aisalynn: (Default)
aisalynn ([personal profile] aisalynn) wrote2010-04-16 12:54 am

Supernatural ficlet: Like a Cross Worn Around the Neck

Title: Like a Cross Worn Around the Neck
Fandom: Supernatural
Characters/Pairing: Dean, Sam. GEN.
Warnings: Spoilers through 5x18
Rating: PG
Summary: Coda to 5x18. It's bad form to throw away Christmas gifts.

Notes: Come on, you know we all want this to happen.




Three days after Dean killed Zachariah and dragged Sam away from a fast approaching archangel and they’re back in another anonymous hotel room, with no sign of Cas or Adam, and exhausted.

They’d taken turns sleeping in the Impala, but hadn’t stopped for anything longer than a restroom break, a tank of gas and reheated convenience store food. If Adam had tipped the angels off to where Dean and Sam had been keeping him, then Bobby’s was no longer safe for them and they drove as far and as fast from South Dakota as they could.

Bobby, the stubborn son of bitch, refused to leave. But he’d called, once a day to tell them nothing had changed, and to make sure they kept leaving more and more miles behind their wheels.

Now they’re camped out in the Sunrest Motel, on the edge of some run down farming town Sam doesn’t even know the name of. The air conditioner doesn’t work, the water pressure's crap, and the walls are the same shade of sickly tan that half the motel rooms in America seem to be painted in, but Sam feels like he can finally relax.

He’s at the small table in the corner, slouched in the armchair with his legs spread out like they couldn’t be for the last three days, idly flipping through news articles over the internet, not really searching for a hunt, but just wasting time. He doesn’t find anything serious, just some old lady who swears up and down that the ghost of her dead cat (a Mr. Elroy Withington II. Seriously.) has been visiting her late at night, purring into her ear as she slept and one time, saving her from slipping over a toy her grandchild left of the top steps of the stairs by meowing and making her look down.

Sam looks away from the computer and turns to Dean, who’s sitting on one of the beds and flipping through the whole ten channels available, ready to share the after life activities of Mr. Elroy, and stops. Dean isn’t watching the TV, but staring unfocused at the bed spread, frown on his face and one hand at his neck, unconsciously dipping under the fabric of his t-shirt to rub at the dip of his throat and collar bone.

“Miss it?” Sam asks softly.

Dean’s head jerks up, his hand dropping to the bed. “What do you mean?” he asks, but he’s not meeting Sam’s eyes, and the tips of his ears are pink.

“Your necklace,” Sam needlessly clarifies. “You miss it?”

Dean shifts uncomfortably for a moment on the bed, still doesn’t look at Sam. “Just not used to not wearing it, even after Cas had it all that time," he mutters, voice gruff.

Sam nods. “Yeah.”

They’re quiet for a long moment. Dean fidgets a little on the bed, flipping the remote over in his hand, pretending to watch the sitcom on the TV. Sam watches Dean, and makes no secret about it. “Probably in some trash dump, by now,” Dean says after a while, low and too casual.

“Probably.”

“Yeah,” Dean mutters, bringing one hand up to scrub roughly at his face as he sighs. Then he finally meets Sam‘s eyes, a small, rueful smile on his face. “Sorry, Sam. I know it’s bad form to throw away a Christmas gift like that.”

Sam shrugs, like it’s no big deal. “It’s okay. I threw away the shaving cream you gave me a couple years ago. It made my face itch.”

Dean chuckles and nods. “Right,” he says. “Guess we’re even then,” like it’s the same thing.

They both know it’s not, but Sam doesn’t say anything when Dean switches his attention back to the TV, actively going back to his channel surfing. He continues to watch Dean over his laptop, and after a while the frown is back on Dean’s face, and the hand not holding the remote control inches up to his neck again.

Sam abruptly stands up and walks over to the bed, unbuttoning his shirt. Dean looks up at him, brows furrowing in confusion. “Sam, what are you…” his voice trails off when he sees the cord around Sam’s neck, visible through the dip of his t-shirt, expression freezing as Sam grabs it and carefully pulls it over his head.

“Here,” he says calmly, holding it out.

Dean’s hand is slow as he reaches out for it, eyes locked on the pendant as if Sam would suddenly yank it back the moment Dean tried to touch it. As soon as he does though--fingers curling around the pendent to tuck it against his palm--his eyes flicker up to meet Sam’s. “Sammy. You…” he trails off again, not sure what to say.

Sam gives him a half smile. “Like I’d let it end up in a landfill somewhere.”

Dean tries to smile back and doesn't succeed. He looks away, head ducking down to pull the cord over his head. The amulet rests against his breastbone, bright against the dark of his t-shirt, and Dean places a hand over it, pressing it against his chest. He closes his eyes for a minute and just breathes.

“Don’t throw it away again,” Sam tells his brother, and Dean’s eyes snap back open, looking up to find Sam. “It’s yours and that’s twice now that I’ve worn it. I don’t want to again.” Dean gives a little nod and Sam goes back to his laptop, doesn't say anything else.

The But I would doesn't need to be spoken.




[identity profile] ashdoode.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 05:41 am (UTC)(link)
OMG.

I just..I CAN'T EVEN FORM THOUGHTS AFTER THIS. After the episode, this is so freaking PERFECT. One of the most incredible coda's i've ever read.

The way you characterized sam and dean -- this is exactly the way I'd see it go down on the show.

I FREAKING LOVE YOU.

♥ x 90384902849234802898!!!

*hands you my heart*

[identity profile] strgazr04.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 05:56 am (UTC)(link)
I had been waiting and hoping for this moment especially with how the end of the episode was going. This was a perfect coda for it. Awesome job!

[identity profile] aisalynn.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 06:05 am (UTC)(link)
Wow. Thank you so much!

And since you are my first commenter, I have a question for you. The last line, is it clear that the "But I would" is referring to Sam's not wanting to wear the necklace again? I just re-read it, and I don't want it to seem like the unspoken words are meant about Dean throwing it away. I didn't want to end on a downer.

[identity profile] aisalynn.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 06:09 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! :D This is what I wanted to happen at the end of this episode, so I had to go and write it out.

I've question though, if you don't mind. The last line, is it clear that the "But I would" is referring to Sam's not wanting to wear the necklace again? I just re-read it, and I don't want it to seem like the unspoken words are meant about Dean throwing it away.

[identity profile] ashdoode.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 06:12 am (UTC)(link)
At first I thought it meant dean, but I re-read it and in my head I was like "but whyyyy?" and then I was like OH, OH. She meant SAM. And then it was all clear :)

I don't know how your other readers will take it, but I re-read it once and I got it <333

[identity profile] cxw1065.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 06:14 am (UTC)(link)
Lovely coda, however in response to the questions asked above, I'm afraid that the last line isn't clear.

Did you mean it to say that Sam would wear the necklace again if Dean threw it away again? so that he could give it back to Dean again if he had to?

Other than that, the comment doesn't make sense to me.

However, the rest of the coda is note perfect.........if we could see that as the last moment of the show, it would be the icing on the cake

[identity profile] aisalynn.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 06:14 am (UTC)(link)
Hmmm. I might have to change it then.

[identity profile] aisalynn.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 06:16 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, that is exactly what I meant. Thank you for answering that--I'm definitely going to rewrite it a bit. And thank you for you other lovely comments as well. :D

[identity profile] aisalynn.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 06:18 am (UTC)(link)
Mind reading the end again and tell me if that's better? *puppy eyes*

[identity profile] ashdoode.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 06:25 am (UTC)(link)
OH, YES. That is definitely better. AND GAAAH! I just read this whole entire thing again and I cannot TELL you how much I adore it.

EVERYTHING is so freaking perfect. I REALLY NEED THIS TO HAPPEN ON THE SHOW. I won't accept it any other way!!

<33333 So much love for this, bb! INCREDIBLE!

[identity profile] aisalynn.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 06:28 am (UTC)(link)
*blushes and grins like crazy* Thank you! *Hugs*

Good, I'm glad that worked out, I really didn't want to just cut that line altogether.

[identity profile] strgazr04.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 06:44 am (UTC)(link)
idk i got what u meant without having to reread it. if u wanted to change it you could bold the 'would' in that sentence so the intonation is different and points to the fact that sam WOULD wear it again, you kno?

[identity profile] fuflowers.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 08:04 am (UTC)(link)
Wonderful, so wonderful.

Because we all know this is what really happened once the screen faded to black.

[identity profile] yourkidney.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 08:08 am (UTC)(link)
OMG OMG YES OMG!!! \0/!!!!!!!

Haha my roommate is watching Bruce Almighty and they just talked about Free Will or something. <3 Just thought I'd share, because it's SO APPROPRIATE FOR THIS EPISODE!!! THE WORLD IS ON TEAM FREE WILL!!!

:cough:

Beautiful coda. Seriously. It was so casual and beautiful and just…♥.

[identity profile] josieb1.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 09:29 am (UTC)(link)
This was beautiful, a perfect coda to the episode. Thank you

[identity profile] tifaching.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 11:29 am (UTC)(link)
Ohhh, that was perfect. Especially the last line. Just beautiful!

[identity profile] msninacat.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 11:34 am (UTC)(link)
OMG YES PLZ. WE CAN HAS?!?!?! This feels so like it should just slip into place with what's going on right now. Good job!

[identity profile] tifaching.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 11:45 am (UTC)(link)
Unless you changed the last sentence again,it was pretty clear that it was Sam thinking that he'd wear the necklace again if he had to. To me at least.
ext_400728: (I Luv You)

[identity profile] captainpixie.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 11:45 am (UTC)(link)
oh god I wasn't expecting t cry, but that made me bawling at the end their!!!

[identity profile] danov.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 12:44 pm (UTC)(link)
This is excellent. Top notch writing and I loved the interaction between the boys. I wondered if the show would discuss it, because it's true, like Sam would let it end up in a landfill!

But luckily, I don't need the show to discuss it, that's what fic is for!

[identity profile] ciaimpala.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 12:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Totally agreeing with Ash here-this was PERFECT. By far one of the best codas EVER. You just made a perfect episode even more perfect!

[identity profile] paceyringwald.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 03:24 pm (UTC)(link)
♥____♥

Ok, I want this like yesterday!!! :D As a matter of fact, I'm gonna' act like that this coda was on the show and Sammy did give the necklace to Dean. :)))

[identity profile] sxymami0909.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 03:53 pm (UTC)(link)
OMG...This is probably the most perfect thing I've ever read!!!!! *happy sigh* I so needed someoen to fix that moment. I think there have only been Three moments that broke my heart beyond recognition with this show...

-Sammy dieing in Dean's arms.
-The last moments between Jo and Dean
-And Dean throwing away that pendant!

Thank you so much for this amazing story! :-D

[identity profile] candycanerica.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 04:15 pm (UTC)(link)
OMG! Fantastic. I actually didn't realize til after I was done reading it that I'd been holding my breath, I only realized when I let it all out. LOVED it. Good job!!

[identity profile] candycanerica.livejournal.com 2010-04-16 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, and the last line was totally clear to me, I knew it was Sam right away. Please don't change it!

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