[ Dean's ass is, in fact, prominently on display as he bends over the car, hood up, grease smeared on arms and face alike.
He sighs, closing his eyes and counting to five the second he hears the front door slam, reigning in his own temper so they can try to discuss this like fucking rational...adults. ]
First off, [ he says, pulling back from the car, reaching for a towel to wipe his hands off, in case he needs to punch his brother in the nose. He'd hate to get Sammy greasy. ] I'm not out of my mind.
[ Debatable. Already, this is going splendidly. ]
Second, I handled it the best way I could. [ There's some instinct here to protect Cas - drugged out, war torn, fallen, broken Cas - from Sam's righteous anger, so Dean doesn't immediately point fingers at the angel.
Never liste- Well I dunno Dean maybe he got stuck on the part about being Lucifer's vessel and ending the world. Why did you tell him, what possible reason did you have to tell him that. He's just a kid. At fourteen I was still accepting the realities of who I thought we were then. What we did with dad. Whether I might ever stand a chance of college or a normal life! Not-
Not an existential crisis over the fate of the world, man, cmon!
[ Ah, there's that self-righteous anger Dean has missed so much.
No, literally. Dean actually has missed this. It means Sam is here, not Lucifer, they're not home, Sam's alive, Dean is alive and they're fighting like old times. ]
What did you expect me to do, huh Sam? [ Dean glances around, makes sure all the windows are shut, that little Sam isn't wandering around listening to them fight. ] Let someone he killed tell him? Have him stumble across that network post he made? There was no good way to handle this -- it's better coming from me, from people he knows!
[Dean has a point and Sam doesn't like that. So he pivots.]
Well Damn, should I just call him over and finish the job? Tell him that dad's dead and the only woman we ever loved was murdered and it was our fault and oh yeah- why not- mom too?! That he will never have a normal life and we will never have a choice in that because literally every choice we thought we ever made for ourselves was manipulation by The Devil.
[ Dean grabs his brothers shoulder and gives him a shake, growling under his breath. ]
Stop, just stop! [ He's pleading with Sam now, head tipped, imploring, hand on Sam's shoulder. ]
He's got a chance here, Sammy. A chance neither of us ever had - a chance to just be a damn kid. He needed to know what he needed to know, and that's it. Maybe I didn't handle it well, but the truth is, I had to tell him straight.
What we don't need to do is tell him about Dad and Jess, and all the rest -- okay?
[He snaps back out of instinct. But.. Dean always kind of has, it's just that this is about Sam and agency over his own future. He so rarely has any control over his own life and this kicks up all that dust.
But Sam still quiets. He still relents. He's mad as hell but.]
No, he doesn't need to know that. Next time you decide to truth bomb him give me a heads up. What am I supposed to say to this?
Look, I'm sorry, okay? [ He could pontificate about it; I didn't mean to, I didn't think, I thought it was best -- but the reality is Cas fucked this shit up and while yeah, Dean is fine taking the beating, ultimately Sam is right. He should've been consulted and he would have been had it actually...been Dean calling the shots on this one. He hadn't formed a plan on how to talk to little Sam about all of this, but this was definitely not one of the options he'd had on the table. ]
You're right, I'm sorry. [ He says it again, to drive the point home as he reaches to take Sam's fluid and look properly at the message.
Great. ]
Tell him the truth. [ He droops a little, handing the phone back, shoulders hunching as he leans against the car. He's tired. Dean has been tired for a long time. ] Reiterate it isn't his fault. It was mine.
[ Dean doesn't like this anymore than Sam does; and Cas is...well. he's Cas, and decidedly not the angel that Sam knew. He's different, unapologetic, and Dean can only cover his tracks and deflect.
Cas just got here and he's been Dean's second for so long he just--
It's difficult to explain. Doesn't matter. ]
If he has any specific questions, let me know, I guess. [ HE'd probably know the answers, after all. ]
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neck deep in baby. whats up
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Sam shoves his boots on and comes trudging out to the car, considering how far he could get said boot up his brother's ass.]
Hey. [Clipped. Hands firmly in his jacket pockets.]
Where the hell do you get off telling Sam about Lucifer, are you out of your mind?!
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He sighs, closing his eyes and counting to five the second he hears the front door slam, reigning in his own temper so they can try to discuss this like fucking rational...adults. ]
First off, [ he says, pulling back from the car, reaching for a towel to wipe his hands off, in case he needs to punch his brother in the nose. He'd hate to get Sammy greasy. ] I'm not out of my mind.
[ Debatable. Already, this is going splendidly. ]
Second, I handled it the best way I could. [ There's some instinct here to protect Cas - drugged out, war torn, fallen, broken Cas - from Sam's righteous anger, so Dean doesn't immediately point fingers at the angel.
Instead, he just...insinuates it's his fault. ]
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I know about it now. That I'm the one who ruins things. The apocalypse and the devil.
I knew enough that Dean couldn't fake his way through it.
[A beat. You're so fucked.]
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I didn't try to fake my way through it. [ He snaps, tossing the towel aside in favor of folding his arms. ]
I told him it wasn't his fault, dammit. He didn't listen to me - why don't you ever listen?
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Not an existential crisis over the fate of the world, man, cmon!
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No, literally. Dean actually has missed this. It means Sam is here, not Lucifer, they're not home, Sam's alive, Dean is alive and they're fighting like old times. ]
What did you expect me to do, huh Sam? [ Dean glances around, makes sure all the windows are shut, that little Sam isn't wandering around listening to them fight. ] Let someone he killed tell him? Have him stumble across that network post he made? There was no good way to handle this -- it's better coming from me, from people he knows!
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Well Damn, should I just call him over and finish the job? Tell him that dad's dead and the only woman we ever loved was murdered and it was our fault and oh yeah- why not- mom too?! That he will never have a normal life and we will never have a choice in that because literally every choice we thought we ever made for ourselves was manipulation by The Devil.
Sure, yeah sure, I'll just- HEY SAM
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Knock it off! What's the matter with you--
[ Dean grabs his brothers shoulder and gives him a shake, growling under his breath. ]
Stop, just stop! [ He's pleading with Sam now, head tipped, imploring, hand on Sam's shoulder. ]
He's got a chance here, Sammy. A chance neither of us ever had - a chance to just be a damn kid. He needed to know what he needed to know, and that's it. Maybe I didn't handle it well, but the truth is, I had to tell him straight.
What we don't need to do is tell him about Dad and Jess, and all the rest -- okay?
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[He snaps back out of instinct. But.. Dean always kind of has, it's just that this is about Sam and agency over his own future. He so rarely has any control over his own life and this kicks up all that dust.
But Sam still quiets. He still relents. He's mad as hell but.]
No, he doesn't need to know that. Next time you decide to truth bomb him give me a heads up. What am I supposed to say to this?
[Gesturing with his phone.]
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You're right, I'm sorry. [ He says it again, to drive the point home as he reaches to take Sam's fluid and look properly at the message.
Great. ]
Tell him the truth. [ He droops a little, handing the phone back, shoulders hunching as he leans against the car. He's tired. Dean has been tired for a long time. ] Reiterate it isn't his fault. It was mine.
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This is just... So unfair. For all of them but for the poor kid, he's done nothing wrong. God damn it.
But, also, it is better that it comes from them and not an outsider.
Sam supposes he was just hoping it was a bridge they would never have to cross. Sounds unlikely? Sure. But a guy can dream. ]
Yeah.. okay.
Thanks, I guess.
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Cas just got here and he's been Dean's second for so long he just--
It's difficult to explain. Doesn't matter. ]
If he has any specific questions, let me know, I guess. [ HE'd probably know the answers, after all. ]
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This is gonna suck.