Dean Winchester (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
single_man_tear) wrote2024-08-23 08:33 am
single_man_tear) wrote2024-08-23 08:33 am
Entry tags:
Lawrence, Kansas - Friday Afternoon
The case in Kansas was a bust. No ghosts. No demons. Nothing. Dean could’ve called for a portal back to the island, but instead, he just kept driving.
He could’ve pretended he had a destination in mind, and if anyone asked if this was his plan all along, he’d deny it. He’d be wrong, but he’d still deny it.
He was careful. He stopped in Eudora, found a safe spot for the Impala, and then “borrowed” a Honda Civic to take him the rest of the way to Lawrence. Before he even started the car, he slipped on the ugly necklace he’d bought from Wanda—the one that changed his appearance so he’d look like someone else.
Then he drove straight to Lawrence. He shouldn’t be here. Just months ago he promised he wouldn’t go near Sam.
But stalking him from a distance? That wasn’t breaking his promise, right? Just bending it.
It didn’t take long to find him. Lawrence wasn’t that big. Dean just had to stop by the park, and there he was—Sam. His hair was longer (of course), and he still looked like a giant freak. And right next to him was the kid. Dean Jr. Sam was chasing him around the playground with a grin that could light up the whole damn town. The kid was laughing, dodging Sam’s playful grabs.
Dean thought he’d feel good seeing them. But all he felt was a stab of jealousy that cut deep. And then, an even worse feeling hit him.
A deep, whooshing rush of air that rippled through the car.
“Hello, Dean.”
There he was—Castiel. The Ex. Sitting in the backseat of the Civic, wearing his usual suit, tie, and trench coat, glaring at Dean through the rearview mirror.
Dean let out a long groan, rubbing his forehead in a vain attempt to stave off the headache that was already forming. “Cas. Long time. What brings you to Kansas?”
“You,” Castiel said flatly. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“I wasn’t gonna do anything,” Dean growled defensively. “I just—”
Before he could finish, Castiel placed a hand on Dean’s shoulder. Less than a second later, they were standing next to the Impala.
“I hate it when you do that!” Dean snarled, jabbing a finger at Cas. "Do you understand how much I hate that? I’m probably not gonna poop for a week!"
“You’re not supposed to be there, Dean,” Cas replied, his tone as gravelly as ever.
“Yeah, I heard you the first time,” Dean shot back.
“Then why are you here?”
Dean huffed. “What? I can’t miss my brother? And the kid he named after me?”
“No.”
“Damn it, Cas!” Dean shouted.
“Why are you here, Dean?” Cas persisted, unyielding.
Dean hesitated and scowled as Cas continued to stare back at him. Annoyed, Dean stomped away before realizing Cas wasn’t going to leave this alone.
“I thought it’d make me feel better!” Dean snapped. “Okay?!”
“Did it?” Cas asked, his voice calm.
“No! It didn’t! It pisses me off!”
“Why?” Cas replied, not raising his voice, but still pushing Dean’s buttons.
“Because he gets the happy ending, and I get—” Dean stopped, glaring at Cas before giving up on the whole conversation. He turned and started walking toward the Impala.
“Get what?” Castiel pressed.
“Go to hell,” Dean spat, instantly regretting it. Not because it was harsh, but because after all this time—
“Why would I go to hell? Is Rowena up to something?”
Cas still took everything literally.
“I’m leaving. Happy?” Dean said, ignoring Cas’s question.
The angel let out a long irritated sigh. “Don’t come back, Dean. Or you’ll never leave that island again.”
Dean turned, ready to throw a snappy comeback, but he felt more than heard the deep, whooshing rush of air that signaled Castiel’s departure.
Fuming, Dean slumped into the car, half-tempted to drive straight to Lawrence. But instead, he pulled out his phone and requested a portal back to the island.
He stared at the app. All he had to do was press the button, and he’d go home.
The phone beeped. A notification about strange deaths in the cornfields of Nebraska popped up.
He let out a long sigh.
Dean closed the Portalocity app and started the engine. Accelerating probably more than he needed to, he headed north.
[NFB. Open to texts, phone calls, etc.]
He could’ve pretended he had a destination in mind, and if anyone asked if this was his plan all along, he’d deny it. He’d be wrong, but he’d still deny it.
He was careful. He stopped in Eudora, found a safe spot for the Impala, and then “borrowed” a Honda Civic to take him the rest of the way to Lawrence. Before he even started the car, he slipped on the ugly necklace he’d bought from Wanda—the one that changed his appearance so he’d look like someone else.
Then he drove straight to Lawrence. He shouldn’t be here. Just months ago he promised he wouldn’t go near Sam.
But stalking him from a distance? That wasn’t breaking his promise, right? Just bending it.
It didn’t take long to find him. Lawrence wasn’t that big. Dean just had to stop by the park, and there he was—Sam. His hair was longer (of course), and he still looked like a giant freak. And right next to him was the kid. Dean Jr. Sam was chasing him around the playground with a grin that could light up the whole damn town. The kid was laughing, dodging Sam’s playful grabs.
Dean thought he’d feel good seeing them. But all he felt was a stab of jealousy that cut deep. And then, an even worse feeling hit him.
A deep, whooshing rush of air that rippled through the car.
“Hello, Dean.”
There he was—Castiel. The Ex. Sitting in the backseat of the Civic, wearing his usual suit, tie, and trench coat, glaring at Dean through the rearview mirror.
Dean let out a long groan, rubbing his forehead in a vain attempt to stave off the headache that was already forming. “Cas. Long time. What brings you to Kansas?”
“You,” Castiel said flatly. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“I wasn’t gonna do anything,” Dean growled defensively. “I just—”
Before he could finish, Castiel placed a hand on Dean’s shoulder. Less than a second later, they were standing next to the Impala.
“I hate it when you do that!” Dean snarled, jabbing a finger at Cas. "Do you understand how much I hate that? I’m probably not gonna poop for a week!"
“You’re not supposed to be there, Dean,” Cas replied, his tone as gravelly as ever.
“Yeah, I heard you the first time,” Dean shot back.
“Then why are you here?”
Dean huffed. “What? I can’t miss my brother? And the kid he named after me?”
“No.”
“Damn it, Cas!” Dean shouted.
“Why are you here, Dean?” Cas persisted, unyielding.
Dean hesitated and scowled as Cas continued to stare back at him. Annoyed, Dean stomped away before realizing Cas wasn’t going to leave this alone.
“I thought it’d make me feel better!” Dean snapped. “Okay?!”
“Did it?” Cas asked, his voice calm.
“No! It didn’t! It pisses me off!”
“Why?” Cas replied, not raising his voice, but still pushing Dean’s buttons.
“Because he gets the happy ending, and I get—” Dean stopped, glaring at Cas before giving up on the whole conversation. He turned and started walking toward the Impala.
“Get what?” Castiel pressed.
“Go to hell,” Dean spat, instantly regretting it. Not because it was harsh, but because after all this time—
“Why would I go to hell? Is Rowena up to something?”
Cas still took everything literally.
“I’m leaving. Happy?” Dean said, ignoring Cas’s question.
The angel let out a long irritated sigh. “Don’t come back, Dean. Or you’ll never leave that island again.”
Dean turned, ready to throw a snappy comeback, but he felt more than heard the deep, whooshing rush of air that signaled Castiel’s departure.
Fuming, Dean slumped into the car, half-tempted to drive straight to Lawrence. But instead, he pulled out his phone and requested a portal back to the island.
He stared at the app. All he had to do was press the button, and he’d go home.
The phone beeped. A notification about strange deaths in the cornfields of Nebraska popped up.
He let out a long sigh.
Dean closed the Portalocity app and started the engine. Accelerating probably more than he needed to, he headed north.
[NFB. Open to texts, phone calls, etc.]