almost suspiciously fast. Realizing he probably should have ate sometime between breakfast and now, Sam leans back resting his frame against Dean's slightly curled fingers, too tired to care about pride.
Dean is both touched and uncomfortable with the somewhat vulnerable action. He just looks so... Fragile. Like a strong wind might blow him away. So tired.
"I'm gonna order some pizza." He announced, more quietly than usual. His hand lowered to a view of his rumpled shirt as he got to his feet and gently dumped Sam back on the bed where he had laid. He pulled out his phone and paced over to the window, peering out at the nearly vacant parking lot as he placed an order for a medium pepperoni- green peppers on one half like Sam liked.
"Should be here in twenty." Dean said, coming to stand back by the bed. A strange look crossed his face. "You don't, uh...you don't have to use the bathroom, do ya?"
It suddenly occurred to him that vastness of simple tasks that Sam was handicapped from now.
Sam furrowed his brow. Now that it was mentioned, he definitely did.
"Uh.." started Sam, "Just... drop me off at the sink." Sam stretched his once long body as he sat up, scratching his chin. He was exhausted. Too exhausted to care at this point, even though he knew he'd be embarrassed come morning.
Dean showed his sympathy by remaining silent. There was no denying this sucked royally. He slid a hand over to Sma on the bedspread, then added pressure so gravity pulled the little guy into his palm. He cupped his second hand loosely around the first for added security as he carried Sam to the bathroom sink.
"Just.. Y'know, holler..." He was so entranced by the bizarre comparison of his brother IN a sink that Dean nearly ran into the door on his way out.
After being dropped off in the sink, Sam hurriedly relieved himself. While doing so he realized he wouldn't be able to wash his hands without his brothers help. The thought was more than a little embarrassing. The embarrassment seemed to stroke Sam's fiery pride as he resolved that he would do this once simple task himself. With a running jump, Sam managed to grab the edge of the sink, though he immediately began to slip due to the smooth porcelain surface. In a hasty motion, Sam awkwardly swung his leg up, helping him pull himself out.
Once out of the sink, Sam walked towards the knob and gave it a shove. The tap gave way much easier than expected. Sam smiled to himself, his pride flourishing in this small triumph. He shimmied up the tap, straddling it like a horse as he slid his hands under the stream.
After getting down from the tap, Sam realized the lip of the knob was just a bit too far for him to reach. With a sigh, he decided it was due time to call Dean.
Dean's distinctive footsteps shuffled to the door.
"Look at you." His face lit up a bit at the sight. Now that the shock was wearing off, there was something entertaining about a six inch Sam Winchester. Annoying, absurd, and frustrating as hell... But entertaining none the less.
He came over and let Sam hop onto his extended palm. "As much as I love toting you around everywhere," Dean began with a note of sarcasm. "I'm drawing the line at tucking you into bed." To show what he was talking about, Dean gestured to a spare pillow from Sam's bed and had propped it up in such a way that it curved from the floor to the very edge of the mattress. He was quite proud of the simple improvisation. "Here, check it out."
Air rushed past like the tower of terror as he crouched down to let Sam off on the floor. He stood up slowly and took a few steps back to watch.
Sam was honestly flattered by Dean's improvised bed. He grabbed the edges of the pillow and hoisted himself up. God, it was an awkward thing to climb. Sam resorted to a sort of half climb, half crawl method, until he reached a more flat area. The pillow sank wuth each of his steps as Sam waddled towards the center. Looking up at his brther, he smiled and shrugged.
"Not bad,"
Sam jumped up and flopped onto his back. While the downsides to his new height proved to be innumerable, this... this was most certainly a bonus. The cold fabric of the pillow surronded him, as his body sunk in. The softness seemed to embrace him as he squirmed to create the perfect dent arround himself. Wow. He could get used to sleeping like this.
Sam tugged off his shirt, and tossed it to the floor. As he untied his boots, he gave a frustrated sigh upon noticing that he'd have to wear the Sam clothes until all of this was over. Great.
A chill shot up his spine, air around him seemed to buzz momentarily. A confused look washed across his face. His boots had disappeared. More so, his jeans had been replaced with bright blue pajama bottoms... covered in little cartoon moose. He noticed a shirt now covered his once bare chest. Matching the pants, the shirt too was bright blue, with one large moose head on the front. Sam groaned.
"Real funny Gabriel." Sam paused. His boxers felt weird. 'No...' was his only thought as he peaked down his pants. He could practically hear the Arch Angel's guffaws. Sam stared at a clean new pair if underwear, decorated with hearts, each with Gabriel's name on the inside.
"Come on!"
Dean did a double take. The change was instantaneous, as it usually was with Gabriel. In two swift strides, he was kneeling at the bedside, his big face crowding in to see Sam more clearly.
"He's really pulling out all the stops for this one." He said, just before a shutter sounded out. Dean beams at the screen, having captured an image of Sam just as he looked up.
"Hey could you turn a little more to the left? I didn't get all of the shirt in that one."
Sam's face reddened to the point it seemed he could fry an egg on his cheek. He lunged at the cellphone, but tripped on the strange, uneven surface of his pillow-bed, causing him to face plant. To make matters worse, as he tumbled, he managed to let his pajama pants slip, reveling his new and highly undesired underwear to Dean.
Dean snickered, pinching his little brother by the hips and dangling him upside down. "Oh wow." He grinned. "Those a gift, or have you just been saving them for a special day?" He set a very embarrassed Sam back on his feet on the pillow, keeping his hand near so he wouldn't trip.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He said, still laughing but trying to assuage his little bro. "Come on, I haven't been able to pick you up since you were thirteen."
Sam swatted at his brother's fingers, and shooting him a death glare like no other. He hated how Dean towered over him. He hated how he could pick him up with ease. It was as if his tiny flame of pride had been snuffed between those giant fingers. Though, Sam swallowed his anger. Something about the look in Dean's eyes forced him to feel almost guilty. The anger may have subsided, but the embarrassment was still there, and it welled inside of him, drowning any remaining embers of pride.
"I just want this to be over..."
Dean had expected a little more fight in reply. To his mild surprise, Sam let him get away with it. Not even a vulgar word hurled in his direction. His set the phone aside, smile fading somewhat.
"Well, enjoy the king sized bed while it lasts." He finally said, giving Sam a pat on the back that just about throws him to his knees. Dean makes a face and pulls his hand away. "My bad.." The mumble became distant as he slapped his hands on his thighs and pushed himself to his feet.
He changed out of his clothes, opting for just undershirt and boxers for bed. After glancing over his shoulder to make sure Sammy wasn't watching, he gave his bluejeans a quick sniff. Right after, he tossed them into the corner in a crumpled heap and climbed into his own bed. Alright, so maybe they could visit a laundromat tomorrow.